The Guilty

In this two-part 1992 British miniseries, Michael Kitchen stars in a role very different from his principled policeman in Foyle's War. Steven Vey is a brilliant but arrogant London barrister who achieves his highest ambition when he's appointed to the bench. But Vey suddenly finds himself confronted with two major problems. One stems from the fact that he tried to force himself on a pretty young secretary, Nicky Lennon (Caroline Catz), who's appalled at the thought of such a man holding a judgeship and threatens to reveal his crime to the world unless he resigns. The other is that an ex-con named Eddy Doyle (Sean Gallagher) has just learned that Vey is his biological father and intends to inform Vey (who doesn't know he has a son) of the fact. These two plot threads are brought together through a coincidence that frankly strains credulity—namely, an entirely accidental connection between Nicky and Eddy. But if one is willing to suspend disbelief on that score, The Guilty is not only a compelling, suspenseful, and literate drama, but also a thoughtful meditation on how people try to make up for past mistakes. Kitchen delivers a powerhouse performance as the tormented judge, and he's ably seconded by Catz and Gallagher. A solid tale of imperfection—both in the legal system and in human nature—this is recommended. (F. Swietek)