The Divide

Gets off to an interesting start... not what you would expect, as obstacles to trying to exonerate the (apparently obviously) guilty arise, and are seemingly insurmountable.

'Justice don't play right when colour is involved...'. An interesting quote from the African-American prosecutors who struggle with some 'shortcuts' they took to get the original conviction.

Characterized by good performances.. bit of gruff language and some sensuality, but not like what you see on many cable-network produced shows, or European equivalents.

Now available on Netflix.

I am devastated. I have finished watching the whole series in Netflix, didn't know it was canceled and can't believe it because the show is excellent, and the story very catching. What's the matter with the US TV shows that neglect the audience all the time leaving us with no proper ending. This show leaves us with a lot of situations to be resolved and revealed. I am really disappointed. Sometimes I feel I won 't see more shows until I know they were a success with a due finale. Hate to realize how stupid we are to trust a TV network. 3 more episodes would have rounded the ending and al least let us have a sense of accomplishment!!

The role played by Nia Long is probably written with her in mind. The legal actions that need to be investigated in a trial need to be examined more than once to ensure that it is understood by all parties...this could make or break a case, I am glad there is finally a series willing to portray the reexamination of facts in cases that were tried and completed erroneously due to persons of interest or habitual offenders that are named as suspicious by the investigating police officers and an overzealous DA or prosecuting attorney. The relevancy of certain facts are often in dispute by the defending/prosecuting attorneys especially if there is a convenient witness that could corroborate facts that are manipulated or even manufactured depending on who interprets them.

As a former lawyer and one who fell out of love with the law, the way that this show discusses the machinery of the law struck a strong chord with me. While we have seen much of the legal procedural that this show portrays elsewhere, I also loved the very real and complex relationships within an extended and blended African American family, where the mother and father are legal professionals, and there is the shadow of trauma and loss in the background. I love that they are intelligent, sensitive and caring people, they are also very fallible. The writers tempt us to see these and other characters hidden motives as evil, but it is an intentional trap; there really is little true arch evil in the world - just the damage that comes from assumed and apparent evil. Highly recommended.

I'm giving it an 8, but I reserve my 10 votes for movies like "Citizen Kane", so don't think this is a lukewarm rating.

Since I have no particular position regarding Fox News, I was able to look beyond that to see the series as a whole. The organization at the root of this is obviously based on the Innocence Project, so those who think this is just some kind of left-wing liberal propaganda should really look into the Project. It's only left-wing until the bacon they save is your own.

On the whole, I think the writing and acting were well above average, either for movies or TV. Add me to the list of people who would like to see a second season.