Well it looks like soap, but didn't taste like soap too much ;D I think it's going to be a fine vehicle for exposing a new generation of Aussie talent. That was as good as can be expected for the first show which is an introduction to the characters. There's a fair few characters but I didn't feel lost, which I think means they were all 'distinct'. 'Tatum' has the coolest cutest dance routine I ever saw, hope we see more of that :-) A good part, lucky Indiana Evans.

Good writing - in parts. I think it'll hit its stride.

I wasn't crazy about the casting, and much of the acting. Small roles like the mother of the child sex victim - bad casting, bad acting. All the pretty boy and girl roles. This show needs more substance and less style, less frivolity.

The whole crux of the show is great: how the legal system fails. It's obvious the ABC are going for a younger and more female demographic for this timeslot, and they've been influenced by that awful Rake in "sexing up" the law.

But the best part of this show is the politics of law. See how an HBO show like the Wire can capture this without wringing the comedy from excellent scripts.

Comedy flows naturally when two out-of-place characters or sets of values meet. When you "play" comedy, as badly rehearsed TV does, it falls flat.

Crownies is well written, but like a lot of Australian TV, not a lot of production time has gone into it. I'm hoping the actors settle into it and figure out what they're meant to be doing.

And I hope some of this involves more law, and less smacking around.

Excellent review Karnal, The Wire is the bar.