Sheridan Smith delivers a standout performance in I Fought the Law, a four-part drama based on Ann Ming's 30-year campaign to change the double jeopardy law after her daughter Julie's murder in 1989. Smith's portrayal of Ming turns a workaday script into genuinely moving television.
The drama focuses on the emotional toll on the Ming family, from finding Julie's body under the bath 80 days after her disappearance to the two hung juries that led to her killer's acquittal. The legal battle is confined to the final episode, allowing the story to highlight the human cost.
Jack James Ryan brings chilling ordinariness to the role of Billy Dunlop, the murderer who later boasted about the crime. Daniel York Loh plays Charlie Ming, Ann's husband, whose quieter struggle to support his wife adds depth to the narrative.
The series also critiques police incompetence, as initial failures to investigate Julie's disappearance weakened the evidence against Dunlop. The overturning of the double jeopardy law ensures Dunlop remains behind bars, but the drama underscores the family's permanent loss.
