Greetings,
Welcome back to the Top 100 Law & Order episodes, in my opinion. Let's continue with Numbers 40 to 31.
#40. "Punk" (Season 9) - I like this episode because it has a good amount of Abbie Carmichael. Here, an inmate she got convicted is a suspect in the death of a corrections officer. Her defense is that he was abusing her regularly, but Abbie seems to brush off her excuse, as though she doesn't even believe it. This episode is one of those wherein we get to go beneath the surface with one of the main characters, and it is superb.
#39. "Doubles" (Season 4) - So, what would have happened if Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan were tennis players rather than figure skaters? This episode, that's what! Although, we should probably also throw that whole Monica Seles thing in there, too. Then again, maybe we'll get two red herrings as the plot carries on. Frankly, the most memorable thing about this episode is the guest starring role by a great actress named Stacey Moseley, who I remember from a little show from my youth called Swan's Crossing. A show on which she had a small rivalry with a character played by Mira Sorvino, whoses dad is Paul Sorvino, who used to be on this show. Yeah, that's right.
#38. "Called Home" (Season 18) - This is our first episode featuring Det. Cyrus Lupo. Yay! After the body of his brother is found, dead from an apparent suicide, Lupo is "called home" to deal with everything. Initially, he is not there to come and work on the case, as he is related to the victim and is not permitted to do so, but eventually, the case expands so he can help get justice for his brother. But, wait, you're thinking. Justice for a suicide? One word - Kevorkian. Yeah, they used that story again, but very well, obviously. And am I the only one who just kept calling the doctor "Dr. Chucky"...because it was Brad Dourif? I hope not.
#37. "Red Ball" (Season 16) - Best thing about this episode is that Det. Green comes back after a short absence. So, thumbs up there. Actually, this episode is one of the "I'm Jack McCoy and I do what I want" installments. A young girl is kidnapped, and they manage to find the perpetrator fairly quickly. They do not, however, find the girl, because he has an accomplice, and he will only tell where to find her if he gets full immunity. Not everyone wants to go along with this, bur some do. All I have more to say is that we get a priceless deus ex machina ending from the judge. Thank you, your honor.
#36. "Mushrooms" (Season 1) - Do you enjoy movie previews? I do, and here we get something of the equivalent. What we get is a preview of the marvelous time we would eventually be having with S. Epatha Merkerson. In this episode, she plays the mother of two shooting victims. Do I even have to tell you that she's brilliant? No. Just watch the episode.
#35. "White Rabbit" (Season 5) - I sure do like Alice in Wonderland and the Jefferson Airplane, so, of course, this one stood out for me. I'll assume that this title was chosen because the episode is about some anti-war hippies, albeit from the '70s not the '60s, getting their comeuppance after twenty some odd years. It does raise the valid question concerning whether or not a person should be punished the same for a past crime if they have made a 180 change for the present. The answer is yes, by the way.
#34. "3 Dawg Night" (Season 12) - Yeah. D-A-W-G. Let's move on. So, if an actress was ever needed to play Jennifer Lopez, who should be the lucky lady? If you said Kerry Washington, you should watch this episode. No lie, this episode is about a shooting in a NYC night club, wherein an actress and her rapper boyfriend get pulled into the investigation. Subtle! Of course, this does end differently than in real life. I mean, I doubt any celebrity would hire the guy from Star Trek: Insurrection to be their lawyer. Oh, wait. I already made an Insurrection joke on one of these lists. How about if I mention he was in The Good Son? Seriously, though, Daniel Hugh Kelly is a fine actor. So is Idris Elba, and he's in this, too. Gee, why didn't they point the finger at him? As the guys from Cinemasins said, "Heimdall did it!"
#33. "For the Defense" (Season 20) - As I've mentioned, there have been a plethora of nerve-getting-on defense attorneys over the run of this series. I think that Marcus Woll is one that I most love to hate. And he was only on the show like two times. He outdid himself here, though. A former prosecutor, he once worked with Connie Rubirosa on a case wherein the key witness disappeared. He treats her pretty crappy, but she holds her own and then some, as women on this show are oft to do. By the way, this Woll guy is played by a lovely actor named Jonathan Cake. I don't hate HIM.
#32. "Absentia" (Season 13) - Darn it, Mandy Patinkin. Why do you want me to hate you? I'm not kidding. He plays this really obnoxious character, who, when put on trial for a crime, gives the stangest excuses for his behavior. I don't know if it was hubris or insanity or dumbness. I guess you could pick either of the last two if he happened to be reprising his role from Yentl. What is wrong with you?! Barbra Streisand did not look like a little boy, you weirdo. But I digress. In all seriousness, I do really like Mandy Patinkin, and I thought he gave an amazing performance.
#31. "Illegitimate" (Season 19) - The plot of this episode is so strange that I never would have guessed it was actually based on a true story, though many plots are. First, there are hostages, then someone is killed, then we're dealing with stolen old documents, and finally, the piece de resistance, Christopher McDonald pops up trying to claim he is the illegitimate son of - wait for it - JFK. I just...what?! You know what the really crazy thing is? If you look at Christopher McDonald, he could probably pass for a Kennedy man, so good casting on that one. Also, on a sentimental note, we get one of the final performances of the legendary Rue McClanahan. It's a good way to go out.
Join me next time.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
