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+