The Jury, 2002 6 part Mini-Series (Grade C+)

Director: Pete Travis
Cast:  Derek Jacobi; Sonnell Dadral; Antony Sher; Helen McCrory; Gerald Butler; Sylvia Syms; Sturart Bunce; Nina Sosanya; Michael Maloney; Nicholas Farrell, Gillian Barge; Paul Reynolds; Sarah-Louise Young; William Hoyland; Connor McIntyre; Billy Scott; Steve Sweeny; Mark Strong.

sez says: It is a treat to see such great acting--and to a person this is very well done. The story--did he do it, didn't he do it, how can a jury member make a decision without evidence that is absolutely certain --is pretty well done too--but at times a little over done (reasonable doubt is after all the standard, so if you can't feel sure than you can't convict.)   High school students / racism / bullying / revenge/ are all topic ripe for a mystery --so that part was good.  And the attempt to weave the personal lives of the jury members was a good idea..but it fell short. The various transitions in their lives were choppy. In some cases we were eventually TOLD why one or another of them did want they did--but in some cases their was no good explanation.  So the STORY fell shot in doing the full job of working these peoples lives into the background of the trial.  Still, it was diverting, and well acted, and a reasonable mystery--so it easily called a 'good' show -- but it falls way short of being a great show. Grade C+

NURSE JACKIE, Season One

Cast: Edie Falco; Eve Best; Peter Facinelli; Haaz Sleiman; Merritt Wever; Paul Schulze; Dominic Fumusa; Anna Deavere Smith; Daisy Tahan.

 sez says-- we like Edie Falco-- so we decided to watch this-- It starts off well--establishing complex characters and a setting with promise .. but then it fizzles. Once we are introduced to the characters, their contractions and demons it is as if the writers don't know where to go with the character  -- so they keep harping on the same things.. Jackie uses drugs, she is having an affair, her daughter is acting out in school so Jackie must worry. Her pals also have some depth --(not as much as she does) but over and over we see Jackie go in the bathroom and take some more drugs, hide her wedding ring, worry over her daughter's drawings...and...and...and we see her take more drugs, and take off her wedding ring (one whole show is about her having trouble getting her ring off) and worry some more about here daughter not smiling. We are not sure this will be worth watching another season -- they have some strong characters..and there is possibility here. but the story needs to go somewhere. Watching the same dilimma every week--maybe be like real life--but it is not compelling to watch --So far C+