Silk - Series 1-3 [DVD] [2011]

Series 1-3Maxine Peake, Rupert Penry-Jones and Neil Stuke star in this smart and thrilling legal drama about the lives, loves and hard cases facing a group of top end barristers. Series 1 Single, attractive, thirty-something Martha Costello is a brilliant, passionate defence barrister with the unwavering belief that all are innocent until proven guilty. She is about to apply to become Queen’s Counsel (a ‘QC’ or ‘Silk’), but she’s not the only one at her chambers… Clive Reader is charming, ruthless and dangerous, and knows how to play the game… only one of them will be made QC and Senior Clerk, Billy Lamb, is the man with everyone’s lives and careers in his hands. Martha’s conscience and faith in the criminal justice system are tested to breaking point as she deals with clients who are good, bad and downright evil. Series 2 Martha is now a member of the Queen's Council - a QC, which means the stakes are now higher than ever. Tensions are running high in the chambers, with the still ambitious Clive Reader having to deal with his failure to become a QC, and Billy Lamb under pressure to keep the chambers afloat. As Martha finds an ambiguous ally in Caroline Warwick, a 50-something, sharp as a stiletto QC, and Clive develops a fascination for a very beautiful and principled solicitor; passion, jealousy and ambition take hold both in and out of the courtroom. Series 3 Martha is now an experienced QC at the height of her powers and should be enjoying the high-profile cases and media attention that implies. But as her cases become ever more morally complex Martha questions whether her role as a defence barrister is enough. Her close relationships are put to the test when her ambitious colleague and rival Clive Reader finally becomes QC, challenging her to confront her feelings for him. As Head Clerk Billy Lamb struggles to keep the huge secret he’s been concealing he makes plans to secure the future of Chambers, with or without him. Effective new Practice Manager Harriet has other ideas and wants chambers to prosecute more and defend less potentially isolating Martha. As she struggles with her conscience her faith in the justice system is tested to breaking point. Where does she really belong?