The Justice Game (1989– ) User Reviews

Two series, not one

[phil-kemp01 · 7/10 · 6 October 2016]

There were two series of The Justice Game, not one, both broadcast in 1989. Series 1 has four episodes, series 2 has three. Denis Lawson starred in all seven. Tried to correct the page, but IMDb's correction system is too stupidly inflexible to make it possible.

As for quality - Lawson gives an excellent performance as the cynical, opportunist Scots lawyer, backed by actors of the calibre of Diana Quick, Joss Ackland, Michael Kitchen, Anita Zagaria and Barbara Flynn. The plots tend to be overstuffed, but the Glasgow background is vividly evoked, thanks to extensive use of location shooting.

(Warning) If you buy the recently released Simply Media two-disc set and need some help with the Scots accents: the subtitles were compiled by someone with serious hearing problems....

Not confusing at all

[Mister_Jay84 · 8/10 · 22 November 2009]

I can only surmise that Theo watched this with his eyes shut. If watched carefully all is explained including the bus stop stabbing as the old man was blackmailing Tim Forsythe. Also the final seen is not an deserted warehouse, Its is actually Glasgows St Enoch center shopping mall under construction in 1988 but he is correct in the fact you don't know who the female sniper is. Regarding the AIDs victim Brian Ash, after Rossi visits Forsythe he sees that the offices (actually the former Brit Oil building in Glasgow now the Abbey building) was built by the Brian Ash Partnership leading Rossi to look up Ash.

Totally Confusing

[Theo Robertson · 3/10 · 2 March 2005]

I heard that Scottish stadium rock gods Simple Minds were doing the music to this show which pricked my interest . Don't laugh but Simple Minds were a great rock band in the 1980s even though they shot themselves in the foot a decade later by continually bringing out the same album ala Status Quo and Oasis every alternative year

The opening scene has a great hook as a couple of smack dealers sit in their drug dealing den cutting up heroin . A couple of balaclava wearing machine gun toting vigilantes execute them , pour petrol over the place and run out as the den explodes and the theme tune and opening credits start . A breath taking start but the theme tune by Simple Minds is Waterfront from Sparkle In The Rain which is disappointing since I'd been led to believe that the music the band were doing for THE JUSTICE GAME was entirely original . One of the vigilantes , a tough former soldier , is arrested and is represented by his lawyer Dominic Rossi played by Denis Lawson . So far so good and by the end of the first episode we're treated by intriguing scenes like an old man being stabbed to death by a gang at a bus stop . However the plot goes AWOL by the end of the second episode and the third episode ends with Rossi interviewing some big wig who caught AIDS in Thailand . In the fourth episode Rossi gets his client off on a murder charge who then takes advantage of the double jeopardy rule ( ie Even if he admits the crime he can't be prosecuted twice for the same crime ) so tells Rossi everything he knows . Alas he does so off camera which doesn't enlighten the audience as to what's going on and the climax takes place at a deserted warehouse which involves a female sniper shooting one of the bad guys pursuing Rossi

To say this viewer was confused is a mild understatement . Writer John Brown also wrote the totally confusing THE ONE GAME which like this was a case of The Emporers New Clothes . That is everyone is too embarrassed to admit they didn't understand so will praise it as being intelligent and complex instead . Things like the old guy getting knifed at the bus stop are never explained and we never find out why the female sniper saved Rossi's life or even who she was . We also get to hear another track by Simple Minds in the final episode , Earth That You Walk Upon from the Sons And Fascination album which again disappointed since I'd been led to believe the SM soundtrack was going to be totally original and come to think of it that was the only reason I watched this bitterly disappointing thriller