Criminal Justice Season 4 Review: Justice Meets Blood Ties

In courtroom dramas, few characters have won hearts like Madhav Mishra, the unassuming prodigy lawyer portrayed by Pankaj Tripathi. Criminal Justice: A Family Matter is the long-awaited fourth season of the highly praised series and is one of the most edge-of-the-seat new OTT releases of the year. 

Against the backdrop of otherwise idyllic family torn apart by the weight of a horrible crime, the season explores the extremely subjective and morally ambiguous realm of family loyalty, treachery, and the eroding edges of justice. As Mishra embarks on this emotional quicksand, the viewer gets caught up in a judicial quicksand in which fact becomes obscured by privilege and agony.

Plot Twist in Bloodlines: When Justice Enters the Family Home

In Criminal Justice: A Family Affair, suave but cunning lawyer Madhav Mishra gets back to defend suspect teen charged with killing his own stepdad—a beloved public figure. As this case goes from bad to worse, this is no ordinary trial. 

Beneath the façade of the family is a web of resentment, lies, and unspoken hurt. With each questioning of each witness, Madhav strips away layers of deceit, and reveals sinister dynamics: a mother suspended between truth and concealment, a victim far less angelic than he appeared, bound to an adolescent suspect whose silence is larger than innocence or guilt.

In a court where specter fills the courtroom and blurs moral boundaries, Madhav must set the boundary between family obligation and legal truth—a challenge that tests the law, but also his conscience.

Justice in the Blood: A Courtroom Drama That Cuts Close to Home

Pankaj Tripathi reprises Disney+ Hotstar's popular legal drama Criminal Justice: A Family Matter in the same modest brilliance and incisive wit that's turned Madhav Mishra India's favorite fictional attorney. But this time, it's with life-or-death stakes, baser emotions, and a chillier courtroom—because this is not just a battle for justice, but a battle in the confines of a home. But that's not all; since the same character has grown older, it's also time to explore him further.

Performance: A Masterclass in Nuance

Pankaj Tripathi delivers another understated powerhouse performance. His Madhav Mishra—a lawyer who never yearns for media attention but finds the human in each brief—is the anchor of the show. He brings a soothing, almost meditative demeanor in the midst of chaos that breaks out in court, so that the audience feels as if they are sitting in the room with him, analyzing each argument, each silence.

The supporting cast is equally top-notch. 

Shweta Basu Prasad and Mita Vashisht excel in emotionally nuanced characters, with Surveen Chawla playing a mother grappling with justice and maternity in fine restraint. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub gives a terrifying performance, contributing to the show's emotional load.

Storyline: Layers Beneath the Law

At its core, A Family Matter is not just about a murder trial—it’s a probe into the emotional undercurrents of a dysfunctional family. A boy stands accused of killing his influential stepfather. But as Madhav investigates, we’re taken through a riveting emotional autopsy: child abuse, neglect, and the unspoken truths families often bury deep.

The author is skilled at writing and never trivializes complicated issues such as emotional trauma, family secrets, and gray areas of morality. It describes the law not as a machine, or an inanimate object, but rather a living animal that is influenced by human motives, misperceptions, and sometimes love.

Direction & Cinematography: Claustrophobic and Engaging

Rohan Sippy’s direction is restrained and deliberate. He knows when to let the courtroom tension breathe and when to compress the scene until you’re gripping your seat. The camera often lingers on faces, emphasizing that this isn't a show about evidence—it's about emotion. Cinematographer Sameer Arya uses dim palettes and confined frames to mirror the psychological prison each character lives in.

Music & Sound: Subtle Yet Striking

The background music doesn't overpower—it hums in the background like a guilty mind. In courtroom banter or fitful emotional outbursts, music adds depth to the silence so that even silence is an emotional silence.

Verdict: More Than Just a Crime Drama

Criminal Justice: A Family Affair is not a spin-off—it's a growth. It weaves together legal procedure and psychological drama, social commentary and emotional storytelling. The series doesn't only entertain but also inspires self-reflection about parenting, privilege, and the cost of silence. Whether you love courtroom thrillers, psychological drama, or superior acting—this show hits gold.