To me this is quite clearly the best episode of the show. I rather liked the actors, all of whom are quite charismatic and charming, the setting, which seems faithfully rendered, and the plot, which is based on real history and is gripping and evocative. The actors are given quite a few long, theatrical monologues, quite fitting for, first of all, a slower-paced, more thoughtful era of human history and, secondly, for a court of law, where the excellent main plotline unfolds.
However, there were a few moments which seemed strange to me from perspectives of accuracy; and, as is a problem throughout the series, I can't always quite get the reason why John makes one decision or another: in this episode it seems like every interaction he has with the, ehm, protestors is a negative one, and he first-hand sees their capacity for barbarity, political violence and provocation, but in the end he keeps falling back on some very theoretical and abstract concerns about "taxation without representation" and so on. You'd think he'd put greater stock in the reality happening before his eyes than in some abstract legal grievances.
However, there were a few moments which seemed strange to me from perspectives of accuracy; and, as is a problem throughout the series, I can't always quite get the reason why John makes one decision or another: in this episode it seems like every interaction he has with the, ehm, protestors is a negative one, and he first-hand sees their capacity for barbarity, political violence and provocation, but in the end he keeps falling back on some very theoretical and abstract concerns about "taxation without representation" and so on. You'd think he'd put greater stock in the reality happening before his eyes than in some abstract legal grievances.