care or control: a criminal justice picspam.
OK, so there's this British series called Criminal Justice that is OMG one of the best dramas I have ever seen. Maxine Peake is in it (and how she did not win a BAFTA for this role is beyond me, kalikeca and I have been practically tearing our hair out over it) and while she is a very big reason why it is so awesome, the show as a whole is complex and touching and horrifying and haunting and beautiful. So I already made a vid for it, but I decided that since the vast majority of my flist hasn't seen the series (and since the vid has spoilers up the wazoo) I'd do a picspam for the first episode first, and then if you want I can upload the episodes for you! It is highly, highly recommended, I cannot say this enough.
(But before I start, in case anyone here listens to BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Plays, Maxine will be doing one on Wednesday - 45 minutes of her voice, I can't wait!! It's called Betsy Coleman and even if you're not going to watch it, go and look right now at the picture because it's super pretty! And if you would like to hear it but don't have that radio channel or whatever, I'm going to attempt to record it, so let me know and I can upload it for you :D)
OK, CRIMINAL JUSTICE EPICNESS AWAITS!
Premise: Joe Miller (Matthew MacFadyen) is a barrister at the height of his professional powers. He is married to Juliet (Maxine Peake), who is fragile and isolated at home with her thirteen year old daughter Ella (Alice Sykes). When one night Juliet stabs Joe in their bed, she sets in motion a chain of events as hard and unbreakable as any the law can offer.
As she travels through the criminal justice system under the constant scrutiny of police, prison officials and social services, her guilt isn't questioned, but her motives are. As the case passes through family court to a tense and unpredictable finale in the Crown Court, the terrifying blunt force of criminal justice is felt from the moment it is called into play right through to its terrible execution.
Bear in mind that in England this has a rating of 18 and over, so although I have cut out most of the more gruesome stuff, there are still some caps that you might find ~disturbing.
So here we go! It's very image-heavy though, because I got rather carried away :D
Maxine Peake as Juliet Miller
Joe: What kind of a murder is this? What is the character of this killing? Vicious, brutal, frenzied. But none of these things are what make this murder so shocking. For that, we have to look at motive. Why did this man die?
Juliet: Hello?
Joe: Hi. Were you in the garden?
Juliet: No, no. I was just upstairs. What time will you be home?
Joe: About half-five, later maybe. I love you.
Juliet: Did I leave my watch at your house?
Dominic: Hang on... No, I'm sorry.
Juliet: Oh, God.
Dominic: Juliet? Are you going to tell him?
Juliet: I don't know.
Joe: Did you get the custard?
Juliet: Custard? Did you ask me to get some?
Joe: Yeah, we had a whole conversation about custard. I remember we were talking about how you like the... powdered stuff. Remember?
Juliet: No.
Joe: It was on the list.
Juliet: What list?
Joe: You lied to me.
Juliet: No. What about?
Joe: You tell me.
Ella: Daddy! There's a knife in him, he's bleeding!
Jack: You're going to have to talk about what happened, but in your own time, and you'll talk to me first, not them. So, 'no comment' to everything they ask.
D.I. Flo Sexton: I was wondering... what would it take to put a knife in the man you shared the same bed with for 15 years?
Flo: What did you intend to do with the knife?
Juliet: Use it.
Preview of Episodes 2-5 (no real spoilers)
Hope you enjoyed that! If you want the first episode, just let me know and I can upload it for you!
Notes:
+++The trailer is here.
+++Please do not repost these caps anywhere - they took me a long time to make. If you'd like to share this post, feel free - just let me know first.
+++The BBC Press Pack for Criminal Justice is here.