Silk (2011–2014) User Reviews

Involving courtroom drama, more John Le Carré than Grisham

[The_late_Buddy_Ryan · 8/10 · 3 February 2014]

Rumpole fans already know the drill—solicitors (though we don't see much of them) deal with the clients and prepare a brief, barristers plead the case in court, either for the defense or the prosecution, and a small platoon of clerks take care of the business side. Experienced barristers who make the right moves can hope to "take silk," or be appointed to the privileged caste of Queen's Counsel (more prestigious cases, better money, even a bigger wig).

Maxine Peake is refreshingly unglamorous, with her crunchy Northern accent, and projects a wonderful intensity as one such barrister; Rupert Penry-Jones is well matched as a cynical, corner-cutting rival. This series does office politics extremely well; the first time we watched, I was blown away by a couple of brilliant scenes in which Neil Stuke, as Billy, the hard-nosed senior clerk, fights off a coup attempt and turns one of his big earners who's trying to defect. Apart from the climactic murder trial, court cases are a lot less flashy than you'd find in a show like "The Good Wife," but story lines are brisk, engaging, sometime surprising (Colombian drug mule explains why she's better off in prison); interesting that in the UK it's a criminal offense to own (or be) a pitbull. Supporting honors go to GoT's Natalie Dormer as a "spoony" (born with a silver one in her mouth, i.e.) pupil, Tom Hughes as a not-so-spoony pupil and Nina Sosanya as a mutinous junior barrister.

Here's hoping that the next few seasons will turn up before long on PBS and eventually on Netflix.

One of my favourites airing so far on TV this year

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 3 April 2011]

I like a good legal drama, Rumpole of the Bailey, Kavanagh QC and Perry Mason are especially great, so I had high hopes for Silk. And I really enjoyed it on the whole, as did my parents and sister, who is studying law at college.

Now I do agree about some parts of the drama being on the unrealistic side, the episode with the racist police officer wasn't as solid in the legal details as the rest of the episodes and I didn't completely buy how quickly Martha Castello came back to work after her miscarriage. In fairness though, I did find some aspects of Judge John Deed unrealistic.

That said, Silk is a great programme that ranks among my favourite TV series airing so far this year. Visually, Silk is quite stylish with skillful camera work and striking location shooting. I quite like the music too, the main theme is very driven and does stick in your head for a long time after, decide for yourself whether that is a good thing or not, I personally loved the main theme while my brother found it annoying. And the background scoring is beautiful, haunting and does a credible enough job to bring some flavour to the scene it features in without intruding too much.

I was quite impressed with the series' writing. It is often thoughtful and intelligent with the odd spot of wry humour, such as how Maxine Peake uttered some of her lines in the first episode. It is even better though in the courtroom scenes which are really quite tense sometimes yet always compelling, some of the verbal sparring and observations between Castello and the witnesses are a real joy. The stories are constantly interesting, well-structured and well-paced, the direction throughout is taut and the characters are at least credible and not too sketchy.

The acting also helps lift. I especially want to praise Maxine Peake, who is just wonderful here. Her facial expressions and gestures are wonderfully judged and her delivery of lines is a joy to behold in that she especially made some of the weaker dialogue of the first episode in particular seem credible! It was also great seeing Rupert Penry Jones playing a complete ass while also showing a somewhat sympathetic side. There were also some enjoyable supporting performances, with old favourite Adrian Dunbar in the final episode standing out amongst others.

All in all, a great series even with the lack of realism. I also hope there is another series, as this showed so much promise, though unlike some of the gems of last year like Garrow's Law and Sherlock, Silk doesn't fall into the trap of being too short. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Such a damn good TV series

[sissy3006-179-640454 · 9/10 · 7 September 2019]

Another wonderful hit TV series by Peter Moffat. Outstanding performance by Maxine Peake and Rupert Penry Jones. This series gave a great look into the British Court System. Worth watching. Although I wish there was a better ending.

Outstanding production, real issues

[endura-1 · 10/10 · 26 November 2014]

This show does not disappoint. It is so well done that you might forget you're watching a TV drama not real life events. The characters are believable, powerfully drawn, but the undeniable star of the show is Maxine Peake - her performance just superb! As Martha Costello she is everything that you'd imagine a superior barrister to be. Can't get enough of her credible acting to be honest. The rest of the cast deserves a praise too because it is thanks to them that this BBC drama is so uniquely authentic. Filmed in London (I think), it depicts daily life at Shoe Lane chambers and the work of British barristers, clerks and solicitors. I am professionally interested in law and find it hard to point out any flaws in how "Silk" presents the legal crowd in London. I do see a difference between an American show of this kind and a British one. The former tends to be focused on achievements, career and quirks of personality and the latter...hmmm...basically on the job, meaning you get a believable picture of the life at the chambers. If you're into this sort of thing just see for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

Enjoyed it very much

[Leilahali · 14 November 2011]

I really enjoyed watching every episodes of this series. I also watch The GOOD WIFE but at times do get very irritated with that series. Not with SILK. My son is studying law and so the interest in watching these courtroom dramas. The acting in SILK was very good, and the lead character Martha, a very likable character. This series gives you an insight into how law is practiced in the UK. It's not slick like The Good Wife, but more realistic. I can't wait for series 2. If you want to watch a really good drama with some fine acting, good realistic courtroom scenes and some office politics and intrigues then go no further than SILK. I wish the BBC would produce more fine dramas like this.

Maxine peake can do no wrong

[akatic-21869 · 10/10 · 18 January 2019]

I watched this series first time round loved it so much I bought the whole thing again on amazon prime ,I maybe biased but as far as I'm concerned I would pay to watch Maxine peake do the washing up a fantastic actress and the writing and supporting cast top knot has.its a must watch

why did they destroy such a great show?

[osumom-35877 · 10/10 · 27 August 2018]

It had such good story lines, good actors, and the characters were good strong enjoyable people. i couldn't stop watching... then when they turned the family a divided mess it started to spoil the whole show.. It was such a shame and the Harriet Hammond character was the beginning to the end. whom ever thought up her and brought her into the MIX SHOULD NEVER WRITE AGAIN. THEY TRULY INTRODUCED A CANCER THAN DIVIDED THE FAMILY PART AND HENCE ENDED THE SHOW! Why could it have not continued to be a family? the story lines were strong enough to make the show week after week! why must there always be the one person that has to go and change the entire dimension of a show and then wonder what happened when it fails. the show was well received at the beginning.. the story lines were fresh, and in some cases educational. i know of a few that it sparked a desire to go into law as a career. not to many TV shows can boost that. (it was 10 until the dreaded day they brought Harriet Hammond) it such a shame they had such a winner a 10 out of 10 show and ruined it with the sorry destructive way to bring the Harriet Character in and destroy the whole family dimension that really made the show warm and inviting.. Good job pre Harriet writers and those that had to write a good show despite that horrible plot line. Making the cases was a masterpiece. i was disappointed with the end but i felt it left the door open for its return which would be great but Billy was such a main part of the family it would be hard not to have the protector of the family there.Letting Martha be happy would have been nice every now and then but that is what made her such a good lawyer was the lack of a man in her life. perhaps they can have something similar that is clean (another good thing only a few non family scenes) It was a show you could watch and learn with your children. we don't have enough shows like that anymore!

Epic

[Chillihead1 · 10/10 · 11 September 2018]

This is an absolutely spectacular series, please make more episodes, I feel abandoned.

yes, but ...

[cookie_on_fire · 9/10 · 2 November 2012]

I believe that the comments of a solicitor (see earlier reviews) are completely true and the series is far from being realistic. But am I enjoying watching House (being a doctor of medicine myself) because it is realistic? Lol. Of course not, if I would judge it from realistic side, time, diagnostic, budget and ethical constrains we have in real life, House is an annoying and superficial series, turning medicine into a tragicomic theater - but I choose to relax and enjoy the show. Same applies to Silk.

Like House, the fun of Silk lies mostly in its dialogs and, to some extent, non verbal communication and narcissistic characters (in and out of the court). Note I agree Silk lacks building of the characters. We only learn about Martha. We are becoming almost obsessed with her, as the camera frequently stays on her face for loooong time. Thus, not much place left for others or to put in some more of a story. However, I need to disagree with the previous reviewer about Clive Reader character. The comment about him was: "When he is not being a jackass, he's as nice and loyal as a puppy." Emmm .... This sounds like a stereotype of a successful alpha man and I definitely know a few like him (unfortunately not that cute to be worth making use of it).

I am a bit puzzled how some characters (Kate Brockman? - I thought she was allowed to stay?) disappear completely out of series as new ones get introduced. We miss the old ones, too. Am very puzzled over John Bright character as well. We are allowed to glance at his stunning and gorgeous appearance in almost every chapter, never to touch under surface - I wonder about his work and why is he sitting in the office ... Acting is good, but many times slightly exaggerated (theater style) - an example would be Jake Milner character. Pushing it a bit too far (but cute anyway).

The series seems underrated to me at IMDb. I promise it wont insult your intellect if you understand the concerns I raised above and have no expectations of any realism. It will give you an interesting drama, tension and sublime interactions. I love it, even though it looses its way at times. I think it is very enjoyable, much more than any other series I have seen.

Thoroughly enjoyable series

[Hairy_Scot · 9/10 · 27 May 2014]

Just finished watching all three seasons. Really enjoyed the series despite some of the inaccuracies that other reviewers have mentioned. Was disappointed that the pupils were dropped after season one. I thought there was the potential for some good story lines based on the two characters, and Natalie Portman is certainly easy on the eye. I was also interested in how Nick would atone for his shoplifting escapades. The final episodes of Season 3 did seem a trifle contrived and I suppose the rather odd ending of the final episode was intended as a cliffhanger to get us into another season. There certainly were enough additional unexplained loose ends in the third season to warrant a fourth.

... when all is said and done.... really?

[bjarias · 7/10 · 31 July 2014]

It truly was a pretty muddled, empty ending, to what for most every episode was a highly entertaining series. And it could have easily gone on for at minimum another couple seasons had they just maintained average storyline quality. But to end it the way they did really doesn't do justice to the exceptional character portrayal by one of the UK's top-notch actors. One with the greatest dialogue and integrity of the entire lot just disappearing into the night without comment... really??!! That's what they dreamed up this wonderful series coming to.. leaving all to the sleazy, office-manager screwing egocentric!! As it was nearing the end, a first thought was that would definitely like to see them keep the story going, but now they've pretty much ruined all future expectation and excitement for that ever happening. They've blown up that hope in such a way it could never be meaningful again... what an absolute, bs waste.

Begrudgingly a 10

[docster1968 · 10/10 · 3 September 2018]

It was all great until the end of the last episode. Why is it writers get lazy when ending a series. It just seems that tape this bubble gum that disappearing Martha. The seris was phenomenal til the end. More than great watching just disappointing in the end.

Love Maxine Peake

[pbordes · 7/10 · 13 July 2017]

Stayed with it as long as I could because Peake is mesmerizing and the courtroom dialogue is very intelligent. But finally gave up because of the consistent, overbearing presentation of each criminal as a victim and the police consistently as "loathsome." A bit of balance would have been welcome.

Same show each episode

[faithless4734 · 5/10 · 6 April 2020]

This show is almost completely the same episode each time. I do more or less like the show or I would not be mid way through season two. the issue that makes it 5 stars instead of more is that the formula for each show is identical, only the side characters are different. One or more of the mains get a case in defense and the defendant refuses to tell them everything and they spend the rest of the show trying to get them to talk with varied results and in the end they "figure" out why they refused to talk and save the day at the eleventh hour. It gets a bit old and dull after awhile. They have built good main characters and a good number of juicy sub-plots but the main story of each episode is a repeat basically of the one before. Another thing that really gets on my nerve is how incredibly sanctimonious Martha Costello is in this show. She thinks she is so much more morally and ethically better than others yet she twists the law into what she wants it to be to suit her needs/wants.

Why on earth did it end like that?

[Kijofreg · 28 November 2019]

I loved this series. A lot. Right until they ruined it with the worst ending in history. Did they not know, when they created that cliffhanger ending, that the show was cancelled? It's the only plausible explanation I can come up with. I hadn't expected a unicorns-sprinkling-rainbows kind of ending, but this was just such a huge disappointment. Still, I can't give it a low rating just because I disagree with the way it ended. The rest was outstanding.

I Loved This. But you need to know some stuff about U.K. Law.

[levybob · 10/10 · 3 March 2021]

I Loved This. But you need to know some stuff about U.K. Law.

1. In the U.K. there are barristers and solicitors; each practicing law. However only the barristers plead their cases in court. 2. So it is up to the solicitors to do the legal ground-work and then 'hire' a barrister to represent their client in court. And so, 3. Barristers market themselves to solicitors, hoping to get their 'business', and, 4. Barrister Law firms have 'Clerks' whose responsibilities include this marketing function. And finally, 5. Barrister Law firms can represent the 'government' much like District Attorneys do in the U.S.. So it is possible for a Barrister firm to represent both the defendant and plaintiff in the same case.

Maxine Peak and Rupert Penry Jones play Senior Barristers in the same firm, both vying for the position of 'Silk' which entitles them to appear in a higher level capacity. Both attorneys are more than capable, both have lives outside their professions, but the law is always at their centers. Neil Stuke plays the firm's Senior Clerk whose marketing schemes often are the cause of upset within the firm.

The Series ran for three years; six episodes per year, for a total of eighteen. There is an over-arching story to the eighteen episodes; how will the attorneys adjust their moral compasses as required by the demands of their work. That said, each episode does have its own conclusion; each 'closed case' adding to the cumulative effect on the attorneys.

If the series has a weakness it's the character played by Rupert Penry Jones. He is portrayed as the most handsome man in the history of time; every woman he meets hopes to bed him, and most do. It is a tiresome plot device and should have been discarded early on. That said, the series' 'heroine' played by Maxine Peak is one of those women. And we like and respect her so very much that her pursuit of Jones is somehow ...... disquieting. Unnerving. She deserves better.

One final point. Some reviewers have found fault with the series' closing episode. Final seconds, in fact.

Not I.

Fantastic series

[debdshaw60 · 10/10 · 30 August 2018]

I'm American so any inconsistencies in British law or courts aren't obvious to me. I absolutely love this show. The drama is fantastic and at times edge of your seat. Just when you think some characters are gone too far, they are brilliantly redeemed. I'm binge watching and have just started season three but I don't see it going downhill at all.

Enjoyed the journey, not the destination

[cooked · 8/10 · 28 April 2021]

Really enjoyed all the series. Good cast of powerful but flawed characters. Variety of cases and situations kept it flowing. Terribly disappointed in the weak ending. I have no problem with leaving situations open and unsolved, but this was simply poor quality, cheap and lazy scriptwriting. The series deserved a better ending.

An excellent series - exaggerated drama, certainly, but that's entertainment

[j-monro · 9/10 · 22 May 2016]

We've had, and likely always will have, lots of legal dramas, from serious and dark to outright comedy. There's lot of dramatic gold to mine in this genre. In the US - Boston Legal, LA Law, Ally McBeal, Perry Mason and many more - in the UK - Kavanagh QC, Judge John Deed, Justice, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Main Chance (that was the 1960s), Garrows Law (historical) and lots of others. It's a well worn genre with plenty of scope for human interest, convoluted and clever story telling, contemporary themes, triumph of honesty over adversity, love and darkness. Now, I'm not a lawyer, and as to the accuracy of the portrayals of the protagonists, both legal and criminal, in "Silk" I'm not one to judge. For instance, I am a doctor, and had to stop watching "House" as the episodes became ever more bizarre and a travesty of medical life and practice. I couldn't take the drama seriously enough to continue to follow the series.. However, I'd rate "Silk" pretty highly - for its high production values and truly excellent acting, along with stories of contemporary interest ( many seeming to arise from factual occurrences), with underlying themes from episode to episode of the more personal dramas in the Shoe Lane practice with it's three main protagonists - , Billy, the Machiavellian clerk who has accumulated to himself much power through his misuse of his position of trust and his self-appointed role as a sort of Godfather of the practice; Martha - the out of place northerner and female to boot, a feisty, intelligent, articulate and scrupulously honest rising legal star; her colleague Clive - superficially charming but a rather devious, emotionally unreliable and inadequate personally, but who comes over as a surprisingly sympathetic character and is actually a very good and humane barrister. Their interactions with a few less prominent other members of the firm, and with a succession of legal apprentices, makes up the rest of each week's stories. In the genre of legal dramas I'd rate "Silk" very highly indeed - it's good television, entertaining, exciting at times, humorous at others and sometimes challenging and thought provoking. What more could anyone wish for sitting in front of their TV screen for an hour? I've been watching them again recently on Netflix, and without the intrusive adverts and with its improved picture quality, the series is even better than I remember when it was first broadcast.

Stunning court room drama series

[wrxsti54 · 9/10 · 26 September 2020]

Silk continues the fine tradition of British court dramas such as Rumpole of the Bailey and Kavanagh QC. A Silk is the nickname given to QCs (Queens Counsel), the elite of British (and Anglophile former colonies) barristers (a more highly trained and paid lawyer who is exclusively allowed to prosecute or defend the more serious criminal and civil cases in the Crown or Superior Court and higher appellate courts). In the lower Magistrate and County courts in the UK, people can be represented by the retail lawyers in the British system called solicitors who are the referral source of most barristers' work. A handful of the elite and most experienced and respected barristers are awarded the QC title and "take silk" and thus are allowed to wear a special recognizable silk robe in court denoting their elevated status. Barristers and QCs practice in special offices called Sets or Chambers, in London they are grouped near the Royal Courts of Justice in the Temple and Lincoln Inn buildings with many buildings being centuries old.

Silk brilliantly covers the machinations of the Set at Shoe Lane, the triumphs and defeats in the cut and thrust of Britain's most eloquent and persuasive lawyers. The series recreates accurately the incestuous nature of life in the fishbowl of the legal elite, the love affairs, the rivalries, the intense competition between barrister sets to get the plumb cases from prominent solicitor firms overseen by the Senior Clerk and his team usually of working class boys made good who run the firm.

Silk's primary characters are soon to be new Silks Martha Costello (Maxine Peake), a Manchester native who never went to the right schools and handsome and suave Clive Reeder (Rupert Penny-Jones) who went to Harrow (Englands no. 2 most prestigious private school) and Oxford and has all the trappings and connections of the English upper classes. Martha and Clive are both brilliant lawyers but intensely competitive and were briefly former lovers. The lions share of courtroom scenes involve Reeder or Costello as lead counsel. Their performances are passionate, compelling and realistic.

They are ably supported by the brilliant Neil Stuke playing Head Clerk Billy Lamb who maneuvers through the egos of the barristers, knives out for his head and a myriad of fickle referring solicitors conducting the complex orchestra of Chambers with working class cheekiness and charm. Head of Chambers Alan Cowdrey (Alex Jennings) provides guidance and gravitas and Season 2 sees the addition of prosecution specialist (to a mostly defense Set), the acerbic and aggressive Caroline Warwick (Frances Barber).

Enduring sub plots in all series are the Pupils (recently graduated law students seeking to be appointed to their first starting barrister position). Series 1 pits the polished privileged daughter of a judge Niahm Cranitch (Natalie Dorman - later of Game of Thrones fame) against baby faced Liverpool lad Nick Slade (Tom Hughes - later of Victoria fame) as the winner of the race to a foot in the door at Shoe Lane. It's clear Nick wins but we never see him as a starting barrister in favour of Season 2 pupil Daniel Lomas ironically a former cop (Shaun Evans - later of Endeavour fame). Season 3 features Amy Lang (Jessica Henwick) in a dramatic twist. The series does end a bit disappointingly on a note that seems to preclude further seasons.

In in all, a thrilling, compelling look at a very unique institution, the UK Criminal Bar and the gripping dramas of the Crown court.

Love it

[PRSanyal · 8/10 · 2 January 2015]

I love British films and filmmakers. Its not easy while traveling to watch series as you have lots of things to deal with. But silk and black mirror have kept me awake for last few nights. I am gonna talk about silk here, cause I just finished the first season. I usually fast forward films if they are not that interesting to me. Series on the other hand, are more likely to go down that ally. Silk, fortunately, made me watch every bite. Why? Pure wit. British are stunning me with their makings. Martha Costello played by Maxine Peake, is a perfect British honest lawyer in the series. She portrays present day working woman, with highest esteme. The series in its first season showed how women in a country like England still face obstacles in climbing up the ladder, how they are defined by their gender, vulnerability, family and other discriminating criteria. Martha tries to uphold justice in between personal and professional life conflicts. She is pregnant with child of a colleague who is a charming playboy. Most importantly they are both contenders for silk which gives them freedom to practice, working in the same firm. They both have pupils who make things more complicated. Martha guides audience towards true and just features, shows there are more to which we think as naked truth. As in the fifth episode a judge puts it, "as a prosecutor, you don't win or lose. You just present the facts." I rated the series 8 on IMDb. I would like to encourage all to see it.

Slowly deteriorated and ultimately disintegrated!

[qui_j · 6/10 · 3 July 2021]

This is a series that starts out really well but deteriorates with each episode, ultimately fizzling out at the very end. It's a shame that the final episode is so confused and confusing! The acting is very good with many of the well-trained British actors in key roles.

As the series progresses, episodes become less coherent, and in the final season much of the storytelling just seems to lose coherence! It's as if the writers had already packed up and moved on to other projects, filling in only part-time to write episodes for the series.

However, it's still an entertaining and well-acted production!

One of the Best Legal Series I've seen!

[aurasbob · 9/10 · 30 May 2018]

Great acting, legal stories, mystery & reality. A great Binge Series, would have liked 3 more seasons!

Good but flawed at times

[TertiaryAdjunctofUnimatrix01 · 7/10 · 9 August 2012]

I have to disagree with a previous reviewer (Leilahali) about what they perceive as "more realistic" aspect of the show. The series is just as silk and clean as The Good Wife and younger too. I don't understand why every TV show needs to be compared to US television and not just stand on it's own.

What the series does well is show the lives and stories of the lawyers as well as the cases they are working on. However, one the flaws is that they are nearly always defending someone who is innocent or not as guilty as you who think they are. Even though in the first episode Martha states 85% of their clients will be guilty. They are constantly defending someone whose being "fitted up" by the coppers rather than be outright guilty. The writers make an effort not to have clients that are too guilty or "bad/evil" as so to not turn the audience off.

They don't know what to do with the Clive Reader character. When he is not being a jackass, he's as nice and loyal as a puppy. The lawyers are too young and attractive to reflect anything near real life. Tom Hughes is ridiculous to look at; he's too good looking to take seriously without thinking he is there to be obvious eye candy. There are lots of contrived moments.

This isn't a topical legal show. Not many hot button issues. The critics are right about the flaws. Nevertheless I like it, but I like Garrow's Law better.

extremely far fetched.

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 30 March 2011]

As a solicitor i have instructed barristers on many occasions and none of my experiences,albeit with civil litigation,not criminal work,bear any relation to what i have seen in this series.the impression was that the barrister does all the preparatory work prior to trial whereas the opposite was true.Barristers only tended to become involved in the later part of the proceedings.This programme couldn't make up its mind as to whether it wanted to be Runpole Of The Bailey or Perry Mason.Martha Costello being the female equivalent of Perry Mason ,breaking a witness down and obtaining a confession on the stand.really it had me in fits of laughter.also the sight of poor old Martha having a miscarriage and coming straight back from hospital as if she had had nothing more than chronic indigestion.All the intriguing by the clerk coming to nothing.I was never wined and dined by a clerk nor any inducements offered to me,mores the pity.So if any of you believe that this had any passing resemblance to the law as practiced in this country forget it!