The Defence (Chylka) is a Polish series on Walter Presents about an infuriating yet talented lawyer named Joanna Chylka (Magdalena Cielecka). After a disappointing season 3, which saw Chylka reach the ugly depths of alcoholism, The Defence season 4 is a return to form. Having blackmailed her way into becoming a partner at the law firm, a now-sober Chylka is ready to work. She and her assistant Zordon (Filip Plawiak) are pushed into defending a young Polish Muslim man (Nikodem Rozbicki) who was arrested with homemade bombs in his apartment. But there is something off about this case-the prosecution refuses to explain how they found out about him, and once in court, the judge strikes down all of Chylka’s motions without consideration. The defendant is frustratingly silent as well. Meanwhile, Chylka is fighting to stay sober, leaning more than usual on Zordon, who is pleased as punch.
You can read our review of The Defence season 1 here and season 2 here.
Chylka’s secret
It’s not really a spoiler to tell you that the reason for Chylka’s sobriety is that she’s pregnant. We find that out in episode 1. She is predictably prickly about it, referring to it as “this infection” that is making her constantly nauseated. Zordon is disappointed that there is no way it’s his baby, but he gallantly offers to marry her and give the baby a father. Naturally, she scoffs at him. “I don’t want the baby to have a father,” she declares. Meanwhile, she is trying to figure out who the father IS. She was blackout drunk for most of season 3, so there are a few candidates, including on-off cop boyfriend Szczerbinski (Ireneusz Czop). She’ll never be maternal, but she does soften a bit over the season. For his part, Zordon is desperately trying to study for the upcoming Bar Exam, so he can graduate from being a trainee that regularly gets pushed around by Chylka’s boss. Kormak (Piotr Zurawski) the cocaine-addicted IT genius makes several appearances, as does the psycho Piotr Langer (Jakob Gierszal), whose Deus Ex Machina role in Chylka’s life seems forced by the writers.
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Our Take on The Defence Season 4
After 4 seasons, I’ve finally figured out what The Defence reminds me of: Suits! We have a veteran lawyer working with a trainee in a law firm that defends the rich and interesting. There are likable sidekicks, hammy villains, snappy dialogue, and fashionable clothing. It’s formulaic, sure, but comforting. I enjoy the Chylka character, and Magdalena Cielecka is perfectly cast, like Marco Giallini as Rocco Schiavone. Some of the legal points are a little confusing, but ultimately it doesn’t matter, especially if you are, like me, watching The Defence because of the characters.
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