All in the Family

 

By Hank 74

 

Joe-9/10

Ed-9/10

Van Buren-9/10

Jack-9/10

Serena-9/10

Arthur-9/10

Supporting Cast-9/10

Plot-9/10

Performance-9/10

Value-8/10

 

Total grade-89/100

 

 

Notes:

 

This was an interesting way to spin two common themes that we have seen through the years on L&O.  That being spouses killing their spouse and the role of the mob.  In this case, it would be the Russians.  I can assure you that has none of the violence and passion that Refuge or Old Friends had.  Their role compared to those two classics was very tame.

 

What I liked about this ep were the religious and legal complexities it brought up about how a woman who was going through a tough time could somehow supposedly manage to get her husband killed, despite all the obstacles which she had to face.  Could she have done this?  Yes, but then she might be truly innocent and only the Russians are to blame.  This is certainly reminiscent of last night's SVU ep where we actually got to decide if the professor was guilty of rape or not.  I liked the back to back nights of intrigue and maybes.  A good way to get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

Mercedes Ruehl was brilliantly outstanding as the widow in this ep.  I've always though that she would make a great replacement for Jack or even be Arthur's replacement.  I saw her in a 1990's video chronicling the McMartin pre-school child sex abuse scandal in the mid 80's.  She played the DA prosecuting that case.  Wow, was she good and tough.  Certainly she could fill Jack's shoes and do for him what Fontana seems to have done with Lennie.