The forerunner for many of today’s courtroom dramas, CROWN COURT – VOLUME ONE (PG) was a pioneer in the method in which it brought the reality of the court to the small screen.The four-disc set, featuring 33 episodes from Volume One of this acclaimed series will be released by Network on 25th June 2007. In contrast to the myriad of discussion programmes that make up modern daytime television, Crown Court was a major hit when it was first broadcast in 1972. Its simple structure based the entirety of the action in the courtroom itself without referring to either the outside world or the personal lives of any involved. Each case was extended across three episodes with facts revealed both to viewers and court simultaneously. It was on a parallel to spending hours in a real courtroom with the distinction that all cases were in fact fictional. This sharply written series also attracted a wealth of British acting talent in early screen roles. Amongst those who ventured into the court were Maureen Lipman, Richard Wilson, Alison Steadman, Ray McAnally, Ben Kingsley and Arthur English. CROWN COURT – VOLUME ONE is a wonderful opportunity to observe the British justice system in a series that was shot with an authenticity rarely seen in more recent productions. Crown Court Volume One
