Acorn Media has recently released the series 1 DVD set of BBC hit Garrow’s Law. The four-episode season, each episode being approximately feature-length, covers the life of revolutionary lawyer William Garrow (Andrew Buchan) and how his trials changed the way law was conducted in England. The twist I mentioned in the title of this article is that the show is not only a law procedural, but is also a historical account of 18th century law and its inaccuracies, such as how the gentry were generally treated better than the commoners who were accused of crimes (and were oftentimes killed wrongfully as “punishment”).
Buchan’s performance is the main drive of the show. His Garrow is petulant at the conduct of law, at his prosecution rival Silvester (Aidan McArdle), and at himself, occasionally, when he realizes his zeal has caused him to act way out of line with his principles. However, through his petulance, Garrow utilizes his emotion to cause a change in how the English law saw the accused and the accuser.
Other notable performances are Alun Armstrong as Garrow’s teacher and counsel Southouse, Rupert Graves (whom you may recall from my Sherlock review) as the slightly everyman MP Sir Arthur and Lyndsey Marshal as Sir Arthur’s wife Lady Sarah, who is very ahead of her time in terms of independence.
If you’d like to watch an engaging law show and the law shows stateside aren’t working (Law and Order: Los Angeles and Harry’s Law, anyone?) then try this DVD set out for size.
Garrow’s Law, Series One
Available Feb. 1, 2011
2-Disc, $39.99
