Lets get this party started... - Eternal Law Discussion

what is it about?

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

Having seen it, no. All wildly far-fetched even for a fantasy - the English legal system would not have allowed for the way the case was conducted.

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[–] Broadsman 12 years ago

Well its fiction and fantasy so the way the case was handled does not matter!

But apart from that its RUBBISH and really does not warrant another one to be screened it should be discreetly screwed up and thrown away in a skip!

This is yet one more script writing disaster rather like Bone-kickers and Demons both of which should never ever have been screened now we have this rubbish to go along side them on the shelf of shame!

Who ever commissioned this should be left alone with a glass of Brandy and a loaded revolver to do the decent thing and shoot the script writer!

This is a poor attempt at ripping off the equally poor American series on similar lines!

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[–] Chris1982 12 years ago

I agree the programme was rubbish, I am from York, but would probably have watched it anyway even if I didnt come from here but the programme seemed to put a negative spin on York for some reason, although crime does happen here like it does in all cities. I thought it came across in a lackluster way also and has the Germans would say, was ersatz. I might keep watching it just because of the fact its set in York (although im not sure why I know what the city looks like) I think it will be just a one off series and will be forgotten about in a few years time, has the decade goes in it will become lost in the early 10's.

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[–] fantasyescapist 12 years ago

Ha, I thought it reminded me of Demons too - it seems ITV can't do fantasy for sh£t, recently!

Subtitles misread: 'the Arch bitch of Canterbury'

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[–] Devon_Rex 12 years ago

I really enjoyed it. The legal stuff was dodgy as hell (no pun intended) but relationship between Tom and Zak and interactions with the fallen angel were brilliant. There was also a lot of potential there in terms of characters' back stories and mythology.

Definitely looking forward to the next episode.

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[–] taker1-1 12 years ago

I really enjoyed this as well, although I'm beginning to think we're the only ones! I have visited York a number of times and knew a lot of the locations used. While the legal stuff was a bit dodgy it had to be, if the writers had had to keep it realistic we'd still be watching the same case in ten years time! It was a nicely written, acted and filmed fantasy, hope we get a lot more series of it!

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

Sam West is excellent and there are some lines to be treasured, such as the one about having "accidentally walked in on this poor man's murder trial". However much of the writing is patchy and inconsistent. Why, in episode one, did Hannah go from convalescing outside to death's door? Anyone but Tom should have grabbed the gunman, even in a fantasy legal setting I'm reasonably sure they'd take a dim view of a lawyer representing a man he caught apparently red handed!

The good parts are VERY good but the bad parts make me want to throw popcorn at the tv. Frustrating.

It's funny how they shoot you down when your hands are held up high

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[–] oakcourt 12 years ago

This is not as strong as Life on Mars and to an extent Ashes. Sorry to compare but when I saw the credits I thought it would be.

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[–] Jbird65 12 years ago

I like it. Makes a nice change from the usual dreary soap and reality rubbish British T.V. is currently inundated with. I love the childlike innocence of Tom and I can't wait to find out what it was that happened between Zak and Hannah. Hats off to Tobias Menzies too, he is excellent in his role and succeeded in making me hate his character almost immediately.

Live life such, that when you die, even the Undertaker is sorry

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[–] andrew-ragland 12 years ago

I think it's got potential. Granted, I've only seen the pilot thus far, which from what I've read on the forum is a weak episode, but there's quite a lot going on here. We've got cosmic conflict between angels and fallen angels, the struggle for the fate of humanity, an angel trying to walk the straight and narrow after nearly falling his last time out, a chorister who's never been to earth before for the fish out of water comedy bit (the banana joke was fairly subtle), the housekeeper with the legend and the box (no spoilers here thank you), and the courtroom drama. I have to agree, the courtroom was a bit less than realistic, I've seen better on Law & Order UK - what was with the judge? Did his prune juice not work that morning? But in the end, we're left with people trying to do what's right and the best they can, in a system that just doesn't work unless you bend the rules a bit. If the writers can get a bit of focus going I'd say the show could really be something special.

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[–] hitmouse 12 years ago

Intermittently interesting, but frankly I think that without the history of this show's writers I would have given it up after the first episode.

I've watched three and finding it steadily less interesting and will not watch it further. There are plenty of shows that have grabbed me in the first half hour, and I've given this three hours. Meh.

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[–] Broadsman 12 years ago

I have to repeat this is ghastly badly writen and very lazily acted!
I have given this time to develop and it just hasn't !
It seem like a program where bad actors are sent to die!
Plus I think just to stick to angelic Lawyers they have writen themselves in to a corner!
The opening premise that angel help people in all walks of live sounded like a take off of Touched by an angel yes but would have with much better writing could have worked!
This just hasn't got much of a future at all!
And to appease the Religious nuts out the to give the head man or god the name of Mount joy has to be a terrible bad joke!

Sorry If I was the person who commissioned this rubbish I would now be heading for ether the rubbish basket to throw the rest away or the nearest opened window to do likewise with the writers as fenestration is the only punishment in this case!

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

It's yet to hit the depths of 'what?' level plotting of Bonekickers and it hasn't made me want to claw my own eyes out as Demons did (I tried to like it, I really did). There are some good performances and sporadically great lines but there are also character inconsistencies, common sense failures and one of the worst villains I've seen in years in Richard.

Now we seem to have actually hit the plot with the Kremlin clock I'm hoping things start motoring a bit more. It's on my DVR timer so at least I don't have to put any effort into catching it.

It's funny how they shoot you down when your hands are held up high

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[–] Winterborn_Solstice1983 12 years ago

There are a few great lines, usually delivered by Sam West's character, the acting by Sam West, Tobias Menzies and Orla Brady is excellent and solid by Hattie Morahan but the writing, oh dear, the writing

The concept itself is ludicrous, every dumb vampire show has more internal logic than this.

So the fate of humanity, i.e. Christian humanity I'd presume, depends on one angel in York not shagging the woman he loves. That's it?! That's the great conflict of the show?

Some truly funny lines & (a waste of) great actors cannot save this unless the last two episodes really step it up.

Pity, if properly thought through, it could have been a really good show.

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

Sam West and Orla Brady are clearly doing their level best to sell the script, despite the very few gems it offers they are playing it straight and treating it with respect. I can't help thinking it's Tom who lets it down; he's veering beween naive and well meaning and willful idiocy but doesn't seem able to handle either properly. The writing SHOULD be giving him help there but really isn't and I don't think he's good enough to paper over the cracks.

I can't help thinking Mr Mountjoy has SERIOUSLY dropped the ball if he didn't notice how many angels he'd been losing till it came down to the wire. I'm going out on a limb and predicting Zack is a red herring; the potential faller is Tom.

It's funny how they shoot you down when your hands are held up high

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[–] Jax1984 12 years ago

Agreed, the actor playing Tom isn't helped by the mostly terrible script (his "AWEsome" in every third sentence sets my teeth on edge) but his lack of talent is even more apparent by comparison to hugely talented actors like Sam West, Orla Brady and Tobias Menzies.

Despite all the shortfalls, and there are many, I am beginning to enjoy the show. That is down mostly to the ever superb Sam West, some few gems of dialogue (usually delivered by Sam West's Zak Gist), the lovely York setting as well as excellent co-stars Tobias Menzies, Orla Brady and Hattie Morahan.

Overall the writing, the directing and the emphasis of the conflict depending on one angel being responsible for preventing Armageddon by not having sex with the love of his 2 lives hamper the show at every turn. Occasionally you get to enjoy a few fantastic lines but overall the script is pretty awful.

There is however a certain charm about the show, maybe it's a combination of Sam West (plus his funny lines), Tobias Menzies's delightful fallen angel, the wonderful chemistry between Zak/Hannah and beautiful York.

Honestly, I found Bonekickers (the last decade's worst show ever), Demons, The Deep and The Fades far, far worse because they lacked any charm whatsoever, were even more ridiculous and didn't even have the redeeming quality of good acting (at least Bonekickers didn't and I won't even start with the factual mistakes).

With EL I can laugh at the silly writing & juvenile directing, enjoy the fine acting, be amused by the occasional funny line and look at lovely shots of York

Is EL a great show? No but it's a hell of a lot better than the reality crap and talk shows tv companies try to inflict on us!

De gustibus non est disputandum.

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[–] kitten-89 12 years ago

There is however a certain charm about the show, maybe it's a combination of the superb Sam West (plus his funny lines), Tobias Menzies' delightful fallen angel, the wonderful chemistry between Zak/Hannah and beautiful York.

With EL I can laugh at the silly writing & juvenile directing, enjoy the fine acting, be amused by the occasional funny line and look at lovely shots of York

Thank you, Jax1984 Couldn't put it better myself!

No need to rehash the many things gone wrong with the show, they are pretty obvious anyway.

There are some good things though, as pointed out by Jax1984 and other posters, and at the end of the day Eternal Law is a bit of amusing escapism.

Case in point, Zak's reaction to Mrs Sheringham's suggestion of getting a dog: "If it can learn to flash the loo it's more than welcome but please be advised as the actual embodiment of heavenly grace on earth I will not be reduced to picking up poo in a plastic bag."

As a scientist and atheist, I can enjoy this as a harmless charming low-budget fairy-tale along the lines of Once Upon A Time, Grimm, Fringe and The Vampire Diaries.

I certainly agree with the previous posters that unimpressive as a whole as Eternal Law is, it's still far superior to Bonekickers and Demons!

Actually, I'd rather watch another series of Eternal Law with its intentional and unintentional humour than the umpteenth series of boring Spooks.

If it can flash the loo it's welcome but as the embodiment of heavenly grace I won't pick up poo

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[–] disconnexions 12 years ago

Sorry.. but I have given the show four episodes now and I'm giving up on this. I wanted to get into it, but it's torture to watch week after week.

http://www.facebook.com/bringbacklaworder

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

OOI, this week's was actually a decent story, well played and no moments when I wanted to throw popcorn at the TV. Worth watching on catchup, I'd suggest:-)

It's funny how they shoot you down when your hands are held up high

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[–] Broadsman 12 years ago

Decent story ?
you must have fallen asleep at the start and dreamt it!
The only good part was the delightful Mrs Sheringham drunk as a skunk sing "Whisky in a jar!

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

Yes, pretty decent, at least by comparison to some of the schizoid offerings so far. If you hate it so much why are you sticking with it? Masochistic tendencies?

It's funny how they shoot you down when your hands are held up high

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[–] Broadsman 12 years ago

Mrs Sheringham and I always was up for a staff whip round!
No just keep watching in the vain hope it would get better!
And surprise surprise it hasn't !
But The delightful Mrs Sheringham has made it easier on the eye!

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[–] Jax1984 12 years ago

I rather liked it!

The show is growing on me, with the exception of Tom.

Samuel West & Tobias Menzies are a joy to watch :)

De gustibus non est disputandum.

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[–] fitzysbuna 12 years ago

great show !

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

I'm getting a very bad vibe off Mrs Sheringham's "brother in law". Maybe the Target is neither Tom nor Zack but her, their support mechanism?

It's funny how they shoot you down when your hands are held up high

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[–] Broadsman 12 years ago

I think for once your right he is the spanner being chucked in to the works hopefully to wind up this utterly badly thought out load of tosh!
I still like Mrs Sheringham though!
I don't believe I has see The actress who plays her in any thing else sadly!

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[–] Prelude-in-C-maj 12 years ago

I'm enjoying the show; I like it.

For silky-smooth legs, I use Occam's Razor!

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

The last 2 episodes were certainly a cut above the rest of the series, shame it didn't hit the ground running.

Little bit worried about the common sense failure in the last 5 minutes though:-/ Oh, Zack, what ARE you playing at??

"Let me get this straight, you're taking a shotgun to a cocktail party?!"

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Broadsman 12 years ago

Sorry the bad scripts and lazy very very lazy acting !
It still stinks higher than a skunks jock strap!
As for hatties acting which seems to be insted of any skill what so ever just open eyes wide and that will do to cover up lack of talent!

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[–] Prelude-in-C-maj 12 years ago

It just occurred to me -- is Zack aware that the doomsday clock ticks dependent on his relationship with the woman? (I forget her name.) If he knew about that clock the way Mrs Sherringham knows about it, he would never have kissed her.

Why didn't Sherringham tell him she was aware that the clock might start ticking if anything happened between him and blonde woman?

For silky-smooth legs, I use Occam's Razor!

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[–] Druttercup 12 years ago

I'm fairly sure Zack was convinced the clock was a pointed warning directed at him by Mr Mountjoy, hence his determination to get Hannah and the army psychiatrist together. Which makes his sudden change of heart rather more puzzling, especially as he SEEMED to have dodged the temptation bullet in the Minster.

"Let me get this straight, you're taking a shotgun to a cocktail party?!"

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Prelude-in-C-maj 12 years ago

That is puzzling indeed. He's been strong until now. I don't understand how he knows the clock is a warning yet he went ahead and kissed her.

Now we've all got 666 days to live!

For silky-smooth legs, I use Occam's Razor!

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] 12 years ago

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