Greetings,
As I previously said, Seasons 7 and 8 of Law & Order were kind of just okay for me, personally. Again, probably because everyone else was especially super loving it at that time, and I must be different. Also, again, I am not blaming any particular actor who may have been on the show during those years. No actor, and surely, no actress. Now let's talk about some Jamie Ross.
Jamie Ross was portrayed by Carey Lowell from 1996 through 1998. Yep, Season 7 and 8. I swear I do not blame her for why these seasons were far from my favorite. I think it's yet another case of "tough act to follow". Look, I was nuts about Claire Kincaid/Jill Hennessy, and her departure was a very sudden and unexpected blow. Perhaps, at the time, I was not mature enough to realize that one must move on and accept the new. Otherwise, you might miss out on something rather good. I am now, though, and there is plenty good I can say about Jamie Ross, not to mention Carey Lowell.
When Jamie began working as an ADA, things were a bit shaky, to say the least. Not only was the audience dealing with the blow of what had happened the season before, but her new boss, Jack McCoy, was still stinging from it as well. And she had to deal with that. Jamie was also another one who was rather strict about the rules and held fast to her legal ethics. So, yeah, she and McCoy may have had a few problems in the beginning. Okay, they disagreed a lot for her entire time on the show, and yet, they did become good friends. You can disagree with someone and still be friends with them. I've seen it happen. Plus, like McCoy, she did always come across as being very passionate about her work. That's why Season 8 was such a conundrum for her.
If I'm being completely honest, I have to say that Jamie's personal story arc was one of the best things about that season. It was rather brutal as she was dealing with going through a very bad divorce, which involved a custody battle. Those get ugly a lot. And whether or not you were a fan of Jamie's on a regular basis, you'll totally be on her side when the ex-husband shows up. He was not nice. He was also a lawyer, so he knew how to mess with her through the system, which had a major affect on her work. Eventually, she leaves the DA's office, gets remarried and finds a way to work while being able to devote more time to her family.
Interestingly enough, some of the best moments from Jamie Ross, as well as Carey Lowell, come when she was not even on the show anymore. After her departure, we learn that she has become - what else? - a defense attorney, and she appears in a few episodes in that capacity. Like Robinette before her, it is a bit strange to see her going head to head with her former superiors as well as her successors. Yeah, one time, she and Abbie Carmichael were about an inch away from a girl fight, which would have been wild to see. But, no, because professional. Also the same, her passion for her work with the law is still there, wholeheartedly. And then, in 2005, we see her on Law & Order: Trial by Jury as a judge. Very well done. Of all the former defense attorneys on Law & Order that become judges, and there were quite a few, I'd say she deserved it the most.
In conclusion, I'll admit that Jamie Ross was one that had to grow on me over time. Just because of the situation surrounding her arrival. Still, I can look back now and see her, as well as Carey Lowell, as a very good asset to the franchise. Keeping the tradition of strong women on this show very much alive.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
