TV.com

Law & Order Season 20 Episode 5

Dignity

Favorite

Watched It I've Watched This 1

Next
Episode Previous
Episode

AIRED: Oct 23, 2009

6.9

User Rating

72 votes

Your Rating: 10
Your Rating: 9.5
Your Rating: 9
Your Rating: 8.5
Your Rating: 8
Your Rating: 7.5
Your Rating: 7
Your Rating: 6.5
Your Rating: 6
Your Rating: 5.5
Your Rating: 5
Your Rating: 4.5
Your Rating: 4
Your Rating: 3.5
Your Rating: 3
Your Rating: 2.5
Your Rating: 2
Your Rating: 1.5
Your Rating: 1

Rate Now

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Write A Review

Episode Summary

EDIT

A doctor who performs late-term abortions is murdered in church.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (13)

Left Wing Agenda to the extreme

4.0

By snake63, Feb 16, 2013

Of all the polarizing agendas that's dividing our country nothing is more extreme than late term abortion. I agree that no woman would be willing to terminate a baby in its late term if not for the health of her or the baby. But to use this issue for entertainment has no place especially given NBC's slant for its liberal agenda. They will always call pro lifers as extremists. When you are this one sided this caused Law And Order to lose its audience.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
American Televison chickens abortion

9.0

By AssandroJourn, Jan 04, 2013

I've never seen a not-chicken discussion of an abortion on american televison. There is none actually. Either it's chicken pro-life propaganda like "Law and Order" shown in this episode or it's "one step forward, two steps back" like in many (not so many) tv shows. Mostly people decide to keep pregnancy (coz screen writers somehow feared of moral anger of viewers?) and sometimes pregnancy ends in miscarriage (like on cable tv show Big Love - even cable tv is scared of abortion!!!). Blood, violence, rape, serial killers, kinky sex, perversions - everything is embraced by cable and non-cable television of US but not abortion. I don't understand it at all. What are they so chicken about?moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
What's happened to my favorite, intelligent show? I will try to keep an open mind, but I am profoundly concerned, not only about the shift in the show, but what it says about the changes in society that would cause it...moreless

1.0

By roseated, Mar 08, 2011

I was horrified by this episode, and spent the hour waiting for the many, many thoughtful, potentially convincing arguments that should have been made, and the intelligent, thought provoking dialog that could have - should have - followed.

For example, when Cutter makes his plea to Jack about the lack of protection for fetus', the context/discussion/argument was a about birth control, NOT about serious birth defects and the many complicated, potentially devastating issues that they entail. OF COURSE late-stage abortions are unacceptable as birth-control, OF COURSE someone could get moralistic about that, but this is not what this show was supposed to be about. Where's the intelligent, interesting rebuttal the brings Cutter (and the audience, and the Jury) back to the issue at hand? I have not had TV this fall, and today watched my first 2 episodes of the season. The first was the one with the 10 kids and the reality TV show. For the last almost 20 years, Law and Order has pinned me to my chair, but I was restless and bored by the episode. With this one as my second try, I am very concerned that the show as a whole has been "dumbed down" and skewed to the right.

The fact that I have never, ever been even tempted to write a TV show review before, yet tonight I was COMPELLED to find a place to do so, really says something about my frustration with this episod and with the shows (potential) direction... I will try to keep an open mind, but I am profoundly concerned, not only about the shift in the show, but what it says about the changes in society that would cause it...moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
6 2

Flag
Share Hide
Shallow sentiment trying to pass for thought. Worst episode of the series

1.0

By blnsmith, Mar 01, 2011

Shallow sentiment trying to pass for thought. Worst episode of the series. I am very disappointed in Law & Order, which used to feature incisive arguments for all sides of an issue. I hope this is not a harbinger of things to come. If it is, this may be the last season for a show which was once compelling and intelligent. Why has it decided to dumb down? Is it moving to Fox?

The true issues surrounding abortion were hardly mentioned. How does one balance the interests and well-being of the mother and the rest of her family against the interests and well-being of an unborn child?moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
7 2

Flag
Share Hide
THIS is why there is a season 20.

10

By bluejayfusion, Oct 09, 2010

Episodes like 'Dignity' are what Law & Order is about... last week's episode was unique and quirky and a show that's been on so long it's entitled to breaking character... but.. this episode was true Law & Order. The touchy emotional issues that underpinned the case united the police and court scenes, filling every scene with energy- the exchange between Bernard and Lupo was powerful, as was the tiff between Cutter and Connie. And what is best of all is that the drama made sense! Cutter's anger and disappointment in what he felt was Connie's betrayal verses Connie being true to her character and standing up for what she believes in- which was completely understandable given the devastating testimony. I hate when shows arbitrarily have characters playing 'devil's advocate' to each other. L&O lets the characters come out of their shells when the situation demands it and it results in powerful television... seriously, who wasn't anxious wondering what Jack would do to Connie? I was more interested in that than the verdict!moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
9 7

Flag
Share Hide

See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Jeremy Sisto	Det. Cyrus Lupo
Anthony Anderson	Det. Kevin Bernard
S. Epatha Merkerson	Lt. Anita Van Buren
Alana De La Garza	A.D.A. Connie Rubirosa
Sam Waterston	D.A. Jack McCoy
Linus Roache	Exec. A.D.A. Michael Cutter

See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Matthew Boston	Dr. Walter Benning	Guest Star
Michael Hollick	Minister	Guest Star
Tracy Sallows	Francis Benning	Guest Star
Tijuana Ricks	Sergeant Royce	Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Episode Photos

Linus Roache as A.D.A. Michael Cutter on...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
Alana De La Garza as A.D.A. Connie Rubir...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
Richard Thomas as Roger Jenson on Law & ...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
Richard Thomas as Roger Jenson and Linus...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.

See All Photos

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

TRIVIA (0)
ADD TRIVIA
- ADD TRIVIA from this episode.
QUOTES (0)
ADD QUOTES
- ADD QUOTES from this episode.
NOTES (1)
ADD NOTES
- Original International Air Dates:
  
  United Kingdom: August 4, 2011 on Sky 1/Sky 1 HD
  EDIT SHARE
ALLUSIONS (1)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- This episode appears to be ripped from the headlines of Dr. George Tiller's murder in Wichita, Kansas on May 31 2009, which occurred while he was serving as an usher and handing out church bulletins.
  EDIT SHARE