Murder in the First

Plot synopsis:
As a 17-year-old orphan, Henri Young (Kevin Bacon), steals $5.00 from a grocery store to feed himself and his little sister, both of whom are destitute. He is apprehended by the store clerk, and his sister is sent to an orphanage. Because that grocery store also housed a U.S. Post Office his crime becomes a federal offense. Young never sees his sister again and is sentenced to Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas. After later being transferred to Alcatraz, he participates in an escape attempt with two other prisoners.
The escape plan fails due to the betrayal of a fellow inmate, Rufus McCain (David Michael Sterling). Young is punished by being sent to "the hole" which is in Alcatraz's dungeons. Except for 30 minutes on Christmas Day in 1940, he is left in there for three years. The solitary confinement causes Young to lose his sanity. On release back to the general population, he experiences a psychotic episode in the prison cafeteria and attacks McCain, stabbing him to death with a spoon in full view of the prison staff and the other convicts.
Young is put on trial in San Francisco for first degree murder in what prosecutors and the public-defender's office believe is an open-and-shut case. Public defender James Stamphill (Christian Slater), a recent graduate of Harvard Law School, is given the case. After discovering the facts of Young's case, Stamphill attempts to put Alcatraz on trial by alleging that its harsh conditions drove him insane. The trial becomes highly politicized and contentious. Eventually Young is convicted of involuntary manslaughter, not first degree murder. He is returned to Alcatraz where he subsequently dies. The film concludes with ″The Rock's″ associate warden Milton Glenn (Gary Oldman) being convicted for mistreatment and banned from working in the US penal system.

Tags: murder

Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed the show and hope it continues with the excellent writing and cast..
One of the best series this season.
Other reviewers have complained about it's slow pace but I like the fact that the story takes it's time to be told.
I like getting to know the back story on the various characters, it forms more interest for me.
Looks like this is a summer replacement, because when I looked it up on IMDb, the three stars are listed for 10 shows, perfect for summer, but it is certainly better than a lot of the other stuff on TV at this time.
I like Taye Diggs and hope to see a lot more of Ian Anthony Dale.
I don't know anything about the young leading lady, but like her for my first look, although I do agree about the gun being in a bad place, although as I said, nothing is perfect.
I am really enjoying the new TNT show Murder in the First and can't believe the negative reviews.
Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson are superb in their roles and Tom Felton and James Cromwell are great as well.
James Cromwell is particularly effective playing the seasoned, high-priced defense lawyer.
Don't believe the negative reviews - watching this show is time well spent and I've been sorry when each episode ends..
There are a few things going for this new crime drama revolving around the SFPD and a tech billionaire.
The last few SF based shows have been cancelled like Alcatraz and 9 Lives of Chloe King.
2. Sympathetic looking leads Kathleen Robertson and Taye Diggs and a multi ethnic supporting cast are watchable and not abrasive like some crime dramas.
played by Tom Felton or Malfoy from Harry Potter is an interesting and enigmatic character.
At first he seemed to be still too teenage looking (like the rest of the Harry Potter cast) to be effective in his role but he is actually quite good.
This summer I've been watching the new TNT series "Murder in the 1st" and I must say that creator Steven Bochco has this series keeping viewers on the edge of their seat.
A single murder case starts it off only the case leads to a world of sex, drugs, and cover up beat it all it happens to be tied to a young rich computer business genius young boy!
The setting of the series is in the city by the bay the scenes and images of the golden gate bridge and San Francisco are beautiful.
Those images treat the viewer to a good sight after the eyes are salted with blood and murder scenes.
Leading the way are two S.F. detectives Terry English(Taye Diggs)and divorced mother Hildy(the sexy Kathleen Robertson it's nice to see her getting work again I remember her Beverly Hills 90210 days).
Thru it all the case takes twist with new characters and new leads and a pilot named Bill Wilkerson(the terrific Steven Weber)seems to play a supporting connection to it all.
Overall the series is a pretty good suspense and drama thriller one that changes week to week with new things as hidden secrets are uncovered this all makes for an interesting watch!.
I went into this thinking it was just another Law & Order clone, like a million other shows out there these days, and I suppose I was somewhat pleasantly surprised.The main detectives, played by Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson, don't initially seem like that great of a combination.
The crime itself seemed to be secondary in nature, which is weird considering the name of the show, but most of time was dedicated to fleshing out the detectives and their lives.Usually, that would cheese me off; I generally only watch these for interesting homicides and those classic action scenes we all know and love, but this was an interesting change of pace.
At the end I found myself wondering if Diggs was going to be alright rather than how their case was going, and I think I can live with that.I would have given the show higher marks, but I honestly do want to see a bit more action out of this first.
Once they pick up the pace a little bit, this might easily turn into a new favorite..
This series follows a single case from beginning to end for each season.
Terry English (Taye Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson) are San Francisco police investigating partners.
In the first season, they're investigating internet entrepreneur Erich Blunt (Tom Felton) after the deaths of his father and the flight attendant of his private jet.As a police procedural, there isn't anything ground breaking or anything that Bochco hasn't done himself countless times.
Following a single case for the whole season is not necessarily new either.
It's a little bit of a struggle but I think they start developing chemistry after they drop the romance.
However there was nothing different about this procedural that would make me want to watch.
The characters were not really interesting just mundane dealing with the same things we all deal with in real life.
I liked King and Maxwell that was in this time slot last year and it was canceled.
No one gets too excited until Taye Diggs slams a suspect's head into a table toward the end of the episode.
Bochco was original several years ago, but this is just running the same material through updated cameras.The lead actress over-acts everything; she has no sense of pacing, no subtlety.
Taye Diggs is out of his element, and can't bring most of the other 'actors' up to to a higher level.
Richard Schiff is wasted in a minor role of yet another stereotype.The show has the feel of people simply fulfilling contractual obligations: very little effort behind the writing.
Peopled by too many sub-par 'actors' who are either being allowed or encouraged to overplay roles, and to make sure that they don't go deep into character development.
If you want to watch a gripping story line, incredible characters played out by engrossing actors, you need to watch the 1995 first season of Murder One. This is the real deal.
That Hildy character was not believable for even one moment- please with the single mom shtick.
Boring story line with a techie character that needed to be slapped regularly.
Watch Murder One if you get the chance.
This is a terribly scripted dreary drama series.
There's no charisma or any attractive strong character in this series that could make the viewers keep watching.Kathleen Robertson's Hildy Mulligan role is very unconvincing.
Her high heel shoes look so dumb and so inappropriate, her satchel on her shoulder looks more like cosmetic arrangement instead of any practical use, both were stupidly and heavily copied from the European mystery drama series, Anikka Bentzon: Crime Reporter.What a shame, dude..
A character no one cares about, who was only in one scene for a second, is killed and they plan to milk a murder no one cares about for a whole season, no way.
The writing is so bad, slow and boring it doesn't matter who the actors are this script would not work or be interesting even if meryl streep played the lead, they lost half their audience almost immediately.
Entertaining and fast paced with believable characters.
In other words its not an "A,B,C" procedural like "Law and order" but its not a extremely hidden clue mystery like "True Detective" which I think makes the payoff and resolution at the end of the season a lot more satisfying.
Amazing Series:Props to All. Let's just say it: although MitF is not as dynamically captivating as Breaking Bad—in terms of plotting, writing, characterization, and acting, it is every bit the equal of BB.
In fact, those episodes were establishing plot points and fleshing out characters in preparation for things to come.
Now, as we're getting well into the season, the narrative arc is increasing in intensity with each episode.
I am a Law & Order fanatic and never really find a show that I can compare to it, however I was so in tune with this show, that all week I couldn't wait for the next episode.
I would suggest that anyone that has not seen this series go back and find the repeats on TNT and watch it for yourself.
If you like crime shows than this is one I am sure you will enjoy!.
I turned off the show at the 1:30 minute mark when the female detective getting ready for work retrieves her gun: Which is lying on the top shelf of an UNLOCKED closet across from her very young daughters bedroom, where it is easily accessible by the girl, any of her friends, or anyone else in the house.
My wife and I watch one or two episodes of police procedurals every night.
I usually pre-screen the programs, making sure of a few things we prefer, and seeing how many total episodes there are.
When I pre-screened Murder in the First I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, nor my wife.I started binge watching Murder in the First, then slowly began to like it.
It isn't like any other series we've watched.
Fortunately there is a balance of these modes.I'm now viewing the 8th episode of season 3 and wishing the series had gone on for more seasons.Pros:
We like programs that are fully contained within one episode.
We don't care for formats where the murder mystery persists through several episodes or seasons.
Murder in the First does have the format of a single mystery spanning an entire season.
In most cases we find this style ends up with a lot of "filler" just for the sake of fitting into a whole season.A little too much sex.
Character development of the two detectives is contrived in order to inject some humanity into the tired, overworked, detective profile so overworked in these drama lately.
Within the first three episodes, the pace seems to lend itself to forgetting exactly who the victim was and what actually happened to warrant an investigation.
Whatever you believe, you will feel challenged or vindicated as you see the subplots develop.Taye Diggs is good in this role.
His partner on the job, Hildy, is a little like a cup of Tea - warm but slightly astringent.
The flat one dimensional characters and complete lack of any "zip" to the script or story make this one of the worst murder mysteries I have ever wasted my time on.
6 episodes in I think it is time to give up on this.
2 episodes in and I have yet to find a real reason for anything going on in this show or any creativity.
taye digs is usually interesting like that show where he was a lawyer and a single father of a cute little girl with his homosexual babysitter.
as for last season I stopped watching after episode 4 about Malcolm in the middle killing his pregnant sex partner.
I really enjoy this show, all the main characters are believable.
I like the so called slow pace.
A lot of times shows start off so fast you don't a chance to understand the character.
I'm only half way through the first season but so far so good.
I am a Taye Diggs Fan, I liked him as much if not more in this, than some of his earlier works for example, Private Practice and How Stella Got her Groove back.
I've just started watching, during the second season, starting with "Schitzofrenzy." The stories are OK, but the overall production is NOT "knocking my socks off." And, Kathleen Robertson...who really wowed us in "Boss," seems to be just sleepwalking through the scenes.
I guess a bit of this enhances the authenticity, but it doesn't do much for me.So far, we're not seeing James Cromwell—one of our stellar actors today—in this season.
Sounds like they need to sneak him into the next episode.
This series is NOT at the level of your usual Steven Bochco product..
I don't think the acting is bad but why watch if the writing doesn't go anywhere?
Usually I like TNT shows but this one didn't do it for me..
Great writing and BETTER acting.
Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson are both brilliant playing out a superb script.
I think one reason some people have an issue with the show is the "one case for an entire season" concept.
If you didn't like it the first time try binge watching over a weekend, you'll be amazed much better the show all of a sudden got.
Even if you did like it the first time, watch it again and be amazed by what you pick up and how much more enjoyable it is when you know the characters better..
The story line for the second season has kept me on the edge of my seat.
As the plot came together, each episode just got better and better.
Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson seem like real police partners.
Tired of watching the same snotty awful person get off each week...getting bored.
Time to watch new drama unless you change it up a bit.
It has been a few episodes too long with the same crime.
Take notice of law and order...., Major crimes etc....I especially love the two lead actors they are perfect together.
Just have an ending for the criminal a little quicker then ..what twenty episodes...
I applaud the fact that the show has some diversity in its cast, what with women, African-Americans, Latinos, and even a couple of reasonably positive lesbian characters, but for a show set in San Francisco it is completely ridiculous that we never, ever see a gay male character -- not a cop, not a prosecutor, not a defense lawyer, not a suspect, not a witness, nobody, ever, -- stereotypical or non-stereotypical -- throughout three seasons!
That being said I found the first season's connected storyline to be very entertaining, with knock-put performances by Tom Felton and James Cromwell.
The last two seasons added many more characters, some of which we really didn't need, and many sub-plots, some of which were interesting, making it a more traditional cop show, for better or worse.
Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson are okay in the leads, not bad actors, even if they seem a bit like lightweights compared to, say, Mariska Hargitay of Law and Order SVU.
With only thirty-two episodes you can binge watch it on Hulu in a number of days..
Direction is outstanding as is cinematography, both filling each episode with visual nuances that Diggs and Robertson perform flawlessly.
Secondary characters are equally good, for the most part.
So - Well crafted, well acted and a pleasure to watch.But, as always, detest repeat villains and drawn-out to the point of soap-opry-ness plots.
As is Tom Felton, who pushes Blunt right up to the edge of "strangle-him-on-sight", regardless of his guilt.Like Bones, Castle and, to a lesser degree, The Mentalist, the point is the interaction between the characters.
I really like the two main detective characters, Taye Diggs & Kathleen Robertson.
They both have very interesting private lives that can be developed into future story lines.
Hopefully it is at least someone like the pilot's wife or the new person Anna.
This sets the standard for the whole show, nobody cares about realism or developing real characters, interrogation involves the person being questioned refusing to answer until the detective makes a RIDICULOUS threat that nobody would fall for, and the witness then spills everything.
Terrible characters, mediocre acting and horrible writing.
It would seem that the writers' and actors' only experience of police work came from watching second rate cop shows and they decided to come together and make an even worse carbon copy of what they saw.
Flat acting, story line that makes the willing suspension of disbelief almost impossible, and plot twists you can see coming 2 or 3 commercial breaks away.
The cast is good, but it's like the Killing.
Not like watching other shows - that every week have a new theme, which makes things more exciting.
The acting is good, but the writing is mediocre and long lasting.
He made a number of mistakes that no one who's ever watched a cop show would ever make, nor anyone with common sense.
I liked the cast; pity the plot was disastrous..
This appears to be a miniseries format, some complain of the slow start but I like that they are building a case to a conclusion.
Kathleen Robertson comes off more like a New York Streetwalker than a cop; and Taye Diggs is made into a stereotype rather than a real character; plus there isn't chemistry between the two.
Then there is the writing that hits us with such poor police work that we know evidence will be tossed: lifting from garbage inside suspect's house rather than placed outside on public street; and cop deep throating Tom Felton to get saliva on chewing gum.
And both cops deciding Erich Blunt--Tom Felton--is guilty because they don't like him is a bit much.
Maybe I'll just wait for the last two episodes to see who done it..
Maybe I'll just wait for the last two episodes to see who done it..
The series gave me a similar feel to my favorite TV drama – House.
I knew that I would like Detective Hildy Mulligan (played by Kathleen Robinson) from the moment she came on the screen.
The pilot episode opens with Detective Mulligan getting ready for her day, starting by answering a phone call from her ex-husband.
I feel their characters have a good chemistry.
I hope something develops, I hope the writers write in a good love relationship between them.
With all the negative news about policemen in the media today, we need more positive shows on television.
I hope the writers of this show think about a love relationship between these two police officers.