Leftbanker Spoiler Alert: The crime is the least interesting thing about this story. I wish they would have simply forgotten about the murder and just focus on the other areas. The reason I'm watching this British series is because it has been redone on HBO in the States. Criminal Justice (The British The Night of) is a decent series. As an American I have a hell of a time with some of the accents and the lawyer guy (or whatever the hell he is) mumbles a lot and he is very difficult to understand at times. For such a small country they have a lot of messed up accents. If this is an accurate portrayal of the British court system then theirs is a lot more lacking than what we have in America. They just go back and forth between prosecution and defense instead of giving the prosecution case first and then the defense with witnesses called in some sort or order.I really wish they hadn't gone the route of a whodunit but they did and it was pretty stupid. I just didn't care by the end if he had killed her or not. I think it would have been much better if we never really knew who did it and the kid was i for a life in the can.

hdjp I don't normally write reviews, but both seasons of this drama have really grabbed me. I didn't mind the slow pace, because it had me buying in, and I'm a sucker for a bit of neo noir. That's why I wanted it to be perfect.I was really taken in by this at an emotional level, probably because of some great performances. Maxine Peake, of course, but also the girl playing Ella, who for a 13 year old was pretty amazingly good. I think you can tell when everybody really believes they're involved in something good.However, part of the pleasure of watching this was meant to be that you were watching something that tells it like it is, and the writer (Peter Moffatt) would surely be disappointed by the ease with which people have been able to pick holes in the plot, not just the procedural details.A few that were mentioned here and elsewhere: - Why did the Police arrive on the scene before the Ambulance, when they didn't know there had been a crime committed yet? - Would a deeply depressed and controlled woman jump on her doctor (maybe, but would the Doctor let her?) - A judge who knew the deceased would never be allowed, plus several other things that are driving the legal professionals on here nuts e.g. a solicitor would not be cross examining the main witness at an important trial. The QC would do this.Psychiatric reports would be hugely important in a trial such as this. Juliets' state of mind is basically the centre of the piece. That determines whether she is guilty of murder or not. You'd think they might ask an expert.To which I would add: - Would a 13 year old witness to one parent stabbing the other be allowed to give evidence in open court, as much as they might wish to? (In fairness the car crash this would invite is indeed what happened) - If Juliet is not visibly pregnant on the fateful night, and she spends six months on remand, how is it that she gives birth some time before the trial? Time is a bit tight there.Would Ella really be allowed to go into the trial without being warned that the degree of her trauma, and the counselling she has received, would be used to argue that her recollections are unreliable? Presumably that's a standard line they'd use on traumatised witnesses all the time, if it had any validity.I'm sure there are plenty more! There are also a couple of moments where where we slide into melodrama. Why does Joe have to be shown dying at the precise moment that his daughter is visiting? I just thought that was a bit much.But as I say, if I didn't care, I wouldn't have gone to all this trouble to find fault. Just enjoy having a good wallow in all the misery...

bpeacock-2 I'm sorry, but I cannot let all this praise go without some balance; the first series of Criminal Justice was pretty good but this has clearly been written by or from the view point of a mysandronous woman. Every male character is a cliché - young slightly evil convict at all costs bit of rough Essex boy cop v his understanding wife super cop who, up until this case, loved him but now questions their relationship. The older wiser cop - all men are evil a woman told me so, look for the underlying reasons as to why, etc., etc., The heroine solicitor who, of course, knows best. Social worker - same. Defence QC brilliant female, prosecution QC, nasty, snobbish, misogynistic, etc., etc., Hard nosed prisoner with a soft heart..tough girl prisoner who appears like a walk on baddie during a pantomime. It just goes on and on Surely this could have been made a lot more interesting if the characters had been more human, more realistic, not all men are evil not all woman are saints, this needed a more intelligent script for what is, obviously a worth subject.

Angelus2 This is a good strong drama that sticks out a class above the rest; it is based on the justice system and shows a gritty world of 'winning'. What Lawyers are willing to do in order to free their client, distort evidence, trick witnesses and so on. It is beautifully shot, written and acted,the actors are perfect for the roles that they are given, everyone excels and no one is a weak link. The character Ben is very lovable he is innocent and naive; it is a sheer pain seeing him in prison and the predators that lurk. Characters like Hooch, Stone are played fantastically providing Ben advice and comfort in the youngsters time of need.While Freddie Graham is just plain scary...He doesn't even need to speak to send shivers down your back; the character at first seems to be the anti-hero but as the episodes go on it reveals his true motives, the only thing that I didn't like was the ending; It had no real closure with the character Ben.... But nonetheless a great show.