‘War’: Sienna Miller and Dominic West Tear Up the Prenup in HBO’s Juicy Divorce Drama

Tony Sokol

HBO anthology series “War” provides deep disclosure about high-profile divorces. Created by George Kay, this legal drama is set in modern-day London, where the fortunes and toxins of celebrity and technology are judged the same as everywhere else: in favor of the legal teams. Everything works on their schedule, and it’s rare if the outcome is determined by the client.

After 10 years of marriage, well-known but fading film star Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) is divorcing her husband, Morgan Henderson (Dominic West), a former financial wizard who is now a rising tech mogul. The divorce appears to come from infidelity, but even that has a backstory and a sideways turn which puts it on a backburner. The couple came into the marriage with a prenup, and while Carla was the bigger earner earlier in the marriage, Morgan built a billion-dollar empire. His initial claim to fame was a new kind of social-media platform, Zephyr, which discouraged negative chatter. The platform blew up. The problem is, the original idea may have come from Carla. Morgan does call her his “muse” in countless interviews.

Morgan hires the largest and oldest firm in London, Cathcarts. Senior partners St. John Smallwood (Pip Torrens) and Beatrice Ubosi aka Queen Bea (Nina Sosanya) represent tradition if not necessarily honor. Barrister David Schill (Miles Jupp) enacts additional dirty work, and an occasional strip tease. Morgan’s own lawyers say the term mogul is crass, but for all their terminology, legal vulgarity is what they do best.

Carla’s legal team is Taylor and Byrne, a smaller firm which appears to have more of a moral standing, if not ethical. Duval’s main lawyers are the married couple Nicholas Taylor (James McArdle) and Serena Byrne (Phoebe Fox). They answer to the senior partner, Joy Budge aka Budgie (Celia Emry). The firm also employs associates Molly Giordano (Emma Laird), and the newly hired Johnny Warren (Archie Renaux). He is a dedicated young lawyer, running from a very short term in New York City, and determined to make a name for himself at a top firm back home.

While each underhanded maneuver pulled by the two firms increases the intrigue and suspense of the overall atmosphere, the most interesting part of “War” is legal espionage. Setting someone up as a mole in another firm carries heavy penalties in the judicial system. A mere rumor can destroy the career of the people taking the biggest chance on the inside, and the reputation of the institution which hired them. The stakes grow higher in the second half as it looks like things will come toppling down. This is a major dramatic highlight which upends expectations.

The in-session battles between the two firms are increasingly fascinating. Pivots and turns take the place of violence. The closest thing “War” gets to action sequences are a few hurried runs to beat an elevator or stop a bus, and a bloody nose. The physicality comes from suppressed desperation, oppressive verbal bullying, and long periods of ponderance, especially from Morgan. He changes plans mid-thought, and West is given space to wordlessly work out those moments. Carla represses rage, public humiliation, and even desire, as Miller weighs each outcome and tips scales against her own character. The series takes its time to lay out the emotional costs as well as the financials. The asides in the storytelling add suspense, and a rough edge to the otherwise over-slick work.

Miller and West put in complicated performances. Carla and Moran at each other’s throats legally, with rancor, shame, and anger each share. The honeymoon is long over, but they are merely disengaged. There is no ambiguity about ending the marriage, but affection liberally trickles through. This is especially true during Morgan’s interactions with Carla’s 16-year-old son, Gabriel (Aran Murphy). During an arbitration session, the unhappily-still-married couple are at the end of the rope with the other, but Morgan breaks from the argument in chambers to yell at Gabriel. Everything he says is for the entitled but hurt teenager’s benefit, and only proves the two are as close as a real father and son. This is precisely what Morgan is trying to avoid in legal terms.

“War” inverts the drama psychologically as the bitterness of the divorce fallout begins to encroach on the lawyers’ lives, and the tension boils down to the aides. The ensemble is top-rate, and given enough subtle details to build depth into the characters. Serena and Nicholas are expecting their first child at the same time as they are handling their first major case. Nicholas is suppressing a stammer, which informs McArdle’s performance, and ultimately strengthens him. Serena comes to represent the exhaustion that comes with the legal territory. The fate of the firm rests in their hands. St. John Smallwood, who is all buttoned-up wit and derision most of the time, is rejected in a dance club.

As would be expected, neither law firm comes across especially kind. Quite a few times both parties agree on acceptable numbers, yet legal counsel insists on not moving forward. Ambitious lawyers should always be counted on to outsmart even their most successful clients. This satisfying series hedges bets until the last moment, then gives in to the very urges lawyers would fight from the opening arguments. “War” dumps piles of the promised “filth” that barristers can release in proceedings, but ultimately drops a feel-good first season. 

“War” premieres Oct. 1 with new episodes airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.