Trial & Retribution – Set 1 (Acorn Media DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Episodes: B-

 

 

In yet another British crime/police procedural series, Trial & Retribution starts with the disappearance of a young girl kidnapped and the search is on.  At this point, though this obviously happened in real life all the time, it is a tired way to start such a series, but I do give the makers credit for trying to do something different with the type of storyline.  However, it gives way to other storylines and this all eventually becomes too silly to be believed.

 

That this is the beginning of another hoped-for hit TV series that has made some traction so far is another matter, but this concludes here far less interesting than it began and that is simply because it tries too much to distinguish itself from too many similar shows and though Lynda La Plante is apparently a good writer, these four telefilm-length episodes just eventually go all over the place and in the end, it is just disappointing.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is a little soft and video split screens show their age as each episode tries to show the events of the crime in different ways.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is just fine for a new recording, but nothing special, even with the music and there are no surrounds.  Extras include text glossary and an interview/text bio of author La Plante.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo