Title: Criminal Justice: A Family MatterDirector: Rohan Sippy Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen Chawla, Asha Negi, Kushboo Atre, Mita Vashisht, Shweta Basu PrasadWhere: Streaming on JioHotstarRating: 3 StarsThe fourth season of this legal drama unfolds like a slow-cooked family stew—aromatic with emotion, layered with secrets, and occasionally over-seasoned with melodrama. Returning as everyone’s favourite lawyer next door, Pankaj Tripathi’s Madhav Mishra once again becomes the calm eye of a domestic hurricane. His shoulders are sturdy, his Hindi is pristine, and his ability to juggle truth and toothpaste politics with equal poise remains oddly comforting.The case this time: Dr. Raj Nagpal (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), a well-meaning—if weary—father and part-time romantic, is found clutching his bloodied lover, Roshni Saluja (Asha Negi), in the inciting moments of episode one. She dies. He is blamed. Enter estranged wife Anju (Surveen Chawla), who, in a rare act of ex-marital solidarity, hires Madhav Mishra to untangle the legal knot while trying to preserve the family's threadbare dignity.This season comes dressed in a domestic shawl. Everyone’s embroiled—Mishra’s practice runs like a middle-class startup with his wife Ratna (Khushboo Atre) and brother-in-law taking turns at comedy and counsel. The investigating Police officer, Gauri Karmarkar (a precise Kalyanee Mulay), reluctantly has her ex-husband, because, in this universe, divorce is merely a plot device for better dialogue.The show’s strength lies in its casting. Tripathi is, as expected, the beating heart—resigned, droll, and deliciously understated. His scenes are never flashy, yet they pulse with assurance. Surveen Chawla delivers a standout performance, balancing pathos and power without slipping into soap territory. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub brings quiet dignity to a role that often seems unsure whether it's written as a martyr or a moron. Shweta Basu Prasad, as the prosecuting lawyer, is compelling without grandstanding—a feat in Indian courtroom drama.And yet, for all its emotional scaffolding, the series occasionally creaks. The pacing is a tad indulgent; some episodes stretch like a family WhatsApp group—repetitive, meandering, occasionally unintentionally funny. Certain characters, particularly Madhav’s wife and sidekick, flirt dangerously with caricature. One almost expects a laugh track when they appear. Subplots—like Ira’s Asperger’s syndrome expressed through evocative drawings—are touching but feel conveniently plucked from the 'how to deepen your script' toolkit.What redeems the meanders is the show’s refusal to cheapen its core conflicts. Director Rohan Sippy wisely reins in the scandal. There are no screaming judges or gavel theatrics; the courtroom scenes are sharp, strategic, and satisfyingly human. The legal tango between prosecution and defence has less of Bollywood’s fire and more of real-world finesse.Ultimately, this series may not sprint like a thriller, but it strides like a mature drama that knows when to pause, reflect, and let its silences speak.Watch it not for the mystery, but for the mess—and for Tripathi, whose quiet conviction might just be the most believable kind of justice.