Judge John Deed
Does the judge have the charm to win us over, or is he just another inaccessible character lost in a decidedly British drama?
Judge John Deed has the potential to be as cringe-worthy as they come. Deed is a High Court judge, raised to his station from a working-class family thanks to his charm and intellect. He's juggling an ex-wife, an adventurous daughter, and more women than a fortysomething magistrate has any right to.
But Judge John Deed isn't cringe-worthy. In fact, it's surprisingly refreshing. Deed has a touch of the Raffertys about him. He's a no-nonsense, stick-to-his-guns, justice-believing man caught in a world of corrupt government officials bent on replacing him with someone who will do as they say.
In this episode, Deed presides over a case involving three privileged adult siblings charged with conspiring to murder their wealthy parents. At the same time, government stooges are gathering evidence against Deed in the hope they can have him removed. Compounding Deed's problems are the resumption of an affair he is having with an associate's estranged wife, and the news that his law student daughter is pregnant.
There is a definite class-war at work here, with the down-to-earth Deed battling against wealthy bureaucrats, and the wealthy defendants painted as ineffectual idiots unable to deal with society beyond the confines of their mansion.
Judge John Deed's biggest asset is the charm of its lead. He is flawed, but battles through situations as best he can, trying to stay true to himself. British drama fans will be hooked, and non-fans will be surprised to find themselves drawn in as well.
