5 reviews
Murdering high achievement
This episode of Law And Order has Paul Sorvino and Chris Noth investigating a case of murder of a high achieving Chinese high school student. Investigation reveals that the murder was done by the mother and older brother of another kid from that high school who did not want their son to be number two to one of those yellow people.
The odd thing here was that their younger boy was friends with the deceased and didn't regard academic rivalry as a blood sport. He's truly torn with what happened.
There's a little conflict here with what a very hypertechnical judge calls a bad search warrant which yields the murder weapon. Comes close to derailing Michael Moriarty's case.
Best scene in the episode was Sorvino and Noth interrogating a Chinese gang member. The deceased was ever so briefly a gang member and he was let out of the gang which is not usually done. The gang kids saw that this young man's success could only impact positively on the whole neighborhood. The one interrogated does not miss the irony of the situation.
One to check out.
The odd thing here was that their younger boy was friends with the deceased and didn't regard academic rivalry as a blood sport. He's truly torn with what happened.
There's a little conflict here with what a very hypertechnical judge calls a bad search warrant which yields the murder weapon. Comes close to derailing Michael Moriarty's case.
Best scene in the episode was Sorvino and Noth interrogating a Chinese gang member. The deceased was ever so briefly a gang member and he was let out of the gang which is not usually done. The gang kids saw that this young man's success could only impact positively on the whole neighborhood. The one interrogated does not miss the irony of the situation.
One to check out.
- bkoganbing
- Jul 13, 2017
- Permalink
Assimilation can be dangerous to health.
- rmax304823
- Dec 10, 2010
- Permalink
Competition for glory
Although "Intolerance's" story sounds/sounded very interesting and will spark debate on both sides, it is one of those controversial ones subject-wise that could have been executed either well or problematically. It could have been done in a balanced and sympathetic way, leaving one deep in thought and wanting to discuss it. Or it could have been either heavy-handed or too careful, and even potentially insensitive. That it guest starred Sam Rockwell and Kelly Bishop also interested.
"Intolerance" managed to be an interesting and mostly well executed episode in my view. Can see though why some may not be as enamoured, and it is very dependent on how people feel about how the story is executed. Personally didn't think that this aspect was flawlessly done, but it engaged me at least, provoked thought and was well acted, regulars and supporting. Generally well written too, but that could have been more consistent too. As far as Season 2 'Law and Order' episodes go, there are much better ones.
Will start with what is done well in "Intolerance". The acting from the regulars is all very good, particularly Michael Moriarty, and the chemistry all round gels incredibly well, particularly on the legal side but Cerreta and Logan's has come on a lot since the beginning of the season. The supporting turns make just as much of an impression. Rockwell impresses in an early role, skin crawling at his best, and even better is pre-'Gilmore Girls' Bishop as a mother figure you don't want to mess with.
The story is mostly absorbing, if more the second half than the first pace-wise and it just about avoids heavy-handedness, despite dealing with racial issues. The highlight scene is the interrogation, the scene which has the most tension of the episode in one that could have had more of it. The script is biting and thoughtful enough without rambling too much, the moral dilemmas the prosecution face during the trial process intriguing and shouldn't be too hard to understand. It also gives some powerful observations on street gangs and victory. The production values are slick and sharp, without being too dark or overly-bright. The music is not over-emphasised or overused.
Did too think though that the story gets slightly over-complicated at times with a lot to cover and more to the case than what it seems. Parts of the writing have the feeling of "what possessed the writers to come up with that", especially agreed when a character talks about being called an egg. That was a stretch and then there is the further problem of it being somewhat over-explained.
Moreover, "Intolerance" could have done with more tension. The best it gets being the interrogation. The one real source of conflict is with the judge, and anybody who is familiar with the episodes before watching this will find that conflict predictable as can be. Maybe it could have explored its subject with a little more grit, do appreciate its general tactfulness but sometimes the episode for its subject is a little too careful. And although it is true that people do go to great lengths to get what they want somehow the motive for the murder seemed on the extreme side, a more fitting crime for this motive would have been framing somebody for breaking rules or for cheating out of jealousy but resorting to murder seems a bit of a stretch somewhat. My view of course.
Overall, well done episode but a lesser Season 2 instalment. 7/10
"Intolerance" managed to be an interesting and mostly well executed episode in my view. Can see though why some may not be as enamoured, and it is very dependent on how people feel about how the story is executed. Personally didn't think that this aspect was flawlessly done, but it engaged me at least, provoked thought and was well acted, regulars and supporting. Generally well written too, but that could have been more consistent too. As far as Season 2 'Law and Order' episodes go, there are much better ones.
Will start with what is done well in "Intolerance". The acting from the regulars is all very good, particularly Michael Moriarty, and the chemistry all round gels incredibly well, particularly on the legal side but Cerreta and Logan's has come on a lot since the beginning of the season. The supporting turns make just as much of an impression. Rockwell impresses in an early role, skin crawling at his best, and even better is pre-'Gilmore Girls' Bishop as a mother figure you don't want to mess with.
The story is mostly absorbing, if more the second half than the first pace-wise and it just about avoids heavy-handedness, despite dealing with racial issues. The highlight scene is the interrogation, the scene which has the most tension of the episode in one that could have had more of it. The script is biting and thoughtful enough without rambling too much, the moral dilemmas the prosecution face during the trial process intriguing and shouldn't be too hard to understand. It also gives some powerful observations on street gangs and victory. The production values are slick and sharp, without being too dark or overly-bright. The music is not over-emphasised or overused.
Did too think though that the story gets slightly over-complicated at times with a lot to cover and more to the case than what it seems. Parts of the writing have the feeling of "what possessed the writers to come up with that", especially agreed when a character talks about being called an egg. That was a stretch and then there is the further problem of it being somewhat over-explained.
Moreover, "Intolerance" could have done with more tension. The best it gets being the interrogation. The one real source of conflict is with the judge, and anybody who is familiar with the episodes before watching this will find that conflict predictable as can be. Maybe it could have explored its subject with a little more grit, do appreciate its general tactfulness but sometimes the episode for its subject is a little too careful. And although it is true that people do go to great lengths to get what they want somehow the motive for the murder seemed on the extreme side, a more fitting crime for this motive would have been framing somebody for breaking rules or for cheating out of jealousy but resorting to murder seems a bit of a stretch somewhat. My view of course.
Overall, well done episode but a lesser Season 2 instalment. 7/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 28, 2020
- Permalink
Detective Logan's "Finest Moment"
R for Race