Review: “Garrow’s Law”, BBC1: three words: I loved it!

Let me introduce you to our new good friend, William Garrow (Andrew Buchan). No matter what your feelings about lawyers might be, I can only recommend that you’ll invite him into your homes on Sunday evenings.

“In an age where the defence counsel acted in the minority of cases the young Garrow championed the underdog and pioneered the rigorous cross-examination of prosecution that paved the way for our modern legal system of today.”

Three words: I loved it. “Garrow’s Law” does an outstanding job at re-creating 18th century London – it’s people, it’s politics, it’s intrigues, it’s life. Great care was put into authenticity, from fashion to language, and I was very happy to see that especially the latter lived up to my expectations. Keeping the language authentic for the time the series is set in yet also make it suitable for today’s audiences is hard work. “Garrow’s Law” chose the right way and didn’t censor every bit of life out of the dialogue.

The Old Bailey is presented as a circus, the law being handled by judges and prosecutors more interested in their own interests and agendas than in justice. Fobs and their ladies attend trials for their amusement, just the same as they would visit the theatre, and the (mostly poor) accused are little more than objects of ridicule or contempt for the upper class. It’s cruel, it’s sick, it’s rather accurate for that time, and if you have a look at today’s tabloids, you’ll notice that not much has changed – bread and circuses.

In the first episode, Garrow fails at saving an innocent man from the gallows. As tragic as it is, the incident leads to Garrow’s acquaintance with Lady Sarah Hill, the wife of influential MP Sir Arthur Hill, a right git. Garrow is neither overly fond of Sir Arthur nor of his equally twattish friends, but it’s obvious he’s rather taken by Lady Sarah (and who could blame him!). In following, Garrow tries to help Elizabeth Jarvis, a young servant girl who is accused of having murdered her newborn child. Lady Sarah offers to pay for Elizabeth’s defence, and so becomes Garrow’s “patron”. The build-up through the episode was very good, there wasn’t one boring moment and the story kept me on the edge of my seat . Though I hoped for one specific outcome, I really wasn’t sure what would finally happen; something I appreciate very much in a series.

With “Garrow’s Law”, the BBC brings us a series which manages to get social history, the history of law, classism in Britain, crime and suspense plus romance under one wig, and the most amazing thing: it actually works! It works wonderfully; there’s a number of interesting characters, some I know I’ll love to hate (here’s me looking at you, Judge Buller!), and with Lady Sarah Hill, we also get a woman who knows what she wants. The 18th century wasn’t the best time for women and their ambitions, so I’m curious to see how her ideas (and her romance) will progress.

And on a more shallow note: Mr. Garrow’s pretty dashing in his velvet coat, if I may say so. This series deserves fantastic ratings and a thriving fandom, period.

TV Tip: “Garrow’s Law”, BBC1, 9pm: programme information!

The BBC has put the press information for the new law series online. “Garrow’s Law” is set in the 18th century, and what I’ve seen and read about it looks very promising!

Just click the links below for more information about content, characters and actors:

GENERAL INFORMATION

CHARACTERS

EPISODES

FIRST EPISODE

PREVIEW IN “THE TELEGRAPH”

INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW BUCHAN ON DIGITALSPY

And don’t forget to bookmark the blog of Mark Pallis, legal and historical consultant of the series. His entries are very interesting and a wonderful resource:

GARROW’S LAW

If you’d like to add a feed of his blog to your f-list, you can do so here:

GARROW’S LAW ON LJ

Fantastic book for a fantastic price: “Dressed to Kill” by Amy Miller!

If you shouldn’t own this fantastic book yet – now’s the moment to buy it!

The shop of the National Maritime Museum is having “Dressed to Kill” by Amy Miller on special offer – for only £5.00 (regular price: £ 20.00)!!!

DRESSED TO KILL
British Naval Uniform, Masculinity and Contemporary Fashions 1748-1857
by Amy Miller

This book is an absolute “must have” for anybody with even the remotest interest in the RN or fashion of that time. The fantastic pictures aside, there is a lot of interesting background information on the way fashion influenced society, how rank and status were expressed by means of clothing etc., and how wearing the right coat at the right time could make a career (and the wrong one break it).

Still undecided? Read my review!

TV Tip: “Garrow’s Law”, BBC1, 9pm – 18th century legal world comes to life

I was already beginning to get worried that the BBC might have axed production of the new series “Garrow’s Law” (see this entry) – luckily, I was wrong!

Click the link below to read all about this promising new series on the website of Twenty Twenty Television, and mark the date in your calendars:

GARROW’S LAW
BBC1, 9pm

Andrew Buchan (Cranford, Party Animals), Alun Armstrong (New Tricks, Little Dorrit) and Lyndsey Marshall (Rome) star in a new four-part legal drama inspired by the life of pioneering barrister William Garrow on BBC One.

Garrow’s Law is set in the Old Bailey of Georgian London against a backdrop of corruption and social injustice and is based on real legal cases from the late 18th century.

But there is more!

Mark Pallis, legal and historical consultant of the series, has set up his tent on WordPress:

GARROW’S LAW

“(…) I want this blog to be a place where people can come to learn more about the cases that inspired show, and how the changes are still affecting us today. I will post facts and details from time to time and I hope you find them interesting. (…)”

Definitely a blog to bookmark, subscribe to and follow!

Molly Joyful and Joyful Molly are now on Twitter!

If you’d like to receive alerts for updates on this blog on Twitter, all you have to do is click the picture below and then the “follow” button.

FOLLOW MOLLY JOYFUL!

The entries will be generated automatically by Twitter as soon as I make a new post here, and they’ll consist of the title and a direct link to the entry in question.

Resources: Four-part documentary about Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood

Hear, hear, hear! A true love of labour one can’t be grateful enough for can now be enjoyed on youtube – a four-part documentary about Collingwood!
A mini-audiobook for those who haven’t got around yet to read his biography. *adamsnotordehint*

Each part of this excellent slide show with professional narrative has a running time of about 8 minutes. The documentary is a “Maritime North East Production”; definitely to go on my resources list.

Well then, if you want to hear about Old Cuddy’s life and achievements, all you have to do is click the links:

Admiral Collingwood 1748 – 1810 Part One of Four

Admiral Collingwood 1748 – 1810 Part Two of Four

Admiral Collingwood 1748 – 1810 Part Three of Four

Admiral Collingwood 1748 – 1810 Part Four of Four

Enjoy!

Resource/Art: The English Lady’s Dandy Toy, 1818

Now there should be some meta in this illustration from 1818…!
The expression on the jumpin’ jack’s face – or would that be jumpin’ dandy? – never fails to crack me up, just like the smug little smile on the lady’s lips. Plus I admit a weakness for her cute wee pink slippers!

Books/resource: Marryat’s collected works – more original German 19th century illustrations!

You might remember this post, the one with the illustrations for “Midshipman Easy”. Thanks to the kindness of Secret Handshake, who sent me an attic find of hers, I can now share more illustrations with you. The books she’s sent me also dates back to the late 19th century, and contains a collection of stories (translated to German) by Captain Frederick Marryat:

• Peter Simpel (Peter Simple)
• Jakob Ehrlich (Jacob Faithful)
• Die Favoritin des Sultans (The Pacha Of Many Tales)
• Der himmelblaue Domino (The Sky-Blue Domino)

There are many illustrations, scanning them all would have taken up too much time, so I only picked the naval-related ones. While I’m a little doubtful about the accuracy of the uniforms etc., I still think they are great resources, and if nothing else, some of them are pretty funny. So, have fun, and thanks again to SH!

Cover

Peter Simple: Sea Chest

Peter Simple: Big Fish

Peter Simple: Duel

Peter Simple: Spy Glass

Peter Simple: Putting to Sea

Peter Simple: Below Deck

Peter Simple: Lady’s Visit

Peter Simple: Young Love

Jacob Faithful: Old Tom

Jacob Faithful: Outrage!

Jacob Faithful: Swift Kick up the Backside

Jacob Faithful: Apology

Jacob Faithful: Dismiss!

And the award for the most annoying cover of the century goes to…

HARPERCOLLINS

who managed to screw up

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

in a way you never expected.

I guess this explains the many thunderstorms lately: it’s Emily Brontë, suffering a rage attack.

Edited to add: Pardon my French, but what the ever bleeding fuck:

Romeo & Juliet?

Pride and Prejudice?! (“Before Bella and Edward” – “The love that started it all”… what the…)

Somebody needs to drive a stake through the hearts of the marketing bobbleheads responsible for this stunt.

Tall Ships Belfast 2009

Courtesy the Belfast Telegraph, you can now find all information in one place.

30 of the World’s finest sailing vessels
berthing in Belfast from August 13–16

Dr Gerard O’Hare, chairman of the Belfast Tall Ships company said: “The Port of Belfast and waterfront will look amazing.

“Whether you stand at the Odyssey or Clarendon Dock, looking north or south, you will see spars, masts and rigging, all the way up and down the water’s edge.”

If any of you should go and take some pictures, please share! Unfortunately, I can’t make it to Belfast that weekend myself.