Close and True

Last updated

Close and True
CloseandTrueDVD.jpg
Genre Legal drama
Written byTony Etchells
Directed byPip Broughton
Renny Rye
Christoph Rohl
Starring Robson Green
James Bolam
Susan Jameson
Kerry Ann Christiansen
Jamie Bell
Nicola Grier
ComposerPaul Pritchard
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersDamien Timmer
Michele Buck
Sandra Jobling
ProducerRebecca Keane
Running time50 minutes
Production companyCoastal Productions for Meridian
Original release
Network ITV
Release23 November (2000-11-23) 
28 December 2000 (2000-12-28)

Close and True is a legal drama first broadcast on ITV from 23 November to 28 December 2000, starring Robson Green and James Bolam as the eponymous characters, John Close and Graham True respectively. The series follows Close (Green) as he takes over a run-down legal practice in Newcastle owned by True (Bolam), who now resides in a mental institution. During his first days in charge of the practice, he is thrown into the midst of a murder trial, despite having no previous criminal trial experience. [1]

Contents

This programme was produced by Costal Productions in association with Meridian Broadcasting for the ITV network, with just six episodes of the drama were produced, before it was axed by ITV in 2001. The series was released on VHS on 29 January 2001, [2] but has never been issued on DVD in the United Kingdom. The series was released on Region 4 DVD in Australia in 2008. [3]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byRatings (in millions) [4]
Sourced by BARB.
Original airdate
1"Miss Newcastle"Pip BroughtonTony Etchells8.5623 November 2000 (2000-11-23)
While on a diving holiday, John Close receives a call from his old Newcastle friend Steve Sheedy, who has been remanded in jail on an attempted murder charge. Steve begs John to help him, and although his background isn't criminal law, decides to give it a go and finds himself in over his head. John becomes involved with mismanaged legal firm Simons and True in Newcastle, run by Colin Simons. He allows John to use the firm's services for a few days leading to Steve's trial. The alleged victim is Steve's ex-wife Paula's boyfriend, David. When David later dies, the charges rise to murder. Although he confesses that he didn't do it, and evidence points to Sinclair over monetary matters, it is Steve and Paula's son, Mark, who holds the key to what really happened.
2"Town and Gown"Pip BroughtonTony Etchells7.4330 November 2000 (2000-11-30)
Close visits Graham True after Simons takes some of the firm's money and runs to Darwin, Australia. Close wants to rebuild the practice but True is not so enthusiastic. Meanwhile, John begins to take over Simons's cases, one of them being an assault on a woman at a nightclub.
3"A Lie for a Lie" Renny Rye Tony Etchells7.767 December 2000 (2000-12-07)
After working for two months in criminal law, John gets himself on the duty solicitor roster. Eileen Jakes is charged with threatening her ex-pimp Terry Morgan and is fearful of losing her daughter Annie. She asks John to handle her custody case. Meanwhile, John asks to move in with Paula at Mark's request. Kim says the office is haunted.
4"Hurry Up and Wait"Renny RyeTony Etchells6.7014 December 2000 (2000-12-14)
Jessica accepts John's proposal.
5"Wide Awake"Christoph RohlTony Etchells6.7921 December 2000 (2000-12-21)
John's relationship with Paula develops.
6"Gotcha!"Christoph RohlTony Etchells6.6228 December 2000 (2000-12-28)
Steve Sheedy is out on bail awaiting a retrial, and John comes up against his old foe, Peter Heart.

Related Research Articles

<i>Cracker</i> (British TV series) British television crime drama series (1993–2006)

Cracker is a British crime drama series produced by Granada Television for ITV, created and principally written by Jimmy McGovern. Set in Manchester, the series follows a criminal psychologist, Dr Edward "Fitz" Fitzgerald, played by Robbie Coltrane, who works with the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to help them solve crimes.

<i>Birds of a Feather</i> (TV series) British television sitcom

Birds of a Feather is a British sitcom originally broadcast on BBC One from 16 October 1989 to 24 December 1998, then revived on ITV from 2 January 2014 to 24 December 2020. The series stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson, with Lesley Joseph. It was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote many of the episodes.

<i>Touching Evil</i> Television series

Touching Evil is a British television drama serial following the exploits of a crack squad on the Organised & Serial Crime Unit, a rapid response police force that serves the entire country.

James Christopher Bolam is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Terry Collier in The Likely Lads and its sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Jack Ford in When the Boat Comes In, Roy Figgis in Only When I Laugh, Trevor Chaplin in The Beiderbecke Trilogy, Arthur Gilder in Born and Bred, Jack Halford in New Tricks and the title character of Grandpa in the CBeebies programme Grandpa in My Pocket.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robson Green</span> British actor, musician and presenter (born 1964)

Robson Golightly Green is an English actor, singer-songwriter, and television presenter.

<i>Foyles War</i> British television detective series (2002–2015)

Foyle's War is a British detective drama television series set during and shortly after the Second World War, created by Midsomer Murders screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by ITV after the long-running series Inspector Morse ended in 2000. It began broadcasting on ITV in October 2002. ITV director of programmes Simon Shaps cancelled Foyle's War in 2007, but Peter Fincham revived the programme after good ratings for 2008's fifth series. The final episode was broadcast on 18 January 2015, after eight series.

<i>Bad Girls</i> (TV series) TV series set in a womens prison

Bad Girls is a British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1 June 1999 until 20 December 2006. It was created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus of Shed Productions, who initiated the idea of developing a series primarily focusing on the inmates and staff of the fictional women's prison, Larkhall, located in the South London region. Following the success of previous series Within These Walls and the Australian-imported Prisoner: Cell Block H, both of which screened on ITV, Bad Girls was commissioned by the network and was viewed as a realistic, modern portrayal of life in a women's prison. The series featured a large ensemble cast, including Linda Henry, Claire King, Simone Lahbib, Mandana Jones, Debra Stephenson, Jack Ellis, Alicya Eyo, Helen Fraser, Kika Mirylees, Victoria Alcock, James Gaddas, Victoria Bush, Dannielle Brent and Liz May Brice.

<i>Only When I Laugh</i> (TV series) British TV sitcom (1979–1982)

Only When I Laugh is a British television sitcom made by Yorkshire Television for ITV. It aired between 29 October 1979 and 16 December 1982 and is set in the ward of an NHS hospital. The title is in response to the question, "Does it hurt?".

<i>At Home with the Braithwaites</i> British TV series or programme

At Home with the Braithwaites is a British comedy-drama television series, created and written by Sally Wainwright. The storyline follows a suburban family in Leeds, whose life is turned upside down when the mother of the family wins £38 million on the lottery. It was broadcast on ITV and produced by Yorkshire Television for 26 episodes, from 20 January 2000 to 9 April 2003.

<i>New Tricks</i> British police procedural television series (2003–2015)

New Tricks is a British television police procedural comedy drama, created by Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell, produced primarily by Wall to Wall, and broadcast on BBC One. The programme originally began with a pilot episode on 27 March 2003, before a full series was commissioned for 1 April 2004; New Tricks concluded after twelve series on 6 October 2015. The show utilises an ensemble cast, of which Dennis Waterman was the only constant over all twelve series; this cast variously included Alun Armstrong, James Bolam, Amanda Redman, Denis Lawson, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tamzin Outhwaite, and Larry Lamb.

<i>Rebus</i> (TV series) British television detective drama series

Rebus is a British television detective drama series based on the Inspector Rebus novels by the Scottish author Ian Rankin. The series, produced by STV Studios for the ITV network, was broadcast between 26 April 2000 and 7 December 2007, and consisted of fourteen episodes across four series.

<i>Trial & Retribution</i> Television series

Trial & Retribution is a feature-length ITV police procedural television drama series that first aired on 19 October 1997. Written and devised by Lynda La Plante as a follow-on from her successful television series Prime Suspect, each episode was typically broadcast over two nights. David Hayman stars as the main protagonist of the series, DCS Michael "Mike" Walker. Throughout the series, he has two main sidekicks: DI Pat North in Series 1–6 and DCI Róisín Connor in Series 7–12.

<i>The Bill</i> British police procedural television series (1984–2010)

The Bill is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, Woodentop, broadcast in August 1983.

<i>Harold Shipman: Doctor Death</i> British TV series or programme

Harold Shipman: Doctor Death is a 2002 ITV television drama about the life and crimes of serial killer Harold Shipman. Starring James Bolam in the role of Shipman, the programme was directed by Roger Bamford and written by Michael Eaton. It was broadcast on 9 July 2002, and attracted a viewing audience of 7.37 million. The programme was released on DVD on 15 July 2013 by Strawberry Media, in association with ITV.

Grafters was a British drama–comedy programme originally broadcast in the UK on ITV from 27 October 1998 to 20 December 1999 for 16 episodes over two series.

<i>DCI Banks</i> British television crime drama series

DCI Banks is a British television crime drama series produced by Left Bank Pictures for the ITV network. Originally broadcast over five series in 2010–2016, the series was based on Peter Robinson's Inspector Alan Banks novels and stars Stephen Tompkinson as Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. In 2013, the series won in the drama category at the regional Royal Television Society Yorkshire Programme Awards.

<i>Vera</i> (TV series) British crime drama television series (2011-present)

Vera is a British crime drama series based on the Vera Stanhope series of novels by Ann Cleeves. First broadcast on ITV on 1 May 2011, it stars Brenda Blethyn as the principal character, Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope. In January 2024, it was confirmed that the show has been renewed for a fourteenth series.

<i>White House Farm</i> (TV series) British crime drama TV series

White House Farm is a British television crime drama based on the real-life events that took place in August 1985.

<i>Quiz</i> (TV series) 2020 British television serial

Quiz is a British drama television serial developed and written by James Graham for the ITV channel and AMC, based on his play of the same name commissioned by William Village and the book Bad Show: the Quiz, the Cough, the Millionaire Major by Bob Woffinden and James Plaskett. It is directed by Stephen Frears and consists of three episodes. The series focuses on the disgraced Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestant Charles Ingram, a former army major in the Royal Engineers, and how he unexpectedly won the £1,000,000 jackpot on the quiz show in 2001, followed by a criminal trial in which he and his wife were convicted of cheating their way to success.

References

  1. "Close and True (ITV 2000, Robson Green, James Bolam)". 9 October 2016.
  2. "Close and True: The Complete First Series". Amazon UK. 29 January 2001.
  3. "Close and True: The Complete Series". Amazon UK.
  4. "Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) | BARB".