Typically strong G.F. Newman four parter, Law and Order took an indepth look at the criminal justice system.
Each of the four feature length episodes focuses on a different aspect. A Detective’s Tale focused on Detective Inspector Fred Pyall (a tailor made role for Derek Martin) who sets out to bring down crook Jack Lynn. This sets up the second episode A Villain’s Tale and when Lynn is arrested the action moves to the trial. Lynn’s brief Alex Gladwell’s story is told in A Brief’s Tale. Bringing the story to a close was a look at life inside in A Prisoner’s Tale.
The series came in for quite a bit of criticism because of it’s frank attitude towards the system’s failings.
production details
UK / BBC Two / 4 episodes between 75 and 85 minutes duration / Broadcast 6 April – 27 April 1978
Writer: G.F Newman / Producer: Tony Garnett / Director: Les Blair
cast
Derek Martin as Detective Inspector Fred Pyall
Ken Campbell as Alex Gladwell
Alan Ford as Clifford Harding
Roy Sone as Micky Fielder
Billy Cornelius as Detective Sergeant Eric Lethridge
Fred Haggerty as Detective Chief Inspector Tony Simmons
Dominic Allan as Detective Chief Inspector Chatt (A10)
Mike Horsburgh as Detective Inspector Graham McHale
Douglas Sheldon as Detective Sergeant Jack Barey
Robert Oates as Detective Constable Warren Salter
Colin Howells as Detective Constable Roger Humphries
Geoffrey Todd as Detective Constable Peter Fenton
Alan “Nobby” Clarke as Detective Constable Ray Jenkins
Peter Dean as Jack Lynn
Roy Sone as Micky Fielder
Steve Ismay as Bobby Shaw
Barry Summerford as John Tulty
Alan Davidson as Benny Isaacs
Tony Barouch as Colin Coleman
Alf Coster as Philip Hayes
John Bardon as Del Rogers
Mike Cummings as Tommy Haines
Deidre Costello as Cathy Lynn
Andre van Gyseghem as Judge Robert Quigley
Michael Griffiths as Horace MacMillan QC
Terence Bayler as Michael Messick QC
Jeffrey Segal as Stanley Eaton QC
