Black market gun dealers murder two undercover officers during a gun buy. During prosecution, McCoy begins to suspect that a bitter defense attorney may have masterminded the entire episode.Black market gun dealers murder two undercover officers during a gun buy. During prosecution, McCoy begins to suspect that a bitter defense attorney may have masterminded the entire episode.Black market gun dealers murder two undercover officers during a gun buy. During prosecution, McCoy begins to suspect that a bitter defense attorney may have masterminded the entire episode.
Photos
Fred Thompson
- DA Arthur Branch
- (as Fred Dalton Thompson)
David De Beck
- Captain Terry Northfleet
- (as David DeBeck)
Hassan Johnson
- Trevor Hawkins
- (as Hassan Iniko Johnson)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt one point, Detective Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina) is asked if he'd ever worked undercover to which he replies: 'Yeah, about a million years ago, in Chicago'. He was indeed a real detective with the Chicago P.D. for many years before eventually becoming an actor.
- GoofsFactual Mistake in the previous "Factual Mistake". In most states a private individual can sell a firearm to another private individual in a face-to-face sale without conducting any sort of background check. This is often referred to by the ignorant media as the "gun show loophole". Which has nothing to do with gun shows.
- Quotes
D.A. Arthur Branch: Since when do gun dealers surf the web?
A.D.A. Serena Southerlyn: Everybody surfs the web, Arthur. Everybody but you.
Featured review
Blazing guns
Any case centered around guns and their use is not new territory for 'Law and Order' or the franchise, but every previous episode prior to Season 15's "Gunplay" that has handled the issue in any shape or form handled it very well indeed and even brilliantly in the best cases. 'Law and Order' did revisit a lot of issues more than once, but with enough variety most times to avoid too much fatigue. With it always being a big issue, it is always worth addressing this subject.
"Gunplay" is a great episode and not just the best of the five episodes up to this still early point of Season 15 (by quite some way) but also one of the season's best episodes. Not one of the show's best or one of the best episodes from the franchise to tackle any case centered around guns, but still a laudable effort and great in its own way. Most of the issues that the previous episodes of the season had are not here thankfully, apart from one.
That being once again Elisabeth Rohm's robotic Southerlyn.
Everything else is great. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction has enough taut urgency when needed while giving the case breathing space. The acting is never less than very good other than Rohm, with a chillingly venomous Isiah Whitlock in fact being outstanding.
Furthermore, the script is taut and thoughtful, especially in the second half, and while it is talk heavy it's not long winded. It is also uncompromising without being preachy, what it has to say about the subject is balanced enough to evoke some debate afterwards. The story once again is full of twists and turns, none expected and they are far from simple while not being convoluted. Something that is easy for an episode with this much content to be. The character writing is strong, especially for Whitlock's character, and Fontana shows signs of growth. As does his chemistry with Green.
Great episode all in all. 9/10.
"Gunplay" is a great episode and not just the best of the five episodes up to this still early point of Season 15 (by quite some way) but also one of the season's best episodes. Not one of the show's best or one of the best episodes from the franchise to tackle any case centered around guns, but still a laudable effort and great in its own way. Most of the issues that the previous episodes of the season had are not here thankfully, apart from one.
That being once again Elisabeth Rohm's robotic Southerlyn.
Everything else is great. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction has enough taut urgency when needed while giving the case breathing space. The acting is never less than very good other than Rohm, with a chillingly venomous Isiah Whitlock in fact being outstanding.
Furthermore, the script is taut and thoughtful, especially in the second half, and while it is talk heavy it's not long winded. It is also uncompromising without being preachy, what it has to say about the subject is balanced enough to evoke some debate afterwards. The story once again is full of twists and turns, none expected and they are far from simple while not being convoluted. Something that is easy for an episode with this much content to be. The character writing is strong, especially for Whitlock's character, and Fontana shows signs of growth. As does his chemistry with Green.
Great episode all in all. 9/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 24, 2022
- Permalink
Details
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content