I Fought The Law [2025]

February 21, 2026

Miniseries – 4 Episodes (45 minutes) – Drama/True Crime

British miniseries based on true events, it ain’t a hard choice, innit? Sometimes the old buggers miss a mark or two with regular miniseries, but when it comes to those trying to portray actual people and events, they ain’t missing. The same goes for the four-part miniseries I Fought The Law, which we’re going to be talking about today. To be more precise, it’s based on Ann Ming’s non-fiction book For the Love of Julie. Just from the title of that book, you can figure out where this is going. The title of the series, of course, is a reference to the song of the same name by the cult English punk band The Clash. This is the first time I’m reviewing something that’s not a movie in many years, fair warning.

You already know the ground rules: keep it short, concise, and no spoilers. With that out of the way, let’s see what we have here. The story follows the Ming family, especially the zesty matriarch Ann, who, after a tragic event, decides to do something about it. We will be spending most of our time in the nineties with all the appropriate bells and whistles. Although all these decades in British series sort of blend into one big drab depression. While the title suggests this is going to be a mostly legal affair, it’s definitely no courtroom drama. Although there will be some. It focuses on several different themes, with the legal one serving as an anchor.

That’s all I’m going to say about the story. If you’ve seen any of these “true crime to TV series” adaptations, you’ll know what to expect. The pacing is steady, storytelling is emotional when it needs to be, with that familiar and hard-hitting dose of British social realism we all love and respect. I especially liked the portrayal of all those hoity-toity upper-class wankers and the gross incompetence of the authorities. Especially in the House of lords in the last episode. Additionally, I always find it fascinating to look at how the system functions in different countries. Make no mistake, it’s the same fucking wretched system, but each country colours it with its troubles (no pun intended).

Everything is measured and grounded in realism without the need to overemphasize things or emotionally blackmail the viewer to generate engagement. If you know me, you know that I don’t particularly like dramas. If there’s a true crime element, I’m willing to give them a go. So, I just wanted to say that you shouldn’t be afraid of the slower pace or feelings you might have, just go into I Fought The Law with an open mind. And heart. It’s going to reward you with something that ain’t easy to get in the real world: determination and perseverance. That’s, at least, what it did to me.

The cast, led by the formidable and surprisingly young Sheridan Smith, did a terrific job. Did you know she’s only 44 years old? Amazing what clothes and a hairstyle can do. Daniel York Loh was just as good as her husband, Charlie. One of the things that stuck with me is the, well, verdicts. Verdicts delivered by people strongly influenced, I believe, by the perceived morality of the victim. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you check out the miniseries. It’s the same fucking story we see all around the world, and that’s slowly starting to change.

Fortunately, I did not have to go through what Ann went through when it came to the institutions of power. However, I did have similar experiences of governmental and institutional incompetence. I think we all had those experiences. You usually try to conserve your energy and nerves during these interactions, but it would appear that the “Ann approach” is the right way to go if you want something done. Kudos to you, Ann Ming, and your entire family for having the balls to step up to the plate and fight for justice. Someone had to.