Your Honor (2021) Series Review

RATING: 8/10

PRIDE and prejudice is the backbone of Bryan Cranston's latest crime-orientated thriller Your Honour; but does the show measure up to Breaking Bad when he acts on the "right side" of the law as a New Orleans judge?

Michael Desiato (Bryan Cranston) has always ensured fair and honest punishment to those who enter his court room, never prosecuting a person based on their background or current lifestyle.

However, when his asthmatic son, Adam (Hunter Doohan), finds himself embroiled in the accidental murder of the son of notorious mob-boss Jimmy Baxter (Michael Stuhlbarg), Michael must put his courteous beliefs to one side as he discovers how far he will go to save his own son.

Your Honor's trio of premiere episodes kicks-off a chain of unfortunate and devastating events, perfectly setting the show's depressing tone by establishing relatable characters whose actions, for the most part, are moralistic and a direct result of their thoughts.

Despite the show starting off strong, Your Honor follows the trend of other crime dramas by diving into a slow slump during its middle portion before resurfacing for the exciting finale; and while the finale may have left a sour taste in some people's mouths for being an unsatisfying ending to a 10-episode limited series, I believed it was an inevitable and righteous conclusion that delivered a shocking end to the entangled wings of a butterfly effect narrative.

Much like the show's central locations, the colourful and crime-littered city of New Orleans, Your Honor's characters feel distinct from one another and are propelled by the actors and actresses behind their personas.

Bryan Cranston's Golden Globe-nominated performance stood out among the rest, perfectly expressing broken and befuddled emotions from a man who must decide how far a father will go to save his son. Michael Stuhlbarg and Lili Kay, as Jimmy and Fia Baxter, also did wonderful jobs as they interacted with the Desiatos after losing their son and brother respectively, with Stuhlbarg in particular being stone-cold in his pursuit to uncover his son's assailant.

Hunter Doohan also did a wonderful job, holding his own alongside the legendary Bryan Cranston, but his efforts were all for none due to the inconsistent writing his character received, being sympathetic one moment and narcissistic the next.

Your Honor may not have been the next big series everyone is talking about, but what it does offer is engaging characters and an even more captivating story that makes you care about every single character; no matter how important their role may be. If you're looking for your next quick binge, Your Honor will not disappoint.