Definitely the best of the three Small Axe instalments I've seen so far (watching them all out of order- sorry 😓).
I think this one in particular is so well written and acted that had it been released theatrically, it would have been a shoo-in for at least a best screenplay nomination and at least one acting nomination, maybe more (Letitia Wright and Shaun Parkes were particularly fantastic. The former I've seen of course in the MCU, but this is a huge step up- she should have a big career ahead of her).
While it takes a little while to get going with a slow by steady first act that sets everything up, the final two thirds really deliver. Perhaps it could have been edited down a tiny bit more, but even then, there are admittedly some sequences (and even individual shots) that are memorable because of how long they go on for, so maybe not- maybe I'm just nitpicking.
The courtroom scenes feel authentic, and there's real suspense towards the end if you don't know how the real life case was concluded. I appreciated how little theatricality and Hollywood cliches there were in these courtroom scenes, yet whilst they felt very real and authentic, they were never boring or unengaging.
Thematically it's sharp and to the point. It conveys its message exceptionally well, and never feels preachy or manipulative in any way.
McQueen's made something really impressive with this Small Axe series. To put out essentially five features in a short amount of time and have them all be quality (can personally vouch for 3/5 atm at least) is astounding.