Trial
& Retribution — The Fifth Collection
“The
superb Fifth Series of Trial &
Retribution comes to DVD with four
more superb double episodes to
thrill and perplex fans just as much
as ever: Rules Of The Game; Kill The
King; Conviction and The Box...”
THE BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN AND PERFECTLY CAST Trial & Retribution
has now reached its fifth series, continuing to enthral its many fans with the
riveting, well-paced action. And if you think it's all straightforward
investigations, think again.
The four new double episodes are every bit as tight and inventive as we have
come to expect over the ten years that the Trial & Retribution team has
been working on shocking and violent crimes. Fluent and natural, the existing
team comprises of seasoned detective DCS Michael (Mike) Walker (David Hayman:
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas), ambitious and determined DCI Roisin
Connor (Victoria Smurfit: About A Boy), DS Satchell (Dorian Lough: Notting
Hill) and DS Sam Palmer (Vince Leigh).
Newcomers DI Moira Lynch (Kerry Fox: Intimacy) and DI Jack Mullins (David
O'Hara: The Departed) make up the main characters and each episode benefits
from a good quality support cast. Each story is as intriguing as the first and
the team works flat-out to bring criminals to justice.
The first double episode, Rules Of The Game, begins with a drama on the
hottest day of the year around an abandoned suitcase at Heathrow Airport that
proves to hold the naked body of a young woman, who has been strangled.
The only clue is a towelling robe from the Linden Hotel on London's Park Lane
and the trail leads to powerful Ukrainian millionaire Vitali Malikov (Marcel
Iures), an unsavoury character who has already escaped an attempted rape charge
on a girl called Anya in the past. He seems to have few redeeming traits —
but is he capable of murder?
Mike and Roisin go head-to-head as they disagree about the way to handle the
case. Mike worked on the original assault case against Malikov, who had then
been a diplomat attached to the Ukrainian Embassy.
From CCTV camera film at the hotel, the Duty Manager (Tanveer Ghani) recognises
one of two call girls entering the lobby as Theresa Korovina (Ksenia Zaitseva)
but the other girl could be the murder victim. When Roisin questions Theresa,
she comes up with the name Anastasia, who turns out to be UCL college student
Sofia Petrenko (Olga Fedori). And both girls were headed for the penthouse suite
occupied by Malikov.
Malikov admits the suitcase was his and that he knew Anastasia, but he has friends
in high places — starting at the Deputy Commissioner's Office in New Scotland
Yard. With all clues leading to Malikov and Anya having committed suicide two
years before, the team has to sift through a tissue of lies and dead ends before
coming to a conclusion.
Is Sofia's boyfriend Dan Vaughan's (Jamie Glover) alibi as watertight as it
looks? And is her sister Maryna (Branka Katic) as innocent as she claims? As
Malikov says: "You have no idea what goes on in this country."
Rules Of The Game also features: Adrian Rawlins as Plaskett; Yuri Stpanov
as Nicolai Petrenko; Madlena Nedeva as Irina Petrenko; and Nicholas Khan as
Armand. Writers are Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble; Executive Producer and Series
Creator is Lynda La Plante; Producer is Jolyon Symonds; Art Director: Tony Roche;
and Director: David Moore.
In Kill The King, Mike Walker's close friend, Professor Jonathan Carlisle
(Benedict Taylor) — a respected paediatric surgeon — is found dead
at his home by his girlfriend, anaesthetist Neelah Sahjani (Shelly Conn).
He has been struck on the head with a blunt instrument but also has a high level
of Fentanyl, a strong pain-killing drug, in his body — a large supply of
which has been flushed down the lavatory. Further investigations reveal a big
question mark hanging over Jonathan because a little girl with a heart condition,
Amber Webster (Evie May Cassidy), died six hours after 'routine surgery'.
Amber's distraught parents Gemma (Brid Brennan) and Gary (John Lynch) find life
impossible without their 'angel', but does Gary hate Jonathan enough to take
the law into his own hands?
Gary is driven mad by grief and continually visits the mortuary to see Amber's
body, aided by Dave Morley (Adam Lake). And not only has he been stalking Jonathan
Carlisle — forcing him to take out a restraining order — but also
Dr Adrian Lawson (Ben Miles), whose wife Sally (Hattie Morahan) may have something
to hide.
There is more tragedy in store for the Websters and Sam Palmer is finding out
from Sister Claire Jenkin (Joanne King) that Jonathan wasn't the saint he is
supposed to have been. And when she rang to get advice from Jonathan about Amber
a woman answered the telephone — and it wasn't Neelah.
False leads give the team a tough task. So will they be able to sort out the
innocent from the guilty? Who has the most to lose?
Kill The King is written by Christian Spurrier; Director of Photography:
Nigel Willoughby; Art Director: Jonnie Mead; Executive Producer is Lynda La
Plante; Producer is Jolyon Symonds and Director is Gillies Mackinnon.
Conviction sees criminal Terry Dyer return from prison to an East London
council estate, desperate to expose the facts surrounding the murder he swears
he didn't commit.
As Roisin Connor takes command of the investigation; she opens up a can of worms.
Long buried secrets and horrific events are uncovered in this thrilling tale
of injustice, revenge and tragedy.
For the final double episode, In The Box, Mike Walker returns home to
Glasgow to investigate the death of the wife of Kevin Reid — a man who
has a dark past and even darker ties to his brother Ronnie.
The Police are convinced that the brothers are somehow involved in her death
but are they digging in the wrong place? Could it be that the truth is a little
further from home, and will there be time to uncover it before it is permanently
buried?
• Acorn Media is delighted to announce the
DVD release of the Fifth Collection of the hugely popular and long-running crime
drama Trial & Retribution. One of television's favourite crime dramas,
Trial & Retribution The Fifth Collection is written by the award-winning
Lynda La Plante and is known for its clever use of split-screens. The Fifth
Series features four more hard-hitting dramas: Rules Of The Game, Kill
The King, Conviction and The Box and it comes to DVD on 2
February 2009, presented as a stunning three-disc set. Cat no: AV9674 | Running
Time: 360 Mins on three discs | RRP: £24.99.
"The brilliantly-written and perfectly-cast Trial & Retribution has now
reached its fifth series, continuing to enthral its many fans with the riveting,
well-paced action" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
