BBC legal drama starring Natalie Dormer is 'better than Suits'

A BAFTA-nominated hidden gem is the British answer to Suits, according to one fan. The 2011 BBC series Silk swaps in Maxine Peake for Meghan Markle, and has racked up an impressive 8/10 on the popular critics site, IMDb. Created by the brains behind Criminal Justice, Peter Moffat, this series features Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer and promises the "same drama vibes of Suits", according to one Reddit user.

Responding to a post that said Suits was the "best legal drama in the history of television" and "no one will change my mind", the commenter offered: "You should definitely check out Silk if you haven't already! Same drama vibes of Suits, but it's set in a British barrister's chambers." The drama follows Martha Costello QC (Maxine Peak), Neil Stuke (Billy Lamb), and Niamh Cranitch (Natalie Dormer), and the dilemmas and problems that modern-day barristers have to face.

One fan promised that you "won't be disappointed" by this series. They wrote: "This show does not disappoint. It is so well done that you might forget you're watching a TV drama not real life events.

"The characters are believable, powerfully drawn, but the undeniable star of the show is Maxine Peake - her performance just superb! As Martha Costello she is everything that you'd imagine a superior barrister to be. Can't get enough of her credible acting to be honest.

"The rest of the cast deserves a praise too because it is thanks to them that this BBC drama is so uniquely authentic. Filmed in London (I think), it depicts daily life at Shoe Lane chambers and the work of British barristers, clerks and solicitors."

They went on: "I am professionally interested in law and find it hard to point out any flaws in how "Silk" presents the legal crowd in London. I do see a difference between an American show of this kind and a British one.

"The former tends to be focused on achievements, career and quirks of personality and the latter...hmmm...basically on the job, meaning you get a believable picture of the life at the chambers. If you're into this sort of thing just see for yourself, you won't be disappointed."

A critic's review read: "The series was very oriented to cases, work on cases, and court appearances. I was often puzzled by the intricacies of the British court system and how things work in chambers.

"But after a couple of episodes, even my befuddled American brain got things figured out well enough to keep up." All three seasons are available to view on BBC iPlayer now.