THE JURY

The BBC produced the best drama in ten years with The Shadow Line but perhaps drama departments across the board are raising the bar, because ITV’s The Jury is both very good and clever. It is a soap opera of jurors, but it is brave to do a week of programmes, to commit us all to the drama, but its intrinsic seriousness too. The connections are constantly intriguing, and remind you of the shadow of a world without such a system. It was also inspired to cast Julie Walters as the defence barrister. The expectation of comedy is constantly redirected towards a raised eyebrow at the ironies of everyone’s lives and compromises and her skill as an actress reminds you that so much is about belief and authority.