One of the better episodes of the 1st series, A Family Affair does have some very good acting. Not that the whole of Kavanagh QC doesn't, but the acting is especially fine. While it is John Thaw's show all the way, he is very well supported by Holly Aird, George Costigan, Dougray Scott and the lovely Phyllis Logan. The story concerns a man who wants custody of his son, and along with his son he accuses the boy's step father of abusing him. This story was a good one, and well written, and the ending did kind of shock me. The camera work is also very good, and the music is absolutely beautiful. Overall, another good episode to a great legal drama. 9/10 Bethany Cox
4 Reviews
"The Death Penalty where do you stand?" "I have an open mind"
ygwerin123 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Jeremy Aldermartin QC is determined in becoming a Conservative Party MP, and his first hurdle is to to get on the short list as a Candidate.
But the Tory Party expects all of the prospective Candidates, to be at least engaged to be married.
In absolute desperation he approaches Julia Piper in the Chambers, to agree to masquerade as his fiancée for the occasion. But she of course drives a hard bargain, before she will agree to acquiesce to his grovelling approaches.
James Kavanagh QC has 2 legal cases to represent, the 1st is Deborah Drake who is described as a 'Pornographer' while her defence was more on the lines of it being 'Art is in the eye of the beholder'.
The 2nd Defence Case was for the estranged father in a family triangle with their son, who's has become something of a 'Piggy in the middle' between the mother and father. Th 3rd part in the marital triangle is her new husband.
it proves to be a difficult case involving, very fraught personal matters including abortion.
James Kavanagh QC has 2 legal cases to represent, the 1st is Deborah Drake who is described as a 'Pornographer' while her defence was more on the lines of it being 'Art is in the eye of the beholder'.
The 2nd Defence Case was for the estranged father in a family triangle with their son, who's has become something of a 'Piggy in the middle' between the mother and father. Th 3rd part in the marital triangle is her new husband.
it proves to be a difficult case involving, very fraught personal matters including abortion.
A Family Affair
Prismark105 March 2020
I was unsure why this episode featured a prosecution involving a female pornographer played by Toyah Wilcox who argued as a defence that her porn work was art. It was an unnecessary minor element in this episode and I presume it was inspired by the real life prosecution of porn model and producer Linzi Drew in the early 1990s.
The major part of the episode was a messy custody battle.
Kavanagh was defending a desperate father, Michael Duggan who violently abducted his son from school as he was being denied access by his ex wife. Quiet why a QC is needed for this bog standard criminal case is anyone's guess. The charging rate of a QC is an arm and a leg per hour. I doubt criminal legal aid was going to fund it.
After Duggan's release he wants Kavanagh to represent him in getting custody of his son. Kavanagh is unsure at first, family law is not his forte. The son wants to stay with his dad and the son mentions something disturbing about his mother's new partner.
Of course in real life, fathers always tend to be in the back foot in such custody cases. This one is a real seesaw episode, the presiding judge (John Shrapnel) at first seems to be siding with the mother but later decides he wants to hear privately from the son. There are several twists here with the result that no one is left satisfied even Kavanagh.
An early role for Dougray Scott who plays the mother's new and younger partner who dislikes children.
Meanwhile Jeremy Aldermarten plans to be adopted as a Conservative election candidate. Unfortunately he is too busy telling the local association what they want to hear rather than what he believes in. Not to worry Jeremy, you never stood a chance with the New Labour landslide of 1997.
The major part of the episode was a messy custody battle.
Kavanagh was defending a desperate father, Michael Duggan who violently abducted his son from school as he was being denied access by his ex wife. Quiet why a QC is needed for this bog standard criminal case is anyone's guess. The charging rate of a QC is an arm and a leg per hour. I doubt criminal legal aid was going to fund it.
After Duggan's release he wants Kavanagh to represent him in getting custody of his son. Kavanagh is unsure at first, family law is not his forte. The son wants to stay with his dad and the son mentions something disturbing about his mother's new partner.
Of course in real life, fathers always tend to be in the back foot in such custody cases. This one is a real seesaw episode, the presiding judge (John Shrapnel) at first seems to be siding with the mother but later decides he wants to hear privately from the son. There are several twists here with the result that no one is left satisfied even Kavanagh.
An early role for Dougray Scott who plays the mother's new and younger partner who dislikes children.
Meanwhile Jeremy Aldermarten plans to be adopted as a Conservative election candidate. Unfortunately he is too busy telling the local association what they want to hear rather than what he believes in. Not to worry Jeremy, you never stood a chance with the New Labour landslide of 1997.
Predictable
kris-gray12 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Don't get me wrong, this is well scripted and acted by all concerned.
It's just, well, just when you think at last the father wins the day, he doesn't because all fathers are bad and all mothers are good and of course fathers should be prevented from seeing their children.
I hate the reality of these situations and I hate they are perpetually being shown on TV dramas.
Soapbox over.
It's just, well, just when you think at last the father wins the day, he doesn't because all fathers are bad and all mothers are good and of course fathers should be prevented from seeing their children.
I hate the reality of these situations and I hate they are perpetually being shown on TV dramas.
Soapbox over.
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