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Crown Prosecutor (TV series)

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox television

| image = CrownProsecutorBBC.jpg

| image_size = 250

| caption =

| genre =

| creator = {{Plainlist|

  • Nick Collins
  • Tracy Hoffman
  • Caroline Oulton

}}

| based_on =

| developer =

| writer = {{Plainlist|

  • Nick Collins
  • Amanda Coe
  • Steve Coombes
  • David Robinson
  • Frankie Bailey
  • Robert Jones

}}

| director = {{Plainlist|

  • Henry Foster
  • John Stroud

}}

| creative_director =

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| theme_music_composer =

| composer =

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| num_series = 1

| num_episodes = 10

| executive_producer = Esta Charkham

| producer = Diana Brookes

| editor =

| location =

| cinematography =

| camera =

| runtime = 30 minutes

| company = BBC Worldwide

| channel = BBC1

| first_aired = {{Start date|1995|2|23|df=yes}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1995|4|27|df=yes}}

}}

Crown Prosecutor is a British television legal drama series, created and principally written by Nick Collins, first broadcast on BBC1 on 23 February 1995.{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=crown+prosecutor&svc=9371541#search|title= Search Results - BBC Genome - Crown Prosecutor (BBC One)|work=BBC Genome|accessdate=3 December 2018}} A single series of ten episodes were broadcast, typically at 8:30pm on Thursdays, with episodes repeatedly on Fridays at 1:50pm as part of the channel's daytime schedule. The series was produced in-house by the BBC under the BBC Worldwide moniker. The series follows ensemble cast of various Crown Prosecutors, who bring cases before local magistrates in the United Kingdom. The series stars Tom Chadbon, David Daker, Deborah Grant, Jessica Stevenson, Paris Jefferson, Shaun Parkes and Michael Praed.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111930/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast|title=Crown Prosecutor (TV Series 1995) |work=IMDB |accessdate=3 December 2018}}

The series was noted at the time as being the first series to regularly examine the lives of modern British Crown prosecutors. While lawyers "for the prosecution" had been seen on British television, these were depictions of a different era in British jurisprudence. Throughout the bulk of 20th century, in most parts of England and Wales, prosecution of criminal cases was handled by the police or, in some cases, an entity directly attached to the Home Office. Crown Prosecutor was thus the first serious examination of what it was like to work in the Crown Prosecution Service, a completely police-independent body, which itself had only been established in 1985.

The series has not been repeated since its original broadcast; however, a single episode is available to watch on YouTube.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq64wH75laQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/Eq64wH75laQ |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title= Crown Prosecutor (1995)|via=YouTube|date=15 June 2014|accessdate=3 December 2018}}{{cbignore}}

Structure

Each episode generally featured a primary plot centred on an unfolding court case, along with two subplots that advanced the development of the show's cast of characters.

Sometimes the subplots involved other, typically less serious, court cases—such as the vandalism charges brought against people who ate a chocolate sculpture in episode seven. But these subplots often were entirely outside the courtroom and served to reveal different facets of the prosecutor's lives. Sticky living arrangements, new romance, old flames, and professional temptation were all featured in the series. Though these plots allowed viewers a glimpse into the prosecutors' lives to a much greater degree than would be possible on the somewhat comparable Law & Order, the character development never expanded to the level of a soap opera.

This was in part because Crown Prosecutor had a notably unusual run-time, compared with other legal dramas of its era. Episodes were 30 minutes long, shorter by 12 to 15 minutes than many courtroom dramas which ran on commercial television in 1995. Despite this shorter format, a resolution to all of the primary plots, and most of the secondary ones were given by the end of each episode.

Cast

Episodes

{{Episode table|background=#201733|overall=|total_width=80|title=|director=|writer=|airdate=

|airdateT=Airdate

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title =

|DirectedBy = Henry Foster

|WrittenBy = Nick Collins

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|02|23|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Nina prosecutes a woman accused of spraying a man with mace, classified as an offensive weapon.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title =

|DirectedBy = Henry Foster

|WrittenBy = Nick Collins

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|03|02|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Nina tries to persuade battered wife to give evidence against her husband. Lenny tries to prosecute a middle-class young man on a drink driving charge.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title =

|DirectedBy = John Stroud

|WrittenBy = Amanda Coe

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|03|09|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Marty has a tough time prosecuting a vagrant for murder, and Nina is asked to turn a blind eye to assault charges against the wife of a magistrate.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title =

|DirectedBy = John Stroud

|WrittenBy = Steve Coombes

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|03|16|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Marty has to cope with unwilling witnesses while prosecuting a fraudster. Lenny has to deal with a complicated attack in a hair dressing salon.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title =

|DirectedBy = John Stroud

|WrittenBy = Steve Coombes & David Robinson

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|03|23|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Sheila and Ben are torn between a case that has no evidence and compassion for a grieving widow.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title =

|DirectedBy = John Stroud

|WrittenBy = Frankie Bailey

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|03|30|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Sheila gets some bad news and Nina does a bit of showing off. Lenny has to prosecute a complicated case.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title =

|DirectedBy = Henry Foster

|WrittenBy = Amanda Coe

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|04|06|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Lenny finds himself prosecuting a promising young PC, while Nina's current case makes headline news.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|Title =

|DirectedBy = Henry Foster

|WrittenBy = Robert Jones

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|04|13|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Lenny seeks some impartial advice from the court while Marty wants to learn more about defence lawyer Ruth Spence.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|Title =

|DirectedBy = Henry Foster

|WrittenBy = Nick Collins

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|04|20|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Marty and Lenny find themselves prosecuting cases where their loyalties could be divided. Sheila is put into a difficult position with the police.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 10

|Title =

|DirectedBy = Henry Foster

|WrittenBy = Nick Collins

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1995|04|27|df=y}}

|ShortSummary = Marty receives an offer he can't refuse, and Ben is shattered by Nina's behaviour. Sheila goes into court wearing her heart on her sleeve.

|LineColor = 201733

}}

}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb title|id=0111930|title=Crown Prosecutor}}

Category:1990s British television miniseries

Category:BBC television dramas

Category:1995 British television series debuts

Category:1995 British television series endings

Category:1990s British drama television series

Category:1990s British legal television series

Category:British English-language television shows

Category:Television series about prosecutors