Popular Appeal (17 Feb. 2005)

An angry contestant in a Reality TV show (The TV Dungeon) kills another competitor on camera, and the show's producers face charges of manslaughter in Deed's court.

Director:

Andy Hay

Writers:

G.F. Newman (creator), G.F. Newman

Stars:

Martin Shaw, Jenny Seagrove, Simon Ward

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Martin Shaw	...	Judge John Deed
Jenny Seagrove	...	Jo Mills
Simon Ward	...	Sir Monty Everard
Caroline Langrishe	...	George Channing
Donald Sinden	...	Sir Joseph Channing (credit only)
Simon Chandler	...	Sir Ian Rochester
Louisa Clein	...	Charlie Deed
Fraser James	...	Laurence James (credit only)
Barbara Thorn	...	Rita Cooper
Adam Rickitt	...	Roy Storidge
Annette Badland	...	Bette Kidman MP
Russell Boulter	...	Adrian Hamling
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Barclay	...	Sir Tim Listfield
Lynsey Bell	...	Amanda Rogers
Zac Benoir	...	Tom Langham MP

Storyline

Judge Deed hears the case of a producer and director who are charged with manslaughter after a one contestant kills another in a reality TV show. The prosecution contends that they acted recklessly and engineered conflict in order to get higher ratings. The case generates a good deal of media interest and Deed holds all the journalists present in the cells until the person who took a photo in court with a camera phone hones up to it. Deed is also continuing to push for an inquiry into industrialist Tim Listfield and the Home Secretary, but things take a serious turn when an attempt on Deed's life accidentally affects someone close to him.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Release Date:

17 February 2005 (UK)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Judge John Deed: [speaking to the producer of a reality TV show, after the jury has returned its verdict] Celebrity: the pursuit of the talentless by the mindless. It's a common disease of the twenty-first century. It pollutes our society, and diminishes all who seek it and all who worship it, and you must bear part of the responsibility for foisting this empty nonsense onto a gullible public.

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