Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Marshall Law

 
Artist: Marshall Law
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Group Members:

David Martin, Andy Southwell

Similar Artists:

Decimator

Influenced By:

Judas Priest, Accept, Scorpions
  • Genres: Rock
  • Representative Albums: "Power Crazy: The Best of Marshall Law", "Law in the Raw", "Metal Detector

Biography

Formed in heavy metal's birth-city of Birmingham, England, Marshall Law arrived at a time -- the late 1980's -- when pure, unadulterated heavy metal had taken a noticeable back seat to more extreme genres like thrash and the yin to its yang, glam. Founding members, vocalist Andy Pyke (ex-Damien) and guitarist Dave Martin (ex-Shadowlands) were both veterans of the local pub scene, and alongside second guitarist Andy Southwell, bassist Malcolm Gould and drummer Mick Donovan, they quickly set about shopping their 1988 "Future Shock" demo to record companies. FM Revolver eventually snapped them up and 1990 saw the release of Marshall Law's eponymous debut, soon to be followed by 1991's Power Crazy E.P., featuring a new rhythm section in bassist Roger Davis and drummer Lee Morris. Both releases boasted a traditional metal sound that earned the group a rather unfair reputation as Judas Priest clones (the similarities existed, but were hardly overwhelming), and 1993's sophomore full-length, Powergame, although better and more diversified, was sadly unable to dispel these allegations. None of it seemed to matter when Marshall Law lost their record deal the following year, however, and by September 1992, they had performed their farewell show and officially disbanded. But they rebounded in 1996 with a new contract courtesy of indie metal stalwart Neat Records, which signaled Marshall Law's return with a long-shelved live album that they named Law in the Raw. The next year's Metal Detector saw drummer Lee Morris, who had already moved onto join doomsters Paradise Lost, replaced by a drum machine (covertly named Glen Viner by the band), but an actual living human, Chris Green, was present behind the kit for 1999's Warning from History. Arguably Marshall Law's most successful opus yet, the album benefited from guest appearances by former Grim Reaper vocalist Steve Grimmett and Magnum guitarist Tony Clarkin, and led to tours of Europe and South America. But little has been heard from the band since, with its members involving themselves with various projects while still threatening a Marshall Law reunion at some point down the line. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

Wikipedia: Marshall Law
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
For other uses, see Marshall Law (disambiguation).

Marshall Law was an Australian television series, which aired for one season in 2002, starring Lisa McCune and Alison Whyte as lawyers and sisters.


Contents

History

The show was originally conceived as a legal drama mixed with Ally McBeal-style romantic comedy, and was one of four new prime-time series in 2002, as the beginning of an attempt to revive the Australian television industry. The concept combined with the cast of industry heavyweights initially seemed like a package that could not fail.

Although ratings were good the first week, figures quickly slumped and the series, which first aired in August, finished airing in November, cancelled after only 17 episodes. Subsequently repeat screenings were reedited to remove the Ally McBeal style CGI effects.

Synopsis

Set in Melbourne, Marshall Law tells the story of two sisters - Ros and Verity Marshall (played by Lisa McCune, popular after her seven-year run on Blue Heelers; and Alison Whyte, well known for her role on Frontline) - working at the Magistrate's Court. Ros is a Junior Prosecutor who is more interested in partying, and is having to prove her worth at the bench; while the more-experienced and overachieving Verity is now working as a barrister.

Both sisters soon find themselves in for surprises. Ros realises just how out of her depth she may be, begging the help of legal aid solicitor Mikey O'Dea (Nick Farnell), and mentor Esther Hersch, QC (Anne Phelan of Something in the Air).

Meanwhile Verity, working with her handsome but inept assistant Scott (Nathaniel Kiwi) faces her biggest challenge going up against one of the city's most eminent counsels, Dylan Boyd (William McInnes from SeaChange and Blue Heelers) - her ex-husband.

Verity and Ros, despite leading very different lifestyles, find themselves being forced to work together in this competitive world, particularly with the likes of Judge Don Foster (Greg Stone), Ros's boss Frank Dellabosca (Frank Gallacher), and the ambitious lawyer Prue Staley (Jane Hall). Verity McIntyre appeared as Julie Larson.

Original Pilot

The original Marshall Law pilot was a different affair. Titled Leather and Silk, with more emphasis on drama, Bevan Lee, co-creator with Alison Nisselle, described the pilot as being too serious. Executive Producer John Holmes acknowledged that emphasis on the workings of the law "... didn't hold a lot of excitement or interest, except for some die-hard people who love the law and are really interested in it".[1]

Most major characters other than Lisa McCune's were cast differently, and many smaller roles were removed. Holmes explained :

"There were too many people in it. You didn't get a chance to get any traction with any of the characters. There were so many incidental characters, when you watched it, you weren't quite sure who to focus on. Now there's much more concentration on Verity, Ros and Dylan. The show is much more about them and their lives and how they deal with each other, with the background of the legal profession, rather than it being about the legal profession with these characters in it." [2]

Industry A-Lister Kerry Armstrong originally played Verity, who was initially a magistrate rather than a barrister. In early 2002, Channel Seven announced that Armstrong would not be continuing with the series, claiming that she wasn't right for the part and "refused to play the role differently". [3] Months later Armstrong agreed with the rumours that the producers thought she was too old for the part of McCune's sister. [4] She would later join the cast of another of 2002's new shows, MDA, which fared much better.

Alyson Whyte had played Jane Hall's role of Prue Staley before moving over to take on the role of Verity.

Lani Tupu played Verity's ex-husband in the pilot instead of William McInnes. Deidre Rubenstein played the tole that would become Anne Phelan's, and Bud Tingwell was the DPP before Frank Gallacher.


Ratings

Whilst the program came off the back of a strong lead in All Saints - it also faced tough competition in its Tuesday 9.30PM slot; Rove Live and another Australian drama, Nine's Stingers. It debuted well in its first week (airing Tuesday and Wednesday) but plummeted dramatically in week 2 and never recovered.

Week Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth 5-City RANK
Aug 11-Aug 17 373,000 465,000 203,000 145,000 133,000 1,319,000 34
Aug 11-Aug 17 391,000 461,000 201,000 130,000 111,000 1,293,000 38
Aug 18-Aug 24 212,000 266,000 102,000 97,000 88,000 765,000 100
Aug 25-Aug 31 241,000 338,000 115,000 109,000 104,000 906,000 72
Sep 1-Sep 7 251,000 304,000 140,000 83,000 106,000 885,000 74
Sep 8-Sep 14 252,000 282,000 136,000 86,000 97,000 852,000 76
Sep 15-Sep 21 254,000 304,000 116,000 96,000 68,000 839,000 80
Sep 22-Sep 28 254,000 264,000 121,000 83,000 89,000 811,000 86
Sep 29-Oct 5 204,000 243,000 101,000 84,000 98,000 730,000 88
Oct 6-Oct 12 238,000 237,000 122,000 94,000 103,000 794,000 84
Oct 27-Nov 2 273,000 226,000 116,000 72,000 88,000 776,000 95
Nov 3-Nov 9 236,000 230,000 124,000 65,000 61,000 716,000 94
Nov 10-Nov 16 267,000 283,000 118,000 63,000 106,000 837,000 79
Nov 17-Nov 23 251,000 237,000 115,000 74,000 83,000 761,000 85
Nov 24-Nov 30 256,000 219,000 115,000 72,000 80,000 742,000 75

External links

See also

  1. ^ <A show Is Born The Age article
  2. ^ <A show Is Born The Age article
  3. ^ Cast change from pilot article from Courier-Mail
  4. ^ Kerry Armstrong responds article from Daily Telegraph

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Marshall Law".  Read more

Related answers
» More
 
Answer these
» More

Mentioned in

» More» More