Friday night’s TV was an embarrassment of riches, such was the quality of shows on offer, but it was also an annoying toss-up between watching the final instalment of Criminal Justice or Benidorm. As I don’t have Sky+, I decided to watch Benidorm and catch-up on Criminal Justice on BBC’s iPlayer, which is without doubt a superior on-demand service to ITV’s.

So which was better? Well, they were both equally brilliant, but I’ll start with the last part of Criminal Justice. When I first watched it and Juliet got sentenced to five years for manslaughter – to serve two-and-a-half years before consideration of parole – I felt it was a bit of an anti-climax, however, having thought about it, I can now see why Moffat wrote the ending that way… Read more & comment »

I’m left at a bit of a loss after last night’s episode in that what had been – previously – a flawless plot, seemed to go somewhat awry in episode four.

In last night’s episode, the trial had begun, the defence being provocation, but although Jack spent a lot of time and expended a lot of energy to get Juliet to accept this was her only option if she wanted her life back, Juliet didn’t actually say anything that could get her off on a manslaughter or even diminished responsibility charge. Or did I just miss something?

Once again, the actors’ performances were faultless, but I felt that we’re missing exactly what it is the defence are going to be putting forward in court. Yes, we heard Juliet admit to Jack – after some leading motivational words – that Joe had been controlling, but since when was that sufficient to present a case of justifiable homicide? Read more & comment »

Episode three of this excellent drama wasn’t quite as frenetic nor edge-of-your-seat as the previous two have been, but it didn’t make it any less riveting.

When we joined last night’s episode, a few months had passed and Juliet went into labour within minutes of the show starting, but not before one of the male prison warders made an overtly and rather gross pass at her, salaciously rubbing her distended and heavy-with-child stomach.

Perhaps it was that frightening incident that brought on the premature birth of Juliet’s baby girl, but the baby was born fit and well. I don’t know if Maxine Peake did an hour on a treadmill or something to prepare for the birth scene, but as she cradled the baby, Juliet’s newborn, she had the true look of a woman who’s just been through childbirth. The woman is a chameleon… Read more & comment »

The second episode of Criminal Justice last night was every bit as gripping as the first, and the thick plottens as now Joe’s dead and there was a hint that maybe he’d been abusing daughter Ella.

If he was, then that would also explain why Juliet took the risk of asking Joe in episode one if he should really be driving Ella’s friend home. Perhaps it wasn’t concerns over his alcohol levels that were at the forefront of her mind.

Peter Moffat is clearly going to have us clinging to the edges of our seats until the final episode on Friday when, I’m sure, all will become clear. Read more & comment »

Peter Moffat has that most elusive of gifts; he can engage his viewers instantly while simultaneously offering us clues – or more appropriately, red herrings – as to what the substance of the story to follow might be.

Team his script with flawless and evocative direction from Yann Demange, then add some of this country’s finest actors, and little can go wrong. And last night’s first of five parts of Criminal Justice didn’t falter. Not even a step.

And with the outstanding performances and script of the last outing of Criminal Justice – starring Ben Wishaw – as a blueprint, Moffat had great big boots to refill, and refill them he did.

Maxine Peake was simply awe-inspiring as Juliet, and by the close of last night’s episode, we were left wondering if her paranoiac and odd behaviour is the result of years of abuse at the hands of a man who uses any excuse, any minor contravention of his rules – whether real or imagined, as per Sleeping With the Enemy – to brutally punish her, or is she simply mad and he the long-suffering victim of her madness? Read more & comment »

Peter Moffat’s BAFTA Award-winning Criminal Justice returns to BBC One for five consecutive nights and stars Maxine Peake as a mother in desperate trouble.

Maxine Peake (Hancock And Joan, Red Riding) stars a Juliet Miller in this major new five-part thriller which takes an uncompromising and insightful look at our criminal justice system, but this time through the journey of one woman. Criminal Justice is made by BBC Drama Production for BBC One.

Read more & comment »

Maxine Peake (Hancock And Joan, Red Riding) stars as Juliet Miller in this major new five-part thriller which takes an uncompromising and insightful look at our criminal justice system, but this time through the journey of one woman, made by BBC Drama Production for BBC One.

Peake leads an impressive cast that boasts some of Britain’s top acting talent including Matthew Macfadyen (Little Dorrit), Denis Lawson (Bleak House), Steven Mackintosh (England Expects) and Sophie Okonedo (Winnie Mandela, Tsunami: The Aftermath).

Read more & comment »

2008 has been a great year for gritty short dramas. We’ve had gore, intrigue, religious fervour and murders galore so let’s take a look back at which have kept us on the edge of our seats…

Recently we’ve had Apparitions and Survivors, both of which received a mixed reception of the marmite variety; we either loved or hated them, there didn’t seem to be much feeling in between. I loved both I have to say but for me, Apparitions won that battle. I think it was very much underrated in almost every aspect. The storylines were controversial and well thought out, the special effects remarkable and the acting understated and award-worthy.

Read more & comment »

Criminal Justice is a compelling, new, five-part thriller written by the highly acclaimed Peter Moffat. Made by BBC Drama Production for BBC One, the drama transmits over five consecutive nights.

One mad night and Ben Coulter’s life is changed for ever. As he gets ready to go out on the town, the carefree 21-year-old looks in the mirror. It will be the last time he’s able to recognise the person who looks back. Little does Ben know that a wild encounter with the sexy, young Melanie Lloyd will tear his life apart. They go for a ride in his father’s black cab and a crazy evening ensues. Read more & comment »

Criminal Justice is a compelling new five-part thriller written by the highly acclaimed Peter Moffat. Made by BBC Drama Production, Criminal Justice will transmit over five consecutive nights on BBC One.

Rising star Ben Whishaw (Perfume, I’m Not There) heads an impressive British ensemble cast which includes: Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name Of The Father, Brassed Off), Bill Paterson (Sea Of Souls), David Harewood (Blood Diamond, The Vice), Con O’Neill (Learners) and Lindsay Duncan (Longford, Perfect Strangers).

One mad night and Ben Coulter’s life is changed forever. As he gets ready to go out on the town, the 21-year-old looks in the mirror. It will be the last time he’s able to recognise the person who looks back. Read more & comment »

Acclaimed writer Peter Moffat’s compelling new five-part thriller, Criminal Justice, made by BBC Drama Production for BBC One, will hit the screen this summer.

Rising star Ben Whishaw (Perfume, I’m Not There) heads an impressive British ensemble cast which includes Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name Of The Father, Brassed Off), David Harewood (Blood Diamond, The Vice), Bill Paterson (Sea Of Souls), Con O’Neil (Learners) and Lindsay Duncan (Longford, Perfect Strangers).

One mad night and Ben Coulter’s life is changed forever… Read more & comment »