Evidence indicates that the death, in police custody, of an autistic teenager was the result of longstanding abuse. Suspicion falls on the treatment center where he lived and on its therapis... Read allEvidence indicates that the death, in police custody, of an autistic teenager was the result of longstanding abuse. Suspicion falls on the treatment center where he lived and on its therapist, Dr. Colter.Evidence indicates that the death, in police custody, of an autistic teenager was the result of longstanding abuse. Suspicion falls on the treatment center where he lived and on its therapist, Dr. Colter.
- George Jeffries
- (as Daniel Ziskie)
- Kevin Jeffries
- (as Steven Burns)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia"Facilitated communication" (the technique of "facilitating" the communicative abilities of a person with autism by "guiding" their hands over a communication device) has largely been discredited throughout the psychiatric community. There are still occasional scholarly articles written in support of FC and it continues to be practiced, albeit rarely.
- GoofsWhen David Vilardi types out the word "FLOWR" with the help of his mother, in the courtroom, his hand never goes near the 'F' on the keyboard.
- Quotes
Mrs. Vilardi: [about her son] Mr. McCoy! You're made them close the clinic. Why?
Jack McCoy: Mrs. Vilardi...
Mrs. Vilardi: They sent him home. I can't take care of him. I don't know what I'm going to do with him. You took away the only place he had. Do you want him, Mr. McCoy? Can he go home with you now? I didn't think so.
A few rewatches afterwards, "Cruel and Unusual" still comes over that way. It is easily one of the best episodes of Season 5, along with "White Rabbit" and "Rage", the best 'Law and Order' episode since "Rage" and is possibly Season 5 at its most touching. "Cruel and Unusual" doesn't go overboard on the strangeness and really connected with me emotionally, in a way that made it very easy to relate to what was going on and the characters.
"Cruel and Unusual" is successful in all areas. The production values as ever have slickness and grit, with an intimacy without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when it's used but does so without being intrusive, some of it is quite haunting too. The direction is also understated but the tension never slips.
The script is another truly fine one, with "Cruel and Unusual" being one of the season's best written episodes. It is very intelligently crafted and has intensity and edge while handling the topic sensitively too, really admired it too for seeing the subject from all angles and sides which is not easy to do, complete with one of the most tear inducing final lines of the whole show in my view (something that should hit home and hard for parents).
Furthermore, the story doesn't go too heavy on the experimental therapies angle while keeping it very intriguing and creepy, enough to make one think twice about putting themselves through it, and has a very strong emotional core. The ending is heart-wrenching and the moral dilemmas/ethics of the case are intriguing and well argued.
Have no issues with the performances, all the leads are on fine form particularly Sam Waterston. It is another example of an episode where the supporting cast are even better. Lawrence Pressman does give one the creeps and Edoardo Ballerini is touching as a character that hit home with me, but the biggest impression comes from Sheila Tousey as the character whose point of view is the most understandable and felt.
Overall, wonderful and one of the season's best. 10/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Dec 23, 2020
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