Trivia

A complaint was made by a viewer about one episode claiming biased and incorrect information about the MMR vaccine, leading the BBC to unilaterally ban repeats of it in its original form.

Episode 5.4, Silent Killer (2006), caused controversy for the misguided information presented within it, which suggested a link between TETRA radio emissions and motor neurone disease. Statements were released by the TETRA Industry Group and the MND Association, the latter emphasising that while there is some evidence to suggest a link, it is not a single contributory factor.

The factual accuracy of the series is often criticised by legal professionals and journalists; many of the decisions taken by Deed (Martin Shaw) are unlikely to happen in a real court. The romanticised vision of the court system created by GF Newman caused a judge to issue a warning to a jury not to let the series influence their view of trials-referring to an episode where Deed flouts rules when called up for jury service.

The sixth and last series concluded on 18 January 2007. The programme then went on an indefinite break after Martin Shaw became involved in another television programme (Inspector George Gently (2007)), and he and Seagrove expressed a wish for the format of the series to change before they filmed new episodes. By 2009, the series had officially been cancelled.

Episode 5.6, Heart of Darkness (2006), was criticised for portraying a causal link between the MMR vaccine and autism, and the BBC received complaints on the matter. The Editorial Complaints Unit ruled that the episode had contravened the BBC's "obligation of due impartiality on matters of public controversy" and that the episode would not be repeated in its original form. The episode was cited in From Seesaw to Wagon Wheel, an internal BBC report on impartiality in its output that was published in June 2007, a section of which highlighted that the name of the Westwake character bore more than a passing resemblance to that of Dr Andrew Wakefield.