The Judge

[llywela]

First thought - this series really needs to stop relying on such preposterous propositions and coincidences to base their stories on. That said, taking John out of his usual environment as a judge and placing him on a jury worked for this story, and added a fresh twist to the usual formula.

Second thought - it was so nice to see John and Jo back on good terms at last. They've been estranged as friends for far too long

At first, I thought the jury's deliberations were going to be tortuous, especially when the angry man monologued for so long. It seemed interminable. But once that hurdle was overcome, things picked up, and the process of deliberations worked well, with the mix of characters and biases, and confusion.

Actual legal processes have liberties taken with them far too often in this show. As a juror, John had no business meeting socially with the presiding judge, or discussing the case with as many people as he did. It does annoy that such licence is taken with the law, just in order to make entertaining TV.

The John-Jo-Marc triangle rumbles on, with Morag making it more of a square. Jo and Marc are so blatantly not suited: he's horribly defensive about his own profession and belligerent towards hers, and that trend has been developing for several episodes now. It isn't healthy, and I'm glad Jo is openly recognising that now, discussing it with Michael. She promised Michael she'd always see him, but I'm not so sure Marc would be willing to allow that, if things ended between them.

As for Jo's attitude toward John and Morag...as far as I'm concerned, John is in the clear here. Yes, his past behaviour was ample cause for doubt on her part while they were together, but the fact is that while they were together he was faithful. He took up with Morag after Jo had already dumped him for Marc - she did that all by herself. Complaining about him having replaced her so quickly is hugely hypocritical on her part.

Final episode of the series this week - they are now talking about making a sixth series, and with the number of ends they still have to tie up, I should think they'd need it!