I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to emphasize just how hot Jamie Bamber is.  Plus, this was a great opportunity for me to figure out how to make a decent slide show of pictures — many thanks to the super-slick NextGEN Galley plug-in for WordPress.  I have a feeling I’m going to use this a lot!

[[Show as slideshow]]

]]> http://lifeofjohn.jwildgrube.com/2009/03/jamie-bamber-yes-he-is-hot/feed/ 0 http://lifeofjohn.jwildgrube.com/2009/03/law-order-uk/ http://lifeofjohn.jwildgrube.com/2009/03/law-order-uk/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:04:08 +0000 John http://lifeofjohn.jwildgrube.com/?p=269

It was really just a matter of time.  Law & Order is a police drama for television created by Dick Wolf and originally aired in 1990.  Arguabely, this is one of the most watched shows of all time given that it is still airing and has spawned a number of spin-offs (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury Conviction).  So, I guess it’s only natural that a new spin-off had to “jump the pond” and adapt itself to a new locale: Law & Order: UK

I have to admit that I was more than a little excited to see this new show.  I’m a sucker for the tradional format of the show (crime committed, police investigate, suspect arrested, a case is built and a trial completes the show).  There is just something intriguing about watching a crime get solved and the criminal put away right before our very eyes.  But, after about close to 20 years, it was time for something new.

Watching this familiar storyline unfold in a totally new place (let’s face it, after years of watching Law & Order, I think we all know New York City just a little bit too well), with new faces is pretty cool. It’s all the subtle differences that are so intriguing.  Yes, the pathologist still cuts up the body, but the rooms are separated from the police folk, the police cars are different, they drive on the left side of the road, all the city locations are new and unknown to me, the ethnic groups are different and apparently lawyers (ahem, prosecutors) in the UK ha ve to wear robes and funny colonial wigs.  But yet. It’s the same.  I’m tempted to say “same same but different” but I swore when I was in Thailand that I would never, ever say that.  But, since I am no longer in Thailand, I might be able to get away with it.

It’s fun to listen to the accents as well.  What is most intriguing is to listen to how the accents range amonst the different “classes”.  The judges and lawyers all talk like the Queen of England, the police folk a more cockney and the poor downtrodden masses have a thicker cockney still (to the point I almost don’t understand many of the scenes where suspects are questioned).

I’m beyond thrilled to see Jamie Bamber (properly known as Jamie St John Bamber Griffith) in something new.  I am a big fan of his portrayal of Apollo in Battlestar Galactica and was actually slightly surprised to see that he’s actually British.  I guess with a name like “Jamie” I should have guessed, but there are some Jaime’s in the US. At any rate, I’m looking forward to seeing him in this new role.  My only regret is that in this role there seems to be less of a chance to see him shirtless.  Oh well, we can’t have everything!

Watching Law & Order unfold in the UK is a bit disconcerting though – let’s face it, to us Americans, the British just sound so damn… well, polite.  I’m used to the raw grittiness of the original show that showed off the tough New York types.  Now, to hear criminals try to sound all sinister, and the police try to sound gruff, I can’t suppress my chuckles.  I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

I hope you have a jolly good time with this new incarnation.  I know I will.