Thursday, September 16, 2010

Law & Order UK to Air in US on BBC America

Season 1 Cast Photo

Good news for U.S. viewers - Law & Order UK is coming via BBC America! This is an excellent series that you should make a point to watch. The details from the BBA America press release are listed below. NOTE: I already recapped the first 7 episode when they first aired in the UK; here are the links to those recaps:

Episode 1 Law & Order UK “ Care” Recap & Review

Episode 2 Law & Order UK “Unloved” Recap & Review

Episode 3 Law & Order UK “Vice” Recap & Review

Episode 4 Law & Order UK “Unsafe” Recap & Review

Episode 5 Law & Order UK “Buried” Recap & Review

Episode 6 Law & Order UK “Paradise” Recap & Review

Episode 7 Law & Order UK “Alesha” Recap & Review

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BBC Press Release
BBC AMERICA BRINGS LAW & ORDER: UK HOME TO THE U.S.

UK version of longest running crime series in U.S. history set to hit BBC America screens in October



This October, BBC AMERICA brings 26 episodes of the hit show Law & Order: UK home to the U.S. Based on Emmy award-winning producer Dick Wolf’s long-running crime series, Law & Order: UK follows the familiar two part format: beginning each episode with a crime, followed by the legal and court proceedings to convict the criminal. All scripts have been taken from the U.S. version to retain the grittiness of the original series, but adapted to fit with the British legal system, providing a uniquely British twist. Law & Order: UK premieres Sunday, October 3, 10:30p.m. ET/PT with subsequent episodes premiering on Fridays, 9:00p.m. ET/PT.
Set in and around London, Law & Order: UK stars Jamie Bamber (Outcasts, Battlestar Galactica), as Detective Superintendent Matt Devlin, Bradley Walsh (The Old Curiosity Shop) as Detective Superintendent Ronnie Brooks, Ben Daniels (The Passion, The State Within) as Senior Crown Prosecutor James Steel, and Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who, Little Dorritt) as Junior Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips.

The series opens with the discovery of a body after a hospital evacuation. An investigation by Detectives Ronnie Brooks and Matt Devlin leads them to King’s Cross, a suburb of London, undergoing unwelcome changes. The officers believe they have identified the murderer, but the evidence is less than overwhelming. Faced with a skilled defense lawyer, Crown Prosecutors James Steel and Alesha Phillips team up with the detectives to secure enough evidence to prevent the collapse of the trial.

Law & Order: UK is produced by Richard Stokes (Torchwood, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries), with executive producers Jane Featherstone (MI-5, Ashes To Ashes), Andrew Woodhead (MI-5) and Stephen Garrett (Burn Up) for Kudos and Dick Wolf for Wolf Films. Chris Chibnall (Torchwood, Life on Mars) is lead writer and executive producer.
For up-to-the-minute information on BBC AMERICA, forthcoming U.S. premieres, art work and news from the channel, log on to www.press.bbcamerica.com.

BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies, life-changing makeovers and a whole new world of nonfiction. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 68 million homes.

CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS


Detective Superintendent Ronnie Brooks: Bradley Walsh
Detective Superintendent Matt Devlin: Jamie Bamber
Detective Inspector Natalie Chandler: Harriet Walter
Senior Crown Prosecutor James Steel: Ben Daniels
Junior Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips: Freema Agyeman
Director of CPS George Castle: Bill Paterson
Executive Producer for Wolf Films: Dick Wolf
Executive Producers for Kudos Film and Television
Jane Featherstone
Andrew Woodhead
Chris Chibnall
Stephen Garrett

Law & Order: UK is produced by Kudos, Wolf Films and NBC Universal and distributed by NBC Universal Domestic TV Distribution.

EPISODE SYNPOSES

Episode 1

When a body is found at a London hospital, DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) investigate an emotionally charged death. But can they and Crown Prosecutors James Steel (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) bring the person responsible to justice?

Episode 2

The death of a teenager, brutally beaten, leads DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin through a tangled web of family loyalties. But the killer’s lawyer Bea McArdle (Dervla Kirwan) argues that he was genetically predisposed towards violence, therefore not responsible for his actions. Can James Steel defeat a case that could allow many more killers to go free?

Episode 3

The brutal murder of an ex-policeman leads DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin through the seedy side of London to a surprise murder suspect. But in court, the accused argues it was self-defense. Can James Steel expose the lie and bring about justice?

Episode 4

The past comes back to haunt James Steel when a body is found on the banks of the Thames. DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin uncover evidence which renders James’ conviction of Luke Slade (Iain Glen) unsafe. But Luke Slade is soon waging a vendetta against the man who put him away.

Episode 5

The discovery of a child’s body, buried inside a wall for 20 years, leads to a harrowing and emotive case for DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin. As the residents of the house all fall under suspicion, the key to the case rests in the memories of Julia (Holly Aird). But in court, James Steel must fight against defense lawyer Doug Greer (Colin Salmon) to prove that the memories are genuine.

Episode 6

An arson attack on a Turkish social club claims seventeen lives and DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin must race against time to find the person responsible. But as James Steel and Alesha Phillips struggle to build a case, they begin to question whether this was a racially motivated attack – or something even more disturbing.

Episode 7

When an eminent doctor is accused of sexually assaulting his patients, DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin are faced with their most challenging case yet. As personal opinions endanger professional relationships, can James Steel and Alesha Phillips prove the truth in court?

Episode 8

A tragic communication error between police officers leaves Nick Bentley, a gay police officer, caught in the cross-fire of armed drug-dealers with no back-up. When the police trace Bentley’s partner to an extreme religious group which discriminates against homosexuals it appears the tragic error was not a mistake after all.

Episode 9

When the body of a missing ten-year-old schoolgirl is found, DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) investigate an emotionally charged child abduction. But when the case takes a shocking and unexpected twist, Crown Prosecutors James Steel (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) are forced to face some very tough choices in pursuit of justice.

Episode 10

When a homeless man is found beaten nearly to death with an iron bar in the park at the center of a well-kept square, Ronnie and Matt Devlin investigate. Everyone in the square has a motive but no one is talking. Are they are protecting the perpetrator? If they are found not guilty, the jury will have condoned vigilantism in all its brutal lawlessness and this goes against everything James Steel believes in.

Episode 11

DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) suspect organ trafficking when a man is attacked and his kidney is stolen. In court, Crown Prosecutors (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) are surprised to find an unusual but familiar face is the leading the defense team.

Episode 12

DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) are called to the death of a teenager. Can Crown Prosecutors (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) keep their promise to bring the person responsible for the teenager’s death to justice?


Episode 13

DS Ronnie Brooks agrees to help his old friend and partner, DS Jimmy Valentine, in an undercover drug sting. A gun is pulled and someone ends up dead. The CPS investigate the shooting of a civilian by a policeman and are forced to turn their spotlight on the person who appears most guilty – Ronnie Brooks.

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Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order, here.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

8 comments:

Esaul said...

Omg this just made my day. I'm happy now.

jpalmer20 said...

I usually watch it online anyway but am thrilled to know others will get to see it now.

Anonymous said...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/09/rachel-ticotin-cast-in-law-order-los-angeles.html

The Los Angeles Times reports that Rachel Ticotin joined that cast as Arleen Gonzales on Law & Order: Los Angeles.

Chris Zimmer said...

I did see the press release about Rachel and just posted it! Thanks!

Shelly said...

We don't get BBC America (without increasing our service grade) but thanks to a friend in the UK, I've been able to see each episode. This is great news, though. I hope the readers of this blog get a chance to see it.

Just a slight warning. I thought the series got off to a kind of slow start with the first couple of episodes. Nothing really wrong but the cast didn't seem to "gel" until after that. So please watch more than the first couple of eps. It continually improved and really hit its stride around episode 7, which everyone will recognize as their version of Helpless (3x6) from the original series.

Thanks for the good news All Things...

gahks said...

Wolf initially expressed hopes of airing this on NBC. Did that fall through then?

Chris Zimmer said...

I saw a few comments in some of the press releases on the BBCA issue that they Wolf wanted to air it on NBC but it was determined the show was not a good fit. I would have thought they would have tried for USA Network but maybe they would have passed on it for the same reason?

Rosemary said...

I just saw "Care" on Time Warner Cable here in New York (BBC America, Channel 106) and was very impressed. Looking forward to more.