Sunday 08 November

BLOGS

blogCategory
Previous
Back to blog
Next

Criminal Justice

Ben Whishaw as Ben Coulter in Criminal Justice
  • Posted at 2:45pm
  • 26 June 2008
  • by AlisonGraham-RT
  • 16 comments

Mainstream television often seems like a soft play area devoted entirely to teens and their half-formed sensibilities, what with its childishly silly sci-fi dramas and endless, tedious soaps.

But there is something at long last for literate grown-ups - you know, people who can form coherent sentences and whose lips don't move when they read - Criminal Justice, running every night from Monday to Friday (30 June to 4 July) on BBC1. It's rewarding, even though it's a big commitment and it's hardly a laugh a minute - a young man, Ben Coulter (the gifted Ben Whishaw), is arrested for rape and murder after he spends the night with a young woman, a total stranger.

He claims to remember nothing of the night, but is quickly arrested and sucked into the British criminal justice system. This isn't a good place to be. Ben rapidly loses every last ounce of control he ever had over his life, as people he doesn't know either put words into his mouth, or tell him to shut up. Or much, much worse, particularly when he arrives in prison on remand.

So, not a barrel of fun. But Criminal Justice, though it lags in parts, which is probably inevitable, keeps up a decent pace. Of course, its premise - following a crime from its commission, through the police investigation to a court case and verdict - is hardly new; Murder One did it, and Law & Order does it quite admirably every week. But the five consecutive nights aspect allows its impact to accumulate and become increasingly powerful, so by episode five, after poor Ben has been put through the wringer both in prison and in court, you'll be willing the jury to come back quickly with their verdict.

You'll also need to stick closely with House (Thursdays, 9:00pm, Five) for the next couple of weeks. I know this series has, by and large, been pitifully bad, though it's had its moments. The "special" starring Mira Sorvino was brilliant, I hope there's some way of bringing her back next season. The sexual tension between her and House (Hugh Laurie) was sparkling, though they never actually met as she was marooned on a South Pole geological survey and his diagnosis of her mysterious illness was done via webcam.

But, at long last, she was a woman actually worthy of his attention. So wet Dr Allison Cameron, you can get lost now. In fact, I hope in series five, the dreary Cameron, Chase and Foreman are dispensed with once and for all.

House's two-part season finale (Thursday 26 June and Thursday 3 July) is odd, but interesting and ultimately quite moving, when House is involved in a bus crash that badly injures a colleague.

**

Alison Graham is TV editor of Radio Times - read her column in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, out now.

Link to this post
Post a comment | 16 comments

Comments

  • Posted on 12 July 2008
  • at 4:34pm
  • by jeni

i had been watching it when repeated the week just gone when it was on late at night around 2am but missed the last one on thurs night. will that be replayed on iplayer too or have i missed out completely. i have been looking all over the internet but can't find somewhere to watch it i am very very peeved off. can you help me????

  • Posted on 06 July 2008
  • at 11:44pm
  • by JohnMW

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and I can tell you from bitter personal experience that yes this is very realistic and yes the prison scenes are accurate.

Although in my case, my supposed offence was not nearly as serious as the one portrayed here, I felt chilled to the marrow to be watching it.

My heart went out to the character of "Ben Coulter", which was a sterling performance.

I wanted to tell the truth too but was prevented from doing so. I only wish that I had had a lawyer like "Stone", played briliantly by Con O'Neill. Lawyers and barristers were not interested at all in the truth, just the best story thats all. Fortunately I never went to a jury trial. I wish I had now, they would have laughed the case out of court !!

Trust me this was very very accurate. Brilliantly scripted, brilliantly written, please lets have more. I loved the idea of putting the inappropriate relationships in, as a bit of a side plot.

Bill Patterson is a fab actor too, i've liked him since his Auf-Weidersen Pet days, I am glad he had doubts about his evidence right at the end and realised that "Ben" did not do the murder. I think they could have made more of this, rather than just showing "Ben" walking out of the prison.

  • Posted on 06 July 2008
  • at 9:25pm
  • by Hannah

Be careful Lee... they delete your comment if we bad mouth her too much! Believe me I know!

  • Posted on 06 July 2008
  • at 8:58pm
  • by HelenHackworthy-RT

Moggy - catch the last episode on the BBC iPlayer. It will be available for seven days after transmission.

Helen
RadioTimes.com

  • Posted on 06 July 2008
  • at 8:22pm
  • by lee

i see im not the only one to realise your inabilaty to not badmouth the youth of today, whoms 'half-formed sensibilities' will be the backbone of this society for the next 40 years. i hope your pension falls through and you are forced to depend on these people you seem to have such a misunderstood view of.

  • Posted on 06 July 2008
  • at 2:15pm
  • by Moggy

Missed the last episode !!!! Is there anyway to watch it?

  • Posted on 05 July 2008
  • at 7:52pm
  • by peggy sue

It was a thrilling series right up to the end. Great acting from the main actors. Well done.

  • Posted on 04 July 2008
  • at 2:44pm
  • by veronica

One of the best thing's on T V

  • Posted on 04 July 2008
  • at 10:04am
  • by carole

I made the commitment to watch this and was disgusted to o find it was not matched by the BBC to screen it at the advertised time due to tennis. So I did not watch it at all typical of the dominance of sport and total disregard for the schedule.

  • Posted on 01 July 2008
  • at 4:35pm
  • by HelenHackworthy-RT

Martin Woodsford, don't forget you can watch on iPlayer for the next seven days on the BBC iPlayer.

I'd thoroughly recommend catching up before tonight's episode, it was gripping - am really looking forward to the next instalment.

  • Posted on 01 July 2008
  • at 4:19pm
  • by Martin Woodsford

I'd love to have watched Criminal Justice but when I taped it most of it was b****y wimbledon!

  • Posted on 01 July 2008
  • at 8:34am
  • by Lyd

To all House fans - watch series 4 again from the beginning. I also thought it wasn't up to the previous series, but when you see it again, knowing the characters who stay in, it becomes superb, every bit as good as the others. I promise.

  • Posted on 29 June 2008
  • at 1:55pm
  • by luke

congrats on a neat house spoiler aswell.

  • Posted on 27 June 2008
  • at 9:16pm
  • by alxvy

British Drama. About as much fun as working at Tescos.

  • Posted on 26 June 2008
  • at 10:52pm
  • by John

Hey, you actually managed to tone down the teen bashing this week and wrote an almost completely relevant and unbiased article. A hearty well done.

  • Posted on 26 June 2008
  • at 7:35pm
  • by Hannah

Stop bashing teenagers!

Post a comment

Do you have something to say about this post? Share your thoughts…

Post a comment

(first or nickname only)

Please do not include any personal or personally identifiable information about yourself or others (including email addresses). All information you submit about yourself or others can be viewed by others.

Thank you for your comment

Thank you for your comments. All comments will be looked at by a moderator, however, due to the numbers of comments we receive, we can't promise that all will be posted on the site.

Post another comment

More


Advertisement