Season 1 Review
It’s always a pleasant surprise to find bold ideas that reinvent the period drama genre. Even if it goes without saying that these kinds of movies and TV shows need to be made a certain way, small tweaks can make a big difference.
According to Lydia Shair for Netflix’s Law, this assignment becomes a welcome opportunity to see the past through the lens of the present, with women at its center. The poet’s larger-than-life personality, brevity and unbridled courage are embodied in the six complex legal cases he tackles single-handedly. The idea of what she represents in history gives the show modern relevance based on modern feminist ideas.
Each episode of the six-part series follows Lidia Shairi, the first female lawyer disbarred by the Italian bar. Unable to understand the strange “women’s fashion” in their hallowed halls, the court stays on the sidelines and instead helps his brother Enrico try cases and fight for innocent victims. In the background, his unresolved personal issues draw your attention. He is between lovers – Andrea and Jacopo – but leans towards the latter. He also struggles with the memory of his father, which causes anger, regret, and longing in him.
The plot is more or less central to Lydia the Poet’s unusual crime-solving abilities, although the narrative also benefits from decent subplots. First of all, it should be noted that the characterization of the poet as a strong-headed, fearless woman is not lacking at all. But his profile as a detective-like figure chasing clues and fighting people is a creative choice to inject dramatic flair into the stories.
Watching him will remind you more of Sherlock than Harvey Specter. That’s not to say that his legal prowess doesn’t come to the fore from time to time. But it is dwarfed by the latter, which is perhaps closer to the thematic motifs.
He is truly the lifeblood of the show. Everything goes through him and there is almost no sequence without him in the frame. Angelis brings the Poet to life with a personal style, confidence and poise that makes the idea of a woman like the Poet exciting in those chilly times. The actress understands what kind of portrait she needs to create to capture the attention of the modern viewer, while at the same time placing the Poet in the realm of our modern sensibilities. She is also attractive in the role of Angelis. Everything about him – hair and make-up, costumes – was forced to decorate the charm of the Poet.
According to Lydia, the law Poet moves with lightning speed. Each episode feels like it has the right number of narrative elements, avoiding the possibility that the story might feel weak or inadequate. The crispness in the execution comes from the earlier creative choice to plot the plots efficiently. It’s a great combination that makes watching the show very easy. It’s one thing to call something worthy, it’s another thing to actually deserve it. Much of the series takes place in the dark. The screen is often dimly lit, and manufacturers use unnatural light to replace it. Sometimes this lack of brightness stings a little.
It doesn’t make the story hard to follow, but it does take some of the bite out of it. While Turin’s recreation could be more adventurous, the allure of the location perfectly fits the context of the story. We don’t get an extravagant depiction of the city, but we never feel out of place. Another impressive achievement of the play is the integration of the dogmatic and controversial nuances of the period into the storytelling.
Whether it’s homosexuality in the second episode, the belief in humans’ ability to communicate with spirits, or the underlying concern of class separation; Shades of all these issues are present in the show.
Lydia also feels like a more complete defender of the law because of her insistence on finding the truth. He is not only interested in winning the case for his clients – except for Margherita in episode 4, which always happens by accident – in making sure that the truth prevails in order to ensure justice. This is in contrast to Enrico and other lawyers, who are more professional and do not want to leave their perceptions attached to the case.
The Law According to Lydia the Poet is a compelling but somewhat distracting retelling of the protagonist’s journey to prove his worth to the world. The show is a stark reminder of how women’s position in society has evolved and gained equal footing on most issues. Lydia Poet’s story will inspire many young girls around the world to be limitless and fearless in self-expression.