Lynda La Plante has a way of making you feel incredibly uncomfortable. It’s her gift. When Trial and Retribution first landed on ITV in 1997, it wasn't just another police procedural filling a slot between news segments. It was a sensory assault. The split-screen visuals, the grueling attention to forensic minutiae, and that haunting, metallic theme music created a vibe that felt more like a documentary than a Tuesday night drama. But honestly? The real reason we’re still talking about it nearly thirty years later is the Trial and Retribution cast.
They weren't "TV pretty." They looked like people who hadn't slept in three days and lived on a diet of cheap coffee and nicotine.
The Anchors: Walker and North
At the heart of the show’s success was the friction between Detective Superintendent Michael Walker and DI (later DCI) Pat North. David Hayman and Kate Buffery. If you grew up watching this, Hayman’s Walker was probably your first introduction to the "difficult" TV detective. He wasn't Sherlock. He was a bull. He was aggressive, ethically flexible, and often deeply unlikable.
David Hayman brought a jagged, Scottish intensity to the role that felt genuinely dangerous. You never quite knew if he was going to solve the case or get suspended for punching a suspect. Then you had Kate Buffery as Pat North. She was the perfect foil—logical, principled, and constantly cleaning up Walker's emotional wreckage. Their chemistry wasn't romantic in the traditional sense; it was professional trauma bonded by a shared obsession with the "retribution" part of the title.
When the dynamic shifted
Things changed in 2003. Buffery left. The show brought in Victoria Smurfit as Roisin Connor. It was a gamble. Usually, when a lead leaves a long-running hit, the show dies a slow, agonizing death in the ratings. But Smurfit changed the energy. She was younger, sharper, and didn't take Walker's nonsense with the same weary patience that North did. This era of the Trial and Retribution cast leaned harder into the procedural grit. It became less about the internal politics of the station and more about the harrowing, often stomach-turning nature of the crimes they were investigating.
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Guest Stars and the "Before They Were Famous" Factor
One of the coolest things about looking back at the Trial and Retribution roster is seeing the absolute legends who showed up for a single, multi-part arc. La Plante has an eye for talent.
Remember "Trial and Retribution I"? The very first case? A young Rhys Ifans played Michael Dunn. Before he was the quirky roommate in Notting Hill or a villain in the Marvel universe, he was a terrifyingly convincing suspect in a child murder case. It was a performance that set the bar for every guest actor who followed.
The show thrived on this.
- Iain Glen (Ser Jorah from Game of Thrones) appeared in "Trial and Retribution II" as Damon Morton.
- Richard E. Grant brought his signature frantic energy to "Trial and Retribution VII."
- Charles Dance showed up as a defense barrister, looking exactly as intimidating as you’d expect.
- Rosamund Pike and Tom Hardy both had early-career turns that hinted at the massive stars they’d become.
Watching Tom Hardy in "Trial and Retribution VI" is wild. He plays a guy named Jack Rose. You can see the raw, physical acting style he’d eventually perfect in films like Bronson or The Revenant, but here he’s just a kid in a gritty British drama trying to keep up with David Hayman.
Why the casting worked so well
The casting directors—people like Sheila Trezise—weren't looking for polished performances. They wanted sweat. They wanted shaking hands.
In most procedurals, the "guest of the week" is a cardboard cutout. In Trial and Retribution, the suspects were often more interesting than the detectives. Because the show followed the case from the initial crime through to the courtroom (hence the "Trial" part), the actors had to sustain a performance across several hours of television. You saw the suspects break down. You saw the lawyers find the tiny cracks in the evidence.
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The courtroom scenes were particularly brutal. Unlike American shows where everything is a "gotcha" moment, the legal battles here were slow, methodical, and often deeply frustrating. You’d spend three hours watching Walker and Connor catch a guy, only to watch a high-priced barrister tear the case apart in the final hour. It was honest. It was depressing. It was great TV.
The Supporting Players
We can't talk about the Trial and Retribution cast without mentioning the recurring faces in the station.
Dorian Lough as DS David Satchell.
He was the glue. Satchell was the guy doing the actual legwork while Walker was out causing scenes. Every great TV detective needs a reliable sergeant, and Lough played it with a "just trying to get home to my kids" realism that grounded the show's more operatic moments.
The Legacy of the David Hayman Era
By the time the show wrapped up in 2009, the landscape of British TV had changed. The Bill was on its last legs, and "Prestige TV" was starting to take over. But Trial and Retribution remains a high-water mark for the police procedural.
It didn't rely on gimmicks. It relied on the face of David Hayman looking exhausted in a dimly lit interrogation room.
People often ask if the later seasons, without the original cast members, are worth the watch. Honestly? Yes. Even when the show moved away from the North/Walker dynamic, the DNA of the series—that unflinching look at the cost of justice—remained. The casting stayed top-tier until the very end, pulling in actors like Colin Salmon and Greg Wise to keep the stakes high.
What we get wrong about the show
There’s a misconception that it was just another "grimdark" British show.
It wasn't.
It was actually deeply concerned with the victims. The cast often included incredible performances from the actors playing the families of the deceased. These weren't just plot points; they were the emotional core. If the actors hadn't been able to sell that grief, the whole show would have felt exploitative. Instead, it felt necessary.
Getting the most out of a rewatch
If you’re planning to dive back into the archives, don’t just binge-watch it in the background while you’re on your phone. You’ll miss the nuances.
Look at the way Hayman uses his silence.
Observe how the split-screen allows you to see two different reactions to the same piece of evidence simultaneously.
Note how the guest stars often start their arcs with a layer of bravado that slowly chips away over the course of the episodes.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Writers
If you're a fan of the genre or an aspiring writer looking at why this cast worked, here are a few takeaways:
- Flaws over features: Walker’s character worked because he was wrong as often as he was right. Cast your protagonists as people first, heroes second.
- The Power of the Antagonist: The show’s best seasons were defined by the strength of the guest villain. If the suspect isn't a match for the lead, there's no tension.
- Consistency in Tone: Even as the lead cast changed, the "world" of the show stayed consistent. This is a lesson in branding and atmospheric continuity.
To truly appreciate the Trial and Retribution cast, start from the very beginning. Watch the Rhys Ifans episodes. See how the foundation was laid for a decade of gritty storytelling. Then, skip ahead to the Tom Hardy or Iain Glen arcs to see how the show evolved into a premiere showcase for British acting talent.
The series is currently available on various streaming platforms like BritBox or Acorn TV, depending on your region. It’s a masterclass in how to cast a procedural that lasts. It doesn't need a reboot. It just needs to be watched.