Judge John Deed is a cracking-good British dramatic series set against the backdrop of the complex English judicial system. Fans of British TV dramas and any American crime procedurals will enjoy watching star Martin Shaw as the title character preside over all manner of twisted, intense, and fascinating criminal cases. Judge John Deed shows a man of honor and weary humor--and a judge who tries to honor his original decision to get into "the law" to help protect the rights of the innocent. Sometimes, Judge Deed realizes, that may mean bending the letter, if not the spirit, of the law. In the Series One collection, which includes the pilot episode, Shaw makes his complex character known right away, as his Judge Deed maneuvers to be assigned to a case he has intimate knowledge of--and so the drama begins. But Shaw's Judge Deed is also a man of compassion and humor, and, though creeping through middle age, he manages to be very appealing and sexy in a brainy kind of way. Shaw's Judge Deed cannot be bought, influenced, or bribed, inside the courtroom or out. Judge John Deed does a splendid job of following the intricacies of the British legal system without overexplaining it, keeping the viewer engaged at every turn. The letter of the law may not always be followed, but Judge John Deed tries to make sure that justice is served. Those who enjoy any kind of criminal or legal procedural series will become devoted fans of Judge John Deed. --A.T. Hurley