North Square

North Square was an excellent one-hour drama series with a great cast and great characters. The scripts were plausible and funny and it looked like a sure-fire hit. What happened? We only get one series of this and yet we're on the third series of the lame 'Teachers'. North Square was a sharp as The West Wing in places. Sometimes I really don't understand how television works.

A really excellent legal drama that has unfortunately been cancelled after one series, North Square was almost unique in combining witty dialogue, interesting plots, superb acting and a good sense of legal life both in the courtroom and out of it, without resorting to the sordid emptiness of 'This Life'. A true cult TV series.

This was a pithy, intelligently handled 10 part series that was a pleasure to watch each week.

Seldom if ever have I seen something that was as enthralling, fast moving and that had characters who seemed to jell.

Congrats. to TVO (TV Ontario - Canada) for having given me the opportunity to look forward to an episode each week. The ten weeks came to an end all too soon.

I'm really sorry to learn that the creators won't have a chance to make another 10 episodes.

BJS.

This was a great series that sadly never made it to a second round.

I enjoyed all the characters and their office and other politics.

This should be compulsory viewing for those of us thinking of stepping up to the bar. (UK and countries with similar judiciary systems only)

Having just watched the 1st episode on 4oD, I am reminded just how superb this show was (and anything using a track from The Clash as a theme tune gets my vote!)

Far too many legal dramas on TV, yet this stand out got the chop, but I also recall Channel 4 not really hyping it much at the time either. In this respect it was like BBC's 'Bodies', in a TV world massively over saturated with medical dramas, this was a major stand out too, albeit uncompromising. But at least that got a 2nd series and a full length finale. (Like another soon axed work of art, the comedy on BBC3 'Pulling').

I guess it's demographics, they'll hype up the pandering, lowest common denominator 'reality' dreck knowing they'll get a decent enough audience however bad it is. The good stuff all too often has not only fight to get made, but also fight to get promoted.

For some reason, until I saw it again, I had it in my head that North Square was made around 1990, within minutes the mobile phones and Apple Macs in the show reminded me otherwise. This is I think, maybe a reflection of how not only was it axed after 10 episodes, but I don't recall it even being repeated or released on DVD either.

However I do recall newspaper articles citing North Square as an example of excellence that cost cutting budgets could not sustain, or rather Ch4 would rather spend money on lame imports and Big Brother.

It all started to go wrong for Ch4 when the TV expert that was the Pizza Hut CEO took over the channel.