First telecast in the U.K. on February 17, 2002, the five-part British miniseries
The Jury probes the workings of justice from the viewpoint of the 12 men and women chosen to determine the fate of a Sikh teenager, accused of murdering a white classmate with a ceremonial sword. This racially volatile situation is first placed in the hands of renowned attorney George Cording (
Derek Jacobi), who is defending young Duvinder Singh (
Sonnell Dadral), and relentless crown prosecutor Gerald Lewis (
Antony Sher), better known as "The Bastard of the Bailey." But as mentioned, the focus is on the jurors, as diverse a group as one is ever likely to meet. Among the selected dozen are Rose (
Helen McCrory), an unhappily married beautician; Johnnie (
Gerard Butler), a recovering alcoholic; Marcia (
Nina Sosanya), a single mother who tends to allow herself to be intimidated into making snap judgments; Peter (
Michael Maloney), a brusque self-made businessman; Charles (
Stuart Bunce), a Catholic seminarian uncertain of his calling; Elsie (
Sylvia Syms), a lonely old widow; and Jeremy (
Nicholas Farrell), a chronic gambler. How will the jurors' personalities affect the outcome of the case -- or, for that matter, the dissemination of facts? For its United States premiere on April 6, 2003,
The Jury was beamed out by PBS as part of the Masterpiece Theatre anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide