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Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Fearless: Yes, and Boundless



Shows about lawyers defending clients wrongly accused of murder are a dime a dozen, on both sides of the Atlantic.  So are espionage shows in the U. K., in which the Americans are the bad guys.  Fearless had both of these characteristics.  The opening credits feature Margaret Thatcher, who was best friends with Reagan; Tony Blair, who supported Bush's ill-conceived attack on Iraq; and even Donald Trump, who is a dangerous lunatic in just about any book.  But the British lawyer, Emma Banfield, was played by Helen McCrory, who was great on Peaky Blinders, so how could I resist watching this 2017 mini-series?

And I'm glad I did.  As Banfield defends her client, Kevin, stewing in jail for a murder he didn't commit because he confessed to it, she and we unravel a complex plot with twists and turns and complexities that will keep you guessing until near the very end.   And, yes, although the Americans are mostly behind it, at least the lead American, Heather, is played by an American actress, Robin Weigert (all too often in these British shows you have an American character played by a British actor doing his best Robert Mitchum impersonation).   And you also have characters undergoing refreshing and justified transformations, such as an opponent turning into an essential and reliable ally.

But the heart of the series is McCory's performance as Banfield, who manages to be tough as nails but always vulnerable, and at the same time.  Or, to shift the metaphor, Banfield wears her heart on her sleeve all the time, even when she steps into the ring, which is also all of the time.  That takes a lot of skill to pull off - in acting as well as reality - and McCrory does a fine job of it.

So is there a second season, with another exploit for Banfield, and further development of her difficult life?   Well, there should be, but I can't find it.  So I'll end this by making my customary plea to Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu: pick this is up, if the original bankrollers are not up to it.   Emma Banfield is a memorable character, and we'd like to see more of her.

 

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