Holstra Boring, long, and too preachy.

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

celsound-35321 I had to stop watching after Martha got release for a man who was obviously going to be tortured and murdered by some evil people for revealing their activities in court. No one sought protection for this defendant and within a few days he was tortured and murdered by the evil gang. I saw this coming from a thousand miles away and Martha should have too. It was just plain stupid and that was it for me.This happened in the first episode of the second season. The first season was very enjoyable.

The_late_Buddy_Ryan Rumpole fans already know the drill—solicitors (though we don't see much of them) deal with the clients and prepare a brief, barristers plead the case in court, either for the defense or the prosecution, and a small platoon of clerks take care of the business side. Experienced barristers who make the right moves can hope to "take silk," or be appointed to the privileged caste of Queen's Counsel (more prestigious cases, better money, even a bigger wig). Maxine Peake is refreshingly unglamorous, with her crunchy Northern accent, and projects a wonderful intensity as one such barrister; Rupert Penry-Jones is well matched as a cynical, corner-cutting rival. This series does office politics extremely well; the first time we watched, I was blown away by a couple of brilliant scenes in which Neil Stuke, as Billy, the hard-nosed senior clerk, fights off a coup attempt and turns one of his big earners who's trying to defect. Apart from the climactic murder trial, court cases are a lot less flashy than you'd find in a show like "The Good Wife," but story lines are brisk, engaging, sometime surprising (Colombian drug mule explains why she's better off in prison); interesting that in the UK it's a criminal offense to own (or be) a pitbull. Supporting honors go to GoT's Natalie Dormer as a "spoony" (born with a silver one in her mouth, i.e.) pupil, Tom Hughes as a not-so-spoony pupil and Nina Sosanya as a mutinous junior barrister. Here's hoping that the next few seasons will turn up before long on PBS and eventually on Netflix.

Natalie Brown I only recently discovered this series online whilst looking for something to watch. I loved everything about the first series, I cant believe I missed it when it was originally shown on BBC. It follows all the drama inside the courtroom and back at chambers. Maxine Peake is brilliant as Martha Costello and Rupert Penry-Jones is equally as good as Clive Reader. The main story of Series 1 is Martha and Clive working towards becoming Silks and in the last episode they learn that Martha has been accepted but Clive hasn't. Unfortunately, Series 2 didn't seem to have a theme! So I didn't feel like I had achieved anything by getting to the end of the series. Martha and Clive were working on separate cases for most of the series, so the banter and dialogue that made Series 1 entertaining just wasn't there. But I did like the introduction of the character of Caroline Warwick. Overall, Series 1 was fantastic, but Series 2 dragged on a bit. I hope Series 3 is an improvement.

theartfuldodger2012 I have only viewed series 1. This is obviously a very high quality production, beautifully shot. Well-acted too. The problem lies with the writing. A bit too formulaic for my taste with the writer starting a number of subplots and having them all neatly resolve in the last 30 minutes of the final episode of the series. But that aside, I think it presents a fairly good picture of a barrister's life from pupillage right up through a QC and head of chambers.I almost bailed in the first 10 minutes of the first episode however when Martha visits her client in the cells and asks him "tell me straight now, did you do it?"As every viewer of Rumpole of the Bailey knows, you NEVER ask the client if he did it. Why? In case he tells you he did. As an officer of the court you cannot stand up and present your client as innocent if you know that he is guilty. You must withdraw from the case and thus lose your fee.