Eternal Law from the creators of Life on Mars

[Bob The Skutter]

ITV have picked up a new show by Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah called Eternal Law.

From Digital Spy

ITV has picked up a new drama series from the creators of Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes.

Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah will write every episode of Eternal Law, which focuses on two angels called Zak and Tom who are sent to earth to help a community and try to understand humanity.

The show is set in York and follows Zak and Tom as they work as lawyers and try to persuade people to treat others well. However, the pair struggle to follow through with their plans because of their enemy, dark angel Richard Pembroke.

Meanwhile, Zak is recovering from falling in love with a human called Hannah the last time he was on Earth. The relationship is against angelic law but Zak soon discovers that Hannah is now working for Richard.

The six-part series will be produced by Kudos, the production company behind shows including Spooks, Hustle and Law & Order: UK.

Pharoah said: "This idea has been a passion of ours for some years now and we always thought its natural home was ITV. To make it with our friends and partners at Kudos just makes it that much more exciting."

Filming for Eternal Law will begin in February and the show is expected to air next year.

Sounds a bit rubbish, but I suppose Cop has an accident and wakes up in the 70s too. I'll give it a shot.

 

[cultcross]

Yeah, that sounds utterly shite, so I'll make sure to catch it and be proven wrong.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

If I heard that synopsis for a show and Kudos and those guys weren't involved I would steer clear.

 

[wamdue]

Kudos do have a pretty dencet hit rate, I was more interested until I saw the Angels became lawyers.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I know. I'd have been more interested without that factor too, even if the angels were just kinda heavenly law enforcers.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Angels as lawyers - well, full marks for defying convention there! (Unless you count the final season of, er, Angel ...).

Naff enough idea but it's all about execution. Highway to Heaven had much the same idea but there are many examples of the same concept being simultaneously done well and badly - eg gangster in therapy, done brilliantly by The Sopranos, not so well by Analyse This.

 

[Starkers]

Hmm, it does sound ropey, but as others have said the fact Kudos are making it gives it some instant street cred...

I think the funniest/most worrying thing is this though...

This idea has been a passion of ours for some years now and we always thought its natural home was ITV.

Is that because nobody else would want it?

 

[Lonemagpie]

It's the words "ITV was the natural home" that worry me - that's pretty much shorthand for "it'll be boring shite and even if it turns out OK it'll get aired in Sweden months before we get to see it, lost around the regions, and cancelled immediately and replaced by more reality/celeb crap."

 

[diankra]

It's the words "ITV was the natural home" that worry me - that's pretty much shorthand for "it'll be boring shite and even if it turns out OK it'll get aired in Sweden months before we get to see it, lost around the regions, and cancelled immediately and replaced by more reality/celeb crap."

Or,with my cynical cap on, "We had to go to ITV, because despite Life on Mars, the BBC weren't interested after we'd done Bonekickers."

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

I'll see what it is like, on which ever network will screen it here.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Hmm, it does sound ropey, but as others have said the fact Kudos are making it gives it some instant street cred...

I think the funniest/most worrying thing is this though...

This idea has been a passion of ours for some years now and we always thought its natural home was ITV.

Is that because nobody else would want it?

This idea sounds quite bizarre to say the least.

 

[lennier1]

Lawyer shows have been done to death, but the same applies to cop shows and they still managed to turn it into something great.

 

[Holdfast]

It sounds awful. In a deliciously bad way. I'll probably tune in.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Well it starts on Thursday at 9pm on ITV1

New six-part drama series from Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham about two angels who are sent to Earth in the guise of lawyers in order to help humankind. Moments after Zak and Tom's arrival in York, the peace of the city is shattered by a shocking act of violence. The pair are then plunged into a court case involving an estranged family and a newlywed. Zak is alarmed to discover that his past has come back to haunt him in the form of old flame Hannah English - much to the delight of his nemesis, Richard Pembroke. With Samuel West, Ukweli Roach, Orla Brady, Tobias Menzies, and Hattie Morahan

 

[Vendikarr]

Well it starts on Thursday at 9pm on ITV1

New six-part drama series from Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham about two angels who are sent to Earth in the guise of lawyers in order to help humankind. Moments after Zak and Tom's arrival in York, the peace of the city is shattered by a shocking act of violence. The pair are then plunged into a court case involving an estranged family and a newlywed. Zak is alarmed to discover that his past has come back to haunt him in the form of old flame Hannah English - much to the delight of his nemesis, Richard Pembroke. With Samuel West, Ukweli Roach, Orla Brady, Tobias Menzies, and Hattie Morahan

Someone let me know if it's any good. If it is, I'll keep an eye open for it on BBC America.

 

[Holdfast]

Well it starts on Thursday at 9pm on ITV1

New six-part drama series from Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham about two angels who are sent to Earth in the guise of lawyers in order to help humankind. Moments after Zak and Tom's arrival in York, the peace of the city is shattered by a shocking act of violence. The pair are then plunged into a court case involving an estranged family and a newlywed. Zak is alarmed to discover that his past has come back to haunt him in the form of old flame Hannah English - much to the delight of his nemesis, Richard Pembroke. With Samuel West, Ukweli Roach, Orla Brady, Tobias Menzies, and Hattie Morahan

From the brief trailers I've seen it really does look like a lot of fun. It may well be a deliciously guilty pleasure type of show, as I hoped upthread. Will probably tune in (or catch it soon after).

 

[Australis]

After LoM, & A2A, which were ultimately disappointments, don't think I'll bother.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Wow, odd to pick Life on Mars and Ashes to ashes as the disappointments when Bonekickers exists.

 

[Australis]

<sigh> Yeah. Really liked the concept for Bonekickers. So very badly executed.

 

[Pseudo]

<sigh> Yeah. Really liked the concept for Bonekickers. So very badly executed.

It should have been played tongue in cheek. It could have been great fun.

As for Eternal Law, well so far so bad really. It seems to be firing on every slap-dash drama cliché.