Oh, I wish you hadn't told me that. I didn't know, and now I do, I sense it will annoy me ever afterwards too, now.
Lots of tv cliches annoy me. As a minister, another is that any time a minister or priest is seen in a film he (it's always a he) is in the church rearranging the hymn books. This is SO not how we spend our time!
It's a cliché. Anything in TV and film is portrayed for effect. e.g. The heroine always falls over when being chased.
As one American producer once said: 'I do things for effect and to hell with facts'.
Or, as they always say:
'Objection!'
'Sustained!'
I made a complaint to the BBC regarding a recent episode of "New Tricks" which featured a murder trial. It was appalling, the questions asked by the defence barrister were ridiculous. But then again when were the BBC ever interested in accuracy (even in the news)!
I want gavels in Court.
Gavels and biscuits.
That's all I have to say on the matter.
Such programmes are made with a view to sale in America, where gavel-banging in court, like saying "You may now kiss the bride", is a compulsory ritual.
Yes really anoying; and what about the BBC changing Trollope's "The way we are now" to "The way we are right now"
Biker | 08.27.08 - 9:49 am | Said:
I want gavels in Court.
Gavels and biscuits.
What? You don't have biscuits?
I'll get my coat.....
Perhaps it would be more realistic to portray the judge or chairman with just a small crumb of hobnob at the corner of his or her mouth. There are, apparently, some courts where quality biscuits are not provided, but I have no knowledge of this and feel sure that the majority of the population would be able to recognise a small morsel of fig roll.
Didn't Bystander ask us not to mention the 'B' word?
Shame on you, winding up a poor defenceless magistrate.
Vic,
I am well aware of Bystander's sensitivity on the subject, but if we avoid the use of the "B" word then we offend our colleagues in Shrewsbury, Barmouth and, er, Nice(?).
Particularly as Garibaldi’s defeat of the Bourbons was in the news at the beginning of the month.
And now, as Laurel said to Hardy “I’m going for a Bath Oliver”.
That's enough biscuit references, Ed
If, according to the snippet of The Tudors that I saw the other night, the BBC can't even identify the correct Pope with whom Henry VIII fell out so spectacularly, what do you expect?
By the way, I'm particularly grumpy since today was my first experience of a biscuit-free retiring room. Questions are being asked in the House!
LOL!
I have seen gavels in the Crown Court, but never ever seen one actually used. WHy do they still have them? Presumably judges did use them once upon a time -- when did they stop? Anyone?
Someone - I think it may have been Gary Slapper - wrote in the Times of speaking to someone who acted as a law advisor to one of these legal dramas. I think it may have been Kavanagh QC (but I wouldn't swear to it).
He told of vigorously objecting to the use of a gavel in court, that it simply did not happen in Britain.
"What, never?"
"Nope."
"Not in any courts? High Court?"
"Nope."
"Well, we'll go with the gavel anyway. It looks more dramatic."
Moral of the story? TV dramas are entertainment, and everything else comes next. Witnesses popping in and out of the witness box, the defendant giving evidence at the beginning of the trial, barristers behaving in a way which in a real court would result in the judge leaving for his chambers and shouting to the usher 'Get that man out of my court', both barristers and solicitors visiting the crime scene to see if they can find evidence the police have missed, daughter barristers pleading cases in front of their father judge...gavels are small beer!
America, where gavel-banging in court, like saying "You may now kiss the bride", is a compulsory ritual.
American judges are obliged to say "You may now kiss the bride" in court? How confusing. Do they say it before the jury delivers its verdict or afterwards?
When I become a judge I will definately have a gavel and I bang is frequently - often for no reason whatsoever!
"...the BBC can't even identify the correct Pope with whom Henry VIII fell out so spectacularly..." I think the Tudors is co-produced with an American TV company, so I expect the "real" Pope at the time had a difficult name that the US audience wouldn't be able to pronounce, but the "substitute" Pope has an easy name (Adrian or Paul or suchlike) and might even pass for an American. Imagine, Billy-Bob the First, the Pope from Idaho.
best legal drama on television is law and order (particularly the courtroom strategy and scenes). We desperately need a British version to educate people as to the real processes that take place over the course of a case.
I don't think that Clement is too difficult to pronounce.
My current favourite is the CSI series, where aparrently there is no need whatsowever of the police service in investigating crime - all you need is a CSI badge and you get to interview all the suspects yourself, mostly alone, without due process.
Mmmmmm, chocolate digestives...
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