Under the Hammer
THE PROGRAM "Under the Hammer" might come from the same brilliant pen that crafted "Rumpole on the Bailey," but viewers expecting a repeat of that series should definitely check their expectations at the door. Set in the riveting world of the auction circuit, John Mortimer's series pairs up Richard Wilson (of "One Foot in the Grave" fame) and Jan Francis as colleagues and platonic couple Ben Glazier and Maggie Perowne, art appraisers. Running only seven, 50-minute episodes, "Under the Hammer" will leave viewers frustrated with a finale that leaves a lot of questions, but that doesn't diminish the buildup from being any less fun.
Fans of "One Foot in the Grave" will instantly get a chuckle at Wilson's performance as lead appraiser. Both Victor Mildrew and Ben Glazier share a common trait of scowling and general disdain for horsecrap flung their way by braggarts and buffoons. However, Glazer is a much more warm character under the surface and professionally is not a force to be reckoned with. His friendship with Maggie is a series highlight and allows his ability to be caring and humane to shine through. On the flipside, Maggie is in many ways a softer, more open version of Glazier. Equally competent at her job (including deriving some satisfaction from sticking it to a fraud), Maggie's personal life always seems to be a mess, but an open book. Her iffy relationship with boyfriend Nick provides the series with a handful of secondary plot threads and a nice chance for the two leads to comfort each other with emotional support.
In retrospect, "Under the Hammer" was likely as perfect as one could hope from its seven episodes. Following a basic formula of providing our leads with a piece of art to investigate and one tow two secondary stories to keep viewers and characters alike on their toes, the series remains a consistently pleasing outing. Never aspiring to higher art aside from the topics explored, it's a product of a bygone time, when a pleasant, inoffensive mystery series could get by with just being charming. The series does begin to work itself into a corner, hinting at Glazier and Maggie's friendship becoming something more, a logical plot leap, but introduced far too soon and when the final episode rolls in where both are pulled separated by the story of the week, viewers may be left scratching their head wondering if such a tease was a wise move in the first place.
Rumpole Of The Bailey - News
"" might come from the same brilliant pen that crafted "Rumpole on the Bailey," but viewers expecting a repeat of that series should definitely check their expectations at the door. Set in the riveting world of the auction circuit,
The virtual law firm model closely resembles the self-employed structure of barristers' chambers – long the preserve of genuine renaissance types, such as the late Rumpole of the Bailey author John Mortimer. More recently, 3 Raymond buildings barrister
Submitted photo Known for his sartorial elegance and trenchant wit in the courtroom, Peter K. McWilliams, QC, Oakville's own Rumpole of the Bailey, has died. McWilliams died peacefully on May 31 in his sleep, in his 85th year, after enjoying a sojourn
UNDER THE HAMMER ($49.99; Acorn) -- The creator of Rumpole of the Bailey -- John Mortimer -- had less success with this light drama set in the world of auction houses. Richard Wilson and Jan Francis star as the appraisers at Klinsky's with a love for
At 72, going on 73, he's still practising law, still litigating with a passion Rumpole of the Bailey could only envy. He's still planting potatoes, too. There are so many ways to be a great Canadian father. But the iconography of Father's Day scarcely
▷▷▷Blackfriday Rumpole of the Bailey: Complete Series Megaset ...
Blackfriday Rumpole of the Bailey: Complete Series Megaset
All Rise! The Critically Acclaimed Legal Drama RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY holds court on DVD.
An immensely popular series broadcast on PBS from 1978 to 1992, RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY set a new bar for all courtroom dramas to come. Balancing suspense and satire as deftly as the scale of justice, Horace Rumpole tirelessly defends the downtrodden while undressing the upper classes. A timeless mixture of comedy and drama, RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY was one of televisions most celebrated courtroom dramas.
Flawlessly adapted by John Mortimer from his best-selling Edgar Award-winning novels, and starring the esteemed Leo McKern (A Man for All Seasons), this 14-disc DVD Megaset includes all 42 episodes from the seven seasons of RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY.
BONUS FEATURES: Feature-Length Bonus Movie Rumpole’s Return; Mortimer’s Musings–An Interview with John Mortimer; McKern’s Memories with Actress Abigail McKern (Daughter of Leo McKern); Episode Introductions with John Mortimer; Spot the Barrister-Highlighting John Mortimer’s Impromptu Appearances; Newspaper Evidence; John Mortimer Biography; John Mortimer Bibliography and Selected Credits; About the Old Bailey; Official Executioners of Newgate Prison
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Editor Reivews All Rise! The Critically Acclaimed Legal Drama RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY holds court on DVD.An immensely popular series broadcast on PBS from 1978 to 1992, RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY set a new bar for all courtroom dramas to come. Balancing suspense and satire as deftly as the scale of justice, Horace Rumpole tirelessly defends the downtrodden while undressing the upper classes. A timeless mixture of comedy and drama, RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY was one of televisions most celebrated courtroom dramas. Flawlessly adapted by John Mortimer from his best-selling Edgar Award-winning novels, and starring the esteemed Leo McKern (A Man for All Seasons), this 14-disc DVD Megaset includes all 42 episodes from the seven seasons of RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY.
Rumpole of the Bailey Boxed Set, Vols. 17-21 [VHS]: Before there was Quincy and The Practice, there was Rumpole.... 
Rumpole of the Bailey: Megaset [DVD] [Import]: 
What will tempt you to buy this Sunday - a free DVD boxset of Rumpole of the Bailey 
Rumpole of the Bailey (Rumpole of the Bailey Series, Book 1)(Library Edition) (The Rumpole of the Bailey Series)... 
Rumpole of the Bailey Vol 7 [VHS]: Rumpole Of The Bailey - Bookshelf
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rumpole of the Bailey
Play for today, the evolution of television drama
Chapter 15 The history of Rumpole of the Bailey The story of Rumpole of the Bailey which became the very popular Thames Television series really begins at ...Prime time law, fictional television as legal narrative
11 Rumpole of the Bailey John Denvir The Rumpole Society of Northern California recently held its annual picnic. The guests played a few rounds of SWMBO ...ABA Journal
Rumpole of the Bailey is closer to John Osborne's The Associates and Louis Auchincloss's Powers of Attorney. For the American lawyer, Rumpole of the Bailey ...Day-by-day News Directory
Rumpole of the Bailey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caricature of Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole from the episode "Rumpole's Return" ... Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British ...
Rumpole of the Bailey (TV Series 1978–1992) - IMDb
Rumpole of the Bailey (TV Series 1978–1992) 60 min - Crime | Drama ... Horace Rumpole is an "Old Bailey Hack," one of the underpaid barristers who ply the ...
Rumpole of the Bailey: Information from Answers.com
Rumpole of the Bailey Plot Novelist John Mortimer drew deeply from his memories as the son of a divorce lawyer and his own four-decade career as
RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY - The Museum of Broadcast Communications
Rumpole of the Bailey, a mix of British courtroom comedy and drama, aired on Thames Television in 1978. ... Rumpole is given to frequent oratorical outbursts from the Oxford ...
Amazon.com: Rumpole of the Bailey: The Complete Series ...
Amazon.com: Rumpole of the Bailey: The Complete Series Megaset: Leo McKern, Peggy Thorpe-Bates, Albert Welling, Robin Halstead, Shelagh Stephenson, Carl Andrews, ...