"Conviction" on BBC America

[QuikSand]

I have caught the first two episodes of this show, and for those who enjoy complex dramas, it looks pretty promising. I'm a big fan of The Wire from HBO... I know may here like The Shield... and generally a well-done ensemble cop show seems to be a pretty good setting for good television.

Conviction fits the bill to some degree, as the central character seems to be Chrissy, a young member (detective or equivalent) of a British police force. His older brother is apparently his superior officer (Captain or equivalent, I'd guess) and their sister is a public defender. Their dad seems to be a retired former cop who lives with Chrissy but is in mental decline, to be charitable.

Anyway - rather than an episode-by-episode approach, the show seems to start out with one big case, and from the looks of things, it might follow from there a bit like the (intermittently brilliant) show Murder One, where the main case drives an entire season. Through two episodes, the plot has already gotten very thick, and I am hooked.

The third episode aired last night (I haven't watched it yet from TiVo) and I think they re-air them later in the week, maybe Tuesday nights. BBC America notoriously does "marathons" of their shows, affording chances to catch up o what you may have missed.


If this sounds like your cup of tea, it might be worth a search for a catch-up opportunity. (I would recommend trying to start at the beginning, rather than picking it up at Espidoe 3) It looks like a pretty deep, well done show that might appeal to those who like this sort of thing.

[QuikSand]

From the website... some character setup, no gratuitous spoilers, but your call on whether you'd rather go in blind:

Set against the backdrop of an investigation into a brutal killing, this acclaimed new mini-series from Bill Gallagher (Clocking Off) reveals how a group of detectives are affected practically, mentally, and emotionally by what they have to face on a daily basis – and how easy it is for cops under pressure to blur the distinction between right and wrong.

The murder of a 12 year-old girl leaves her local community shell-shocked and intent on revenge. With the clamour for justice intensifying, two brothers, detectives Chrissie (William Ash) and Ray Fairburn (Nicholas Gleaves), are charged with investigating the crime. Their sister Beth (Zoe Henry) is the single-minded lawyer representing the prime suspect, while their father Lenny (David Warner, Titanic) is a retired police officer who berates the political correctness of their modern methods. He is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, which adds extra stress to the hectic lives of his family, as he struggles to come to terms with the fact that he can no longer be the strong and authoritative head of the family.

The rest of the investigation team comprises the reckless Joe (Ian Puleston-Davies), an old school detective and committed family man whose loving family is the only restraint on his barely contained temper. He bullies the younger, impressionable Chrissie and runs into conflict with Ray, who prefers to run things by the book. Insightful loner Robert (Reece Dinsdale) is mocked as 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' by the others, but he often comes closer than anyone to discovering the truth. Completing the team, the feisty and determined Lucy (Laura Fraser), who wants to prove herself and play by the rules, is on the brink of a dangerous relationship with a police informant.

Inevitably, the team face enormous pressure from an angry community looking for justice. These officers find themselves treading on increasingly dangerous ground in their efforts to gain a conviction, until two of them take things a step too far...

Conviction premieres Monday, January 30, 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. PT.

[Klinglerware]

This sounds better than what NBC is trying to push (also titled "Conviction"... wonder if it's another NBC attempt at an import).

[CraigSca]

I've seen commercials for an American version of this. I'm generally not a big fan of cop/detective/attorney shows, but this one looked interesting to me.

[QuikSand]

I saw a preview for the American show by the same name, and I don't believe there is any connection between the two shows.

[kcchief19]

I saw the previews for the NBC show and it would appear that the shows have no connection other than the title. The BBC show sounds much more promising, as usual. Mrs. kcchief19 is an avid BBC America viewer, so I'm sure this is in my future.

[Critch]

If you're hot for BBC America's police-type dramas, you could do a lot worse than catching Murphy's Law. One season has just finished, but it's bound to turn up again at some point.

[Celeval]

The American version of the same name seems to be a spinoff from Law and Order: SVU (i.e., one of the characters makes a transition from that show)

[QuikSand]

The last two episodes of this show (including the one that aired last night) have really added to the plotline. I think the series ends next week, and we ar very interested in how they tie this up.

I will try to bump this thread if/when I see the show being re-broadcast in the future, as BBC America is wont to do. It would be worth catching, if this sounds like your type of thing at all. Really well done show.

[panerd]

Being a big fan of The Wire I set my Tivo to look for Conviction and tomorrow there will be a marathon of all 6 episodes. I have never seen it so I can't recommend or not, but based on what I read it above it looks like it will be right up my alley.

[QuikSand]

Big thumbs up here, hope you enjoy.