James Purefoy stars as William Travers, a criminal barrister who is recovering from a traumatic series of events that have shaken his belief in the legal system.
On the surface, Travers is a picture of success; an accomplished criminal barrister happily living with his wife (played by Dervla Kirwan) in rural Suffolk.
However, Travers is still recovering from events in his past when he is drawn into a case that involves his old friend Martin Newall (Nathaniel Parker), who faces conspiracy and murder charges while at the same time being investigated by a vicious and vengeful detective DS Mark Wenborn (Creed Miles).
The five-part series from acclaimed writer Anthony Horowitz (Collision, Foyle's War) is a story of friendship, conspiracy, betrayal and murder as well as a critical look at the way the legal system operates.
当片头字幕在ITV荧幕上亮起时，我未曾料到《正义与否》会如此精准地刺中现代观众的道德神经。这部由安东尼·霍洛维茨执笔的心理惊悚剧，像把手术刀般剖开了司法体系的复杂肌理——当詹姆斯·珀西菲饰演的威廉·特拉弗斯律师隔着探监玻璃，用颤抖的手指攥紧案卷时，屏幕前每个观众都被迫成为了共谋。
主角特拉弗斯是个极具张力的矛盾体。编剧巧妙将他设定为既存司法制度的批判者与践行者：曾经的精神崩溃让他对"绝对正义"产生怀疑，但职业本能又驱使他在法庭上为真相而战。这种撕裂感在第三集达到巅峰——当他发现好友马丁藏在证物室的关键证据时，镜头特写其瞳孔里倒映着法律条文与私人情感的角力，德乌拉·基尔万饰演的妻子玛吉站在阴影中，未说出口的劝阻让空气几乎凝固。
叙事结构堪称英式悬疑的典范。五集篇幅里埋设了七次关键反转，却始终保持着现实质感。尤其是第四集那场长达十分钟的独白戏，特拉弗斯在空荡法庭对着陪审席陈述时，镜头逐渐拉远，高耸的木质座椅化作压迫人性的牢笼，这种视觉隐喻比任何台词都更具冲击力。导演柯尔姆·麦卡锡显然深谙如何用空间语言诉说困境：狭小的证人席、冰冷的铁栏杆、总在下雨的伦敦街道，共同编织成一张困住正义的网。
真正令人脊背发凉的是剧集对"正义"定义的解构。当最终集揭晓真凶竟是看似正直的地方法官时，我们突然意识到：所谓道德困境，不过是不同立场下的必然选择。就像特拉弗斯在结局那句点题台词："我们都在为自己的选择建造教堂或监狱。"此刻重看开篇他烧毁心理诊断书的画面，才懂那团火焰里焚烧的，是理想主义者最后的天真。