Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.michigandaily.com
Every year, showrunners across the globe sit down at their desks, head in hands, desperately trying to figure out how to hook an audience. These poor souls churn their brains trying to solve this problem, which seemed to be no match for ‘War’ showrunner George Kay. The first episode of this British legal drama is enticing from the get-go, filled to the brim with bright moments from its impressive cast, completed with — literal — punchy character exchanges and a sharp twist at the end to boot. The problem? There are seven more episodes, and the show has thus far struggled to keep up with the thrilling pace set by the pilot.
“War” follows the fictional divorce of social media billionaire Morgan Henderson (Dominic West) and B-list actress Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) — but the plot’s main source of tension is the battle between two law firms duking out the divorce, as Carla attempts to pry every penny she can from her wealthier husband. The real duel is less between the love-lost couple and more of the cut-throat fight between the legal counsel that represents them. The two sides in this fight are the legal firms of Cathcarts in Morgan’s corner, and Taylor & Bryne in Carla’s. Taylor & Bryne are serious underdogs, headed by the married couple Nicholas Taylor (James McArdle) and Serene Bryne (Phoebe Fox), with the up-and-coming firm facing serious financial troubles. And with a baby on the way, the pressure to get a deal done quickly is the major stressor on Taylor and Byrne through the first four episodes.
As much as the writers try to distract from the fact that this is a legal drama in the first episode, which focuses more on the couple rather than the attorneys that make up the rest of the show, the show is just that: a legal drama. A majority of the scenes are people talking in rooms. While sometimes these moments are incredibly compelling, such as Dominic West’s incredible monologue during an arbitration hearing at the end of episode three or some of the initial conversations Carla has with her legal team in episode one, much of the dialogue comes off as forced and overly quippy. There are several jabs between the lawyers that feel scripted and unrealistic. These scenes are annoying speed bumps in an otherwise good show, which overall builds a compelling dynamic between Morgan and Carla and the two opposing law firms.
The most interesting moments in the show so far almost all center characters that aren’t featured enough; Johnny Warren (Archie Renaux) is the focal point of Episode 1, as it follows him interviewing for several law firms throughout London, where he eventually lands a job with Taylor & Bryne. This episode showcases how charismatic this character is, while establishing him as a key player in the legal espionage throughout the season. Although he serves as the engine of tension, the show essentially sidelines him for the next three episodes for seemingly no reason — although they could be saving him to drive the plot through the series’s conclusion.
After his initial appearance, Johnny has some small moments here and there, like when he saves Carla’s son from a drug-induced teenage tirade. Johnny’s scenes are the ones that wake you up after having fallen asleep during all the legalese, and as the show begins to ramp up toward the season’s conclusion, I expect — or at least, hope — Johnny will play a bigger role if it plans on roping its audience back in.
Even as the show slowed down from an intense battle of love turned to hate into its steady pace as a legal drama, I still found it to be a compelling story. Although the pace slows, the energy is still there. The drama and grandeur of the billions of dollars on the line is still present, even if it is dull at moments. And as the fourth episode laid the groundwork for a more intense courtroom fight to begin, the show has nowhere to go but up. The premise is enticing and the writing has proven it can be sharp. It’s all there for “War” to start firing on all cylinders in the episodes to come.
Daily Arts Contributor Leo Curran can be reached at [email protected].
