Equal Rights
By Hank 74
Lennie-10/10
Ed-10/10
Van Buren-8/10
Jack-10/10
Serena-9/10
Nora-10/10
Supporting Cast-8/10
Plot-7/10
Performance-8/10
Value-8/10
Total Grade-88/100
Notes:
This was a far better improvement from last week's ep, but I'm not prepared to
make this one of the best also. To me, the strength came in the last part of
the show when the widow claimed she ordered the hit due to being a battered
wife. This was clearly a sharp turn which I didn't expect upon seeing the beginning,
but getting to the end was rather rough.
Obviously, this was L&O's spin on the Enron scandal. It's was interesting
to see TPTB due their take on a real life story that is very fresh in our minds
and which has no conclusion so far. At this point, we've heard no wife or
girlfriend of an exec at Enron claim spousal abuse. The only thing which
approached violence that took place was one exec shooting himself about two
months ago.
What would have made this ep more convincing and credible would have been to
introduce the spousal abuse subject earlier in the show. Perhaps have the wife
or one of the kids appear scared or nervous. To me, they did too much on the
Enron-like scandal and used that as a smokescreen to think the ending would be
related to another exec or stockholder or working stiff who killed this person.
It would have been better to not split the ep into two equal plots, but give
one side more time and exposure.
The last part was the strongest and I liked the interaction between Nora, Jack,
and Serena. It seems those three have a rapport and some strong opinions on
these kinds of subjects. More of this would be great. Yet I would have liked to
have seen three things: Serena possibly cross examining the defendant, Skoda
actually interviewing the defendant and not getting some secondhand story told
to Jack and Serena, and closing arguments made by both sides. In short, a
little more passion in the courtroom to match what we saw in Nora's office.
Next week's ep looks like another one of those classic attacks L&O makes on
a particular industry. This time, it will be the meat's turn.