Rumpole of the Bailey; by John Clifford Mortimer.

A most unlikely hero as far as tv or films go, but all too likely when you think of real life - for the action is in sharp intelligence and wisdom gathered through years of experience, applied to life, specifically to legal questions and cases, with effect of helping humans that might not be picture perfect either but do need help with defence, and cannot afford much.

If Rumpole applied all that mind to getting ahead as the style is today, he would be the leader of the firm, and the QC, and more - but he manages to stay on back burner in spite of being the son in law of the boss, due to his deep seated reluctance about certain attitudes or actions or ways that one must adopt in order to get ahead. Rumpole sticks to his work and his honesty, and the smooth one gets ahead, and the disappointed wife is not too happy, can't blame her after all. Still, one has to like Rumpole.

The African episode is unforgettable - is it in this part or another, of the series? - About the basic principle of justice he is supposed to apply, to create a martyr, with a declaration of Innocent Until Proven Guilty. That is supposed to help spark the revolution - and instead he manages to actually prove the man was innocent, with - need one say it? - his sharp intelligence, his experience and observation and wisdom. He disappoints those only who had called him to perform and did not expect him to actually get to the bottom of the case and win. With honesty, too.

One is far more likely to appreciate it with reading first rather than seeing the tc series which I saw only accidentally once. Not because the series has any defects but because in a visual medium one does rather focus on looks. And this work is not about surface attractions.