''Trial & Retribution'' is a feature-length ITV

police procedural The police procedural, police show, or police crime drama is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasises the investigative procedure of police officers, police detectives, or law enforcement agency, law enforcement agencies ...

television drama series that first aired on 19 October 1997. Written and devised by

Lynda La Plante Lynda Joy La Plante, CBE (née Titchmarsh; born 15 March 1943) is an English author, screenwriter and former actress often known for writing the '' Prime Suspect'' television crime series. In 2024 she was honoured with the Crime Writers' Asso ...

as a follow-on from her successful television series ''

Prime Suspect ''Prime Suspect'' is a British police procedural television series devised by Lynda La Plante. Broadcast on ITV between 1991 and 2006, it stars Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison, one of the first female Detective Chief Inspectors in Greater Lo ...

'', each episode was typically broadcast over two nights.

David Hayman David Hayman (born 9 February 1948) is a Scottish film, television and stage actor and director from Glasgow. His acting credits include '' Sid and Nancy'' (1986), '' Hope and Glory'' (1987), '' Rob Roy'' (1995), '' The Jackal'' (1997), '' Tri ...

stars as the main protagonist of the series, DCS Michael "Mike" Walker. Throughout the series, he has two main sidekicks: DI Pat North ( Kate Buffery) in Series 1–6 and DCI Róisín Connor (

Victoria Smurfit Victoria Smurfit (born 31 March 1974) is an Irish actress. She is known for playing Orla O'Connell in the BBC television series '' Ballykissangel'', Detective Chief Inspector Roisin Connor in the ITV police procedural '' Trial & Retribution'' ...

) in Series 7–12. The first seven series each contained two two-hour long episodes, covering one feature-length story. From series eight, the format was reduced to two 90-minute-long episodes. As of series ten, the format once again changed, incorporating multiple stories across one series. For the final two series, this format was retained; however, the length of the episodes was reduced to 60 minutes. The last episode was broadcast on 13 February 2009. The complete series was released on DVD on 14 July 2014.

Production

Each episode makes frequent use of

split screen Split screen may refer to: * Split screen (computing), dividing graphics into adjacent parts * Split screen (video production), the visible division of the screen * ''Split Screen'' (TV series), 1997–2001 * Split screen, a focusing screen in a ...

scenes, with usually three images shown in one screen. Similar effects were frequently used in other series such as '' 24'' and '' Spooks'', and in later episodes of the ITV police series ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...

''. The camera angles used in the split-screen configuration of ''Trial & Retribution'' tended to be used to present the situation from different perspectives, including the angle from the suspects, angle from behind and in front of the characters, angle from the crime-scene and/or angle from different sides of the town.

Cast

as DCS Michael "Mike" Walker * Kate Buffery as DI Pat North (Series 1–6) *

as DCI Róisín Connor (Series 7–12) (as Victioria Smurfit in some episodes) *

Dorian Lough Dorian Tristan Lough (born 27 April 1966 in Kensington, London) is an English actor who played DS Dave Satchell in ''Trial & Retribution'' (1997-2009). He has also played Ray Taylor in ''EastEnders'' (1996-2005). Other credits include ''Notting ...

as DS David "Satch" Satchell * Barbara Thorn as DS Barbara MacKenzie (Series 2–7) *

Inday Ba Inday Ba (10 August 1972 – 26 April 2005), also known as N'Deaye Ba, was a Swedish-British film, stage, and television actress of Senegalese descent born in Gothenburg, Sweden. One of her most notable Swedish on-screen roles was as Hillevi in ...

/Sarah Ozeke as DC Lisa West (Series 5–10) * George Asprey as DC Jack Hutchens (Series 2–3) * Paul Kynman as DS Jeff Batchley (Series 2–5) * Sandra James-Young as DC Vivien Watkins (Series 3–5) * James Simmons as DC Doug Collins (Series 4–6) * Vince Leigh as DS Sam Palmer (Series 10–12) *

Richard Durden Mark Richard Durden-Smith (born 8 February 1944), known as Richard Durden, is an English actor, with a range of television, film and stage credits. Personal life Durden-Smith was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and Merton Co ...

Dr. John Foster (Series 1–8) *

Gemma Jones Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...

as Dr. Jean Mullins (Series 7–12) * Nicholas Blane as Derek Waugh, QC (Series 1–5) *

Corin Redgrave Corin William Redgrave (16 July 19396 April 2010) was an English actor. Early life Redgrave was born in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson. He was educated at Westminster School and ...

as Robert Rylands, QC (Series 1–6) * David Fleeshman as Willis Fletcher, QC (Series 1–5) *

Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English actor. Known as a character actor on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including an Olivier Award and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for two BAFT ...

as Rupert Halliday, QC (Series 1–5) * George Pensotti as Judge Winfield (Series 1–9)

Episodes

Series 1 (1997)

Series 2 (1998)

Series 3 (1999)

Series 4 (2000)

Series 5 (2001)

Series five was originally recorded and due for broadcast in October 2001, continuing the regular yearly broadcasts in October. However, due to special programming regarding the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

, the programme was removed from the schedule and was not rescheduled for broadcast until June 2002. Certain other territories, including Australia, still received the broadcast in 2001.

Series 6 (2002)

Series 7 (2003)

Series 8 (2004)

Series 9 (2005)

Series 10 (2007)

Series 11 (2008)

DCI Connor takes leave in the episode "Conviction" and does not appear in the episode "The Box", returning in "Tracks". This was to accommodate actress

's pregnancy, as "The Box" was the first episode to be filmed.

Series 12 (2009)

References

External links

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Trial and Retribution 1997 British television series debuts 2009 British television series endings 1990s British crime drama television series 1990s British mystery television series 1990s British police procedural television series 1990s British workplace drama television series 2000s British crime drama television series 2000s British mystery television series 2000s British police procedural television series 2000s British workplace drama television series British detective television series British English-language television shows ITV crime dramas ITV mystery shows Television shows about murder Television series by ITV Studios Television series by Yorkshire Television Television series produced at Pinewood Studios