The Case

All of the characters were thoroughly unbelievable. Like the ex-husband who was a cop tough-guy and didn't look or act the part. All of his outraged bursts of temper were thoroughly choreographed and rehearsed, to the point it looked more like a demonstration of how NOT to play the part. Lots of distant and close-up shots of his face trying to portray anger: none were convincing. Then the defendant on trial never showed a drop of self-confidence. Every time he entered the courtroom he had his head hanging, looking sweaty and uncomfortable and guilty. None of the relationships worked either. Not the accused and his wife. Not his best friend and wife. Not the barrister and his pupil. And the woman who played Valerie was a total waste of space. Totally unbelievable, whether she was the ice queen, the temptress, or the sisterly rescuer. They seemed to be unable to decide whether it was an unfunny comedy or serious drama. But the very worst part was the ending. Because everyone's character on the law team switched from relentless and self-centered to suddenly supportive and celebratory. This never happens in real life. Plus all the recalled-memory sequences were a real drag on the story.

The premise of the mini series seems a good start. Only there were many off-putting characteristics of the filming and acting. The filming was in our face, strange angles and placements. Creative intensions but didn't work. The acting was as if the director was seeking short, choppy bursts of emotions, anger, dismay. Seems many character's anger took over for acting. No one was likeable. Not even the accused, though I wanted to like him. Just he is directed to act in a strange style. Petty office antics with holes to the story. An Odd Duck of a mini-series. Don't waste your time. Acorn TV where I watched it could just leave it off the roster.

As I say, a very good storyline, very believable. But I wasn't convinced by the actors playing the defence counsel or his pupil, both were fairly wooden and it was hard to accept their relationship, either professional or romantic. Two of the other characters were usefully obectionable. The court scenes were well presented. A good, though predictable, ending. I quite enjoyed those few parts of Liverpool that we were shown.

In some ways this series, albeit much shorter and with fewer characters, reminded me of the Australian series Crownie, but that was far more polished with many sympathetic characters.