This review may contain spoilers
From a legal professional perspective
I loved this show.... from a legal professional perspective. Other legal shows tend to be detective-like, centering on solving mysteries and crimes, as thrillers are more spectacular.
However, Hold a Court Now gives a taste of the bustling life inside a Family Court. Starting with the functioning of the courtroom itself: from the different number of judges on different cases, the necessity or lack thereof of attorneys for the defendants, to the different stages of the process when you can provide evidence. Outside of the courtroom, we can learn that before going to court it is necessary to go through alternative dispute resolution, that the government requires fulfilling a certain number of ADR solved cases, that judges who helped in mediation can be the judges on the trial, and that there is no summary process to demand attorney's fees.
When analysing the legal framework, one starts seeing some contradictions in the plot: alimony is sometimes mandatory and sometimes non-existent, there is a lack of parental responsibilities in some cases (visitation is both a responsibility and a right), and the necessity — or lack thereof — for grounds for divorce, among others. But one can still learn that divorce is not (¿always?) automatic, that the best interests of children or minors are interpreted entirely at the judges' discretion (without a separate institution to represent and guarantee them), and that the rules of recusal do not account for emotional attachment or previous relationships.
I truly believe this show is not a truthful portrayal of the norms and processes of a Family Court in Mainland China, but it is still a very interesting watch.
If I wasn't able to appreciate these legal particularities, the show would still be very warm, delicate and tender, though not without its flaws.
For example, the overly restrained performances of the main leads. When crying, they do it so silently and briefly. When confessing their love, there is no celebration. When heartbroken, they go quiet. They don't even brush elbows! They only touch when an accident or similar situation forces them to — while every other character feels so much more expressive.
What's more, there are some plot inconsistencies: some characters push the "refusing to communicate" trope so far it becomes ludicrous, and Qin is never once introduced to Shen's family or friends, which is weird, considering how the much the mother wanted to meet her, how the got to know eachother before-hand, and the development of the relationship between Shen and his family.
However, Hold a Court Now gives a taste of the bustling life inside a Family Court. Starting with the functioning of the courtroom itself: from the different number of judges on different cases, the necessity or lack thereof of attorneys for the defendants, to the different stages of the process when you can provide evidence. Outside of the courtroom, we can learn that before going to court it is necessary to go through alternative dispute resolution, that the government requires fulfilling a certain number of ADR solved cases, that judges who helped in mediation can be the judges on the trial, and that there is no summary process to demand attorney's fees.
When analysing the legal framework, one starts seeing some contradictions in the plot: alimony is sometimes mandatory and sometimes non-existent, there is a lack of parental responsibilities in some cases (visitation is both a responsibility and a right), and the necessity — or lack thereof — for grounds for divorce, among others. But one can still learn that divorce is not (¿always?) automatic, that the best interests of children or minors are interpreted entirely at the judges' discretion (without a separate institution to represent and guarantee them), and that the rules of recusal do not account for emotional attachment or previous relationships.
I truly believe this show is not a truthful portrayal of the norms and processes of a Family Court in Mainland China, but it is still a very interesting watch.
If I wasn't able to appreciate these legal particularities, the show would still be very warm, delicate and tender, though not without its flaws.
For example, the overly restrained performances of the main leads. When crying, they do it so silently and briefly. When confessing their love, there is no celebration. When heartbroken, they go quiet. They don't even brush elbows! They only touch when an accident or similar situation forces them to — while every other character feels so much more expressive.
What's more, there are some plot inconsistencies: some characters push the "refusing to communicate" trope so far it becomes ludicrous, and Qin is never once introduced to Shen's family or friends, which is weird, considering how the much the mother wanted to meet her, how the got to know eachother before-hand, and the development of the relationship between Shen and his family.
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