Missing (Season 12 Review)
By Hank 74
Lennie-10/10
Ed-10/10
Van Buren-8/10
Jack-10/10
Serena-10/10
Nora-10/10
Supporting Cast-10/10
Plot-10/10
Performance-10/10
Value-9/10
Total Grade:97/100 or an A.
Notes:
I was clearly glued to my seat throughout the episode trying to figure out
where this was going to end. Again, Mr. Wolf and company has given us a classic
L&O twist where we don't know the real ending of this story, just as we
don't know where the real life Chandra case will go because we haven't gone
past first base yet.
When it comes to ripping stories from the headlines, TPTB on L&O has to use
different standards for different situations. The rule which I have formulated
is the more public the real life story, the more adjustments which needs to be
made to keep us interested. It would have been really simple to copycat
everything we have learned so far from the Chandra story. But if that approach
was taken, then the audience would dip since we know already what has happened.
I tried to come up with a plot idea on the Chandra case last summer and as
usual Mr. Wolf and his writers blew me away. I was very impressed with the
twists and turns plus the efforts made to add some wrinkles to make this ep
unique while keeping us focused on the theme. For example, there were no press
conferences from the girl's parents, no interview done by Weldon, no grand
jury, and no attorney for the parents. Some things that were added in this ep
included a body being found and an alleged accomplice. The only thing that I
would have loved to see would be some hints of Weldon's place being searched
and some more media attention given to this. Yet again, TPTB didn't want to
make this ep just like what we saw on the talk shows this summer.
One thing I hope we get to see once again, and something that made this show
great in the early years, would be more legal battles over evidence and the law
in judge's chambers or in court itself. We don't see that anymore very often
where Jack argues that something should be admitted or supressed. We don't get
to see Serena going to a judge asking for a shaky search warrant. We also don't
get to see more appeals being made in a higher court when someone is convicted.
I think the "Order" side needs to inject back some of the legal
battles that made this show so great in the beginning. Now what we have are
interviews with witnesses, plea deals with accomplices at Rikers, regular courtroom
scenes, and debates between the three on the "Order" side. Don't get
me wrong, that is OK. But I want to see some more legal battles behind the
scenes when appropriate.
The ending was fantastic! But I don't get a sense there will be a sequel to
this one a la "Conspiracy" or "Coma." Yet I do sense the
wife had something to do with this murder. This smells just like
"Dissonance" last year when the conductor's wife confesses on the
stand. But Weldon's wife is from a different cloth and she won't budge. I see
her more of like the daughter in "Girlfriends" where she sneakily
gets away with a crime and lets her father rot in prison. Another example would
be the Stella Dixon in "Deceit."
A wonderful episode, with well acting from everyone and a great plot. A great
way to keep us going during the two week break for the Olympics.