Iraq, the nitro glycerin of modern society, forms the foundation of this episode, in which a "private" militia man turns up murdered in a hotel room. The usual suspectsare ruled out, leaving a fellow faux soldier holding the bag. The victim was responsible for the capture and subsequent deaths of fellow members of his party in Iraq.
With enough evidence to convict him, series' favorite Danielle Melenick intends to turn the courtroom into an argument on the war. While her opinions clearly influence the direction of her case, McCoy must contend with a shocking announcement from the witness stand, that it was not revenge that prompted the murder so much as an act of patriotism. The victim was one of a handful of self-serving militants seeking ransom from foreign governments for one of the most-wanted terrorists in the world.
As the US government desperately attempts to validate his story, McCoy is put under pressure to give the murderer a deal in exchange for information that would lead to the terrorist's capture.
I certainly was not anticipating the twist midway through, but what really sold the episode was the dynamics between Danielle and McCoy. We have seen them at one another's throats before, but never with this much contempt. A twenty-five year friendship went to the devil in the last two minutes of film, in which McCoy turned on her with such violence that it nearly left her in tears. Whether or not you agree with her politics, you must hand it to her for maintaining such utter calm in the midst of chaos. I have always found their relationship fascinating because on the surface it is completely friendly, but beneath the illusion lies something akin to respectful contempt.
Wolf is wise in keeping much of current politics out of it. He takes an explosive situation and plays his hand with supreme care, so as not to alienate his conservative viewers. The war is touched on but not delved into, particularly in the case of his chief prosecutor. It allows the focus to remain on the characters rather than political arguments. He has rarely shied away from controversy in the past, and didn't in this episode, but the feeling it leaves the viewer with is mingled relief and shock that it had to end this way. Justice is sometimes circumvented in wartime, but it makes us ask what is truly acceptable when it comes to keeping our nation safe.moreless
After Jeffrey Pope, a private military contractor, is found dead, suspicion eventually leads Green and Fontana to Robbie Howell, the younger brother of a man who died because of Pope's incompetence, and Kevin Boatman, Nick Howell's former co-worker who had witnessed the tragic events in Iraq. Danielle Melnick returns to defend Robbie and Kevin, and in the courtroom Kevin drops the bombshell that he knows where Pope and his men were keeping an Iraqi prisoner of war, a wanted terrorist. McCoy and Branch butt heads over whether or not to let Kevin Boatman get away with murder in order to get their hands on the prisoner.moreless
 Annie Parisse |
A.D.A. Alexandra Borgia |
 Dennis Farina |
Det. Joe Fontana |
 Fred Dalton Thompson |
D.A. Arthur Branch |
 Jesse L. Martin |
Det. Ed Green |
 S. Epatha Merkerson |
Lt. Anita Van Buren |
 Sam Waterston |
Exec. A.D.A. Jack McCoy |
 Adam Scott |
Robbie Howell |
Guest Star |
 Pablo Schreiber |
Kevin Boatman |
Guest Star |
 Luke Reilly |
Mr. Howell |
Guest Star |
Fran Lebowitz |
Judge Janice Goldberg |
Recurring Role |
 Tovah Feldshuh |
Danielle Melnick |
Recurring Role |
Watch Online
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
-
TRIVIA (1)
ADD TRIVIA-
Joe Fontana says during an interrogation that he was in Vietnam. He wasn't. In the episode Paradigm, he also told someone he had served in Vietnam, but he later admitted to Ed Green that this was not true.
-
-
QUOTES (5)
ADD QUOTES-
Danielle Melnick: (to Robbie) This jury, in this political climate, is not going to convict you after what Pope did to your brother.
Jack McCoy: That is the most irresponsible statement you have ever made! Who's going to do the 15 to life if she's wrong, Mr. Howell? -
Robbie Howell: There's two things I know about Pope. Nick worked for him, and Nick's head came home in a box.
-
Miss Rosen: This isn't the Army. The company sent its employees on a suicide mission.
-
Jack McCoy: (to Danielle Melnick.) Enough grandstanding. It's time to stop using your clients to play provocateur.
-
Danielle Melnick: They've outsourced an ill-advised, mismanaged war, and now it's spilled over into New York City.
-
-
NOTES (2)
ADD NOTES-
The tape used as evidence of the bomb explosion and capture of Nick Howell, which supposedly took place in Iraq, was actually filmed in Lido Beach, New York.
-
This episode marked the series move to 9:00 PM because the 10:00 PM timeslot was given to a new series, Heist.
-
-
ALLUSIONS (2)
ADD ALLUSIONS-
Joe Fontana accuses a suspect of "fragging" his boss. "Frag" is miltary slang for murdering a superior officer. The term originated in Vietnam. The word is a reference to fragmentation grenades.
-
On the videotape, one of the insurgents yells, "Allah akbar!" This means "Allah is great." Although this is sometimes referred to as a jihad prayer and is often treated as such in media and literature, it is actually a religious expression and it is usually not associated with violence or terrorism. Muslims say it during their daily prayers (called salat) and sometimes say it to each other as a greeting or a blessing or when they are discussing something good that has happened.
-
|
Tuesday
No results found.
Wednesday
No results found.
Thursday
No results found.
|
-
Your preferred ADA team
06/08/1313
-
Law & Order Season 13 Episode 5: The Ring
05/15/132
-
Stop Airing Baby, It's You
02/24/131
-
The Checklist
12/28/122
-
Defense Attorneys you hate
08/28/125
-
Rubber Room
S 20 : Ep 23
Aired 5/24/10 (44:00)
-
Love Eternal
S 20 : Ep 22
Aired 5/17/10 (44:00)
-
Immortal
S 20 : Ep 21
Aired 5/17/10 (44:00)
-
The Taxman Cometh
S 20 : Ep 20
Aired 5/10/10 (43:00)
Season 16 Episodes
See AllEp 22
Invaders
Ep 21
Hindsight
Ep 20
Kingmaker
Ep 19
Positive
Ep 18
Thinking Makes It So
Ep 17
America, Inc.
Ep 16
Cost of Capital
Ep 15
Choice of Evils
Ep 14
Magnet
Ep 13
Heart of Darkness
Ep 12
Family Friend
Ep 11
Bible Story
Ep 10
Acid
Ep 9
Criminal Law
Ep 8
New York Minute
Ep 7
House of Cards
Ep 6
Birthright
Ep 5
Life Line
Ep 4
Age of Innocence
Ep 3
Ghosts
Ep 2
Flaw
Ep 1
Red Ball
-
layle1 USER EDITOR
User Score: 1608
-
khaki_dojo
User Score: 3985
-
Angelwomyn
User Score: 2989
-
tvfa
User Score: 701
-
DanDud88
User Score: 256
-
lakeside44
User Score: 211
-
GusF
User Score: 154
-
dhomp
User Score: 152
-
neomichel
User Score: 147
-
JonJax
User Score: 128
More
Less
