An oldie: Trial and Retribution on Acorn. New to me. Pretty complex stories given an extended
arc over two hour and a half episodes per season. Lead character is very old school and may seem
to epitomize toxic masculinity for some viewers, but I like his sort of simmering intensity
and dedication to getting justice for victims while I love the actor’s command, presence.
Lots of known Brit faces turn up. The show made a stab at diversity, but like so many others for so long, relegates non-whites to lesser roles or little character turns, never leads.
Some implausibilities. Lots of procedural violations. Sometimes I want to forward just a bit, but mostly the drama, the twist and turns too good to miss.
A Linda Plante creation (Prime Suspect), so “strong” female lead (domestically though seems rather
complainy to me, but “old school” issues there too) and compelling plots, holes and all.
Gruesome opening crime scene images and a few throughout. So far no animal cruelty witnessed, just a thing or two briefly alluded to. Child kidnap, murder, sex abuse. Could interpret one of the more complicated and suspenseful stories as homophobic though I think the weight of that was relived somewhat by the counter challenge to it.
Show was on from 1997-2009 so deals with some issues as emergent, yet not in the more progressive political terms ten years later we would prefer, even demand.
All of the above are caveats.
I take it as is and find interest in how it deals imperfectly with leading issues of our times and the stories it tells, finding those so far quite watchable,
