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Newton's Law Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
8 Episodes 2017 - 2017
Episode 1
External Forces
60 mins
After more than a decade of battling to help the less fortunate, Josephine Newton's (Claudia Karvan) suburban solicitor's practice is burnt down by a disgruntled client. Her old Uni friend and admirer Lewis Hughes (Toby Schmitz) persuades her to leave her lame ducks behind and resume her briefly glorious career at the Bar. Josephine's husband, Callum (Brett Tucker), has failed to deliver on his promise to stop disappearing to far-flung corners of the Earth in pursuit of his various causes so she can have her turn at a career, and they're in the throes of separation. Her daughter, Lydia (Ella Newton), is fifteen years old and blames her mother for everything. Josephine can't see how her domestic life can get much worse - so what does she have to lose by going back to the Bar? Unfortunately, Josephine finds it's not so easy to leave her entourage behind. Her clutch of ex-clients turned employees are reliant on her. When she discovers a former car wash in the basement is up for lease, the serendipity seems too perfect to ignore and Newton's Legal is reincarnated as Chatterjee and Chatterjee Solicitors. Josephine's former paralegal, Helena (Georgina Naidu), is reluctantly elevated to Solicitor in Charge and she is free to pursue her new life upstairs - with her old life only a lift-ride away.
Episode 2
The Butterfly Effect
52 mins
Josephine is livid when her daughter, Lydia, is arrested for criminal damage at an environmental protest organized by Lydia's father, Callum. Meanwhile, Josephine represents a transgender teen undergoing hormone treatment against her parents' wishes.
Episode 3
Control Theory
53 mins
Josephine and Lewis defend a woman accused of murdering her personal trainer after the fitness studio denied her request to break her contract. Insurance investigator Skye visits Helena's downstairs office in need of a lawyer for her father, but Helena is afraid to take the case to court.
Episode 4
Uniform Motion
54 mins
When a bomb threat causes a stampede at a furniture store that injures a customer, Josephine and Lewis defend the store's CEO. Office cleaner Zareb requests Helena's legal assistance after being charged with resisting arrest, but Helena is distracted by calls from her estranged husband.
Episode 5
Law of Coolings
55 mins
Josephine is surprised that Whitley wants her to represent him in a property dispute, and the downstairs team make their own discoveries in what is ostensibly a simple assault case. Johnny brings his apprentice mechanic friend Spike to Chatterjees when he's charged with assault after hurling a spanner at his boss. Spike initially agrees to go to restorative justice and apologise, but to Helena and Johnny's dismay, Spike recants. Determined to help his mate, Johnny and Skye team up on a stake-out at the garage, where their unorthodox approach captures some unexpected evidence. Meanwhile, in chambers, Whitley wants Josephine to represent him in a bitter property dispute against Melinda, his ex-wife. Lewis believes Josephine will have an advantage as the judge has an enduring soft spot for her - although chambers colleague Claire Zhang, acting for Melinda, gives her some stiff competition. While at first Josephine thinks that Melinda's real motive is revenge, she gradually uncovers that the case stems from a far deeper place.
Episode 6
The Uncertainty Principle
52 mins
Josephine's high-profile asylum seeker kidnapping case is further complicated when Callum intervenes, landing Josephine's witness, and himself, in hot water. Martha Payne, a feisty ex-client of Josephine's stands accused of smuggling a young asylum seeker, Nassim, out of a local hospital. Fearful of legal and professional ramifications, the girl's doctor initially refuses to give testimony but Josephine's assurances prevail and he lets loose a scathing indictment of Government policy. When Callum learns about the case, he's keen to impress Josephine. Prompted by Lydia's enthusiasm, he reprises a long forgotten protest strategy with spectacular results. As a bureaucratic nightmare unfolds, Josephine's doctor is embroiled and Callum finds himself needing legal representation. As Josephine deals with the unhappy doctor and tracking down Nassim, Lewis shows off his lower-level legal skills by defending Callum. However, Lewis' self-assurance in court is soon tempered when he discovers a development between Callum and Josephine.
Episode 7
Terminal Velocity
52 mins
As Josephine unexpectedly reunites with a former client, Lewis' defence of a privileged thief unearths a troubling link between the boy and her sister, Rose. Josephine is stunned when Nikos - the pyromaniac who allegedly set Newton's Legal alight - begs for her representation, swearing that he is innocent of the crime. Clearly conflicted, she corrals Claire into representing him but struggles to take a backseat and continues to influence it via Helena. Upstairs, Lewis defends his wealthy friend's son, Harry, on a burglary charge after trying to flee a house with a bag full of designer sneakers. Despite his policy about not getting too close to clients, Lewis does his best to help Harry, a recovering drug addict but his generosity is put to the test and things rapidly escalate to breaking point. When Josephine discovers that Harry's rehab medication is the same type her sister Rose was taking, and they both suffered the same side effects, something twigs. Convinced the medication is somehow linked to the attack on Newton's Legal, Josephine keeps digging to confirm her dark suspicions.
Episode 8
Equal and Opposite Forces
52 mins
Josephine and Lewis organize a class-action lawsuit for the participants of a prescription drug trial who suffered dangerous side effects. But with seven plaintiffs and a complicated case, Josephine needs to enlist both the upstairs and downstairs teams to take on the pharmaceutical company responsible.
