I don't usually watch TV series but I've become addicted to L&O. I believe it's the best of the genre since Hill St.Blues. BTW when is someone going to put those reruns on cable? Anyway I always like episodes where Sam gets all moralistic and sure of himself and turns out to have the wrong perp, because that seems more like reality, given all the open cases in places like NY and Phila. What I have to add is a question I've had since I saw this one the first time: how did Arlene know which apt.was Chelsea's. We have no evidence that Frank told her or anyone else.Seems like very reasonable doubt to me.To coin a phrase, if the evidence don't fit, you must acquit.
5 Reviews
Deception
TheLittleSongbird16 August 2022
Have always found a lot to like about all three of the three best known and popular 'Law and Order' shows (the original 'Law and Order', 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent', the others are more variable). Although 'Special Victims Unit', great in the earlier seasons but less consistent in the latter ones, has topped the original as the longest-running of the franchise in terms of seasons, my personal favourite is the original, if more the Briscoe years and before.
"House of Cards" is a very good episode, if not quite great. Though it does have a lot of great things, most of which being the usual ones. It's not one of the best episodes of a remarkably very good Season 16, not a 'Law and Order' high point and is not as good or as powerful as the wonderful previous outing "Birthright". A 'Law and Order' high point it might not be, but "House of Cards" for a post-Briscoe episode where the show felt very different really doesn't come off too shabbily, not at all.
It isn't perfect. Do have to agree that the link between the two women could have been a lot less vague, interesting idea not gone into anywhere near enough detail.
Maybe it is a little bit of a slow starter too.
However, a lot is great. Photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has nice and at its best (such as towards and at the end) thrilling tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The script is intelligent and contains very little fat.
The story is very engrossing on the whole, with it being riveting once it comes to trial. The case's moral dilemmas fascinates and don't preach, while the twists and turns are suitably complex without being too much so. Lots of intrigue here. The performances all round are extremely good, do not agree about Borgia being a limp character and have always felt that she didn't have enough time on the show to come into her own. Much preferred her over the robotic deadweight that was Southerlyn.
Concluding, very good. 8/10.
"House of Cards" is a very good episode, if not quite great. Though it does have a lot of great things, most of which being the usual ones. It's not one of the best episodes of a remarkably very good Season 16, not a 'Law and Order' high point and is not as good or as powerful as the wonderful previous outing "Birthright". A 'Law and Order' high point it might not be, but "House of Cards" for a post-Briscoe episode where the show felt very different really doesn't come off too shabbily, not at all.
It isn't perfect. Do have to agree that the link between the two women could have been a lot less vague, interesting idea not gone into anywhere near enough detail.
Maybe it is a little bit of a slow starter too.
However, a lot is great. Photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has nice and at its best (such as towards and at the end) thrilling tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The script is intelligent and contains very little fat.
The story is very engrossing on the whole, with it being riveting once it comes to trial. The case's moral dilemmas fascinates and don't preach, while the twists and turns are suitably complex without being too much so. Lots of intrigue here. The performances all round are extremely good, do not agree about Borgia being a limp character and have always felt that she didn't have enough time on the show to come into her own. Much preferred her over the robotic deadweight that was Southerlyn.
Concluding, very good. 8/10.
There were a lot of young girls on the streets that wound up pregnant.
Mrpalli771 January 2018
A twenty years old girl was found smothered to death by her sister, with her newborn baby abducted. The victim was a junkie, despite all her efforts to stay sober (her fiancèe stated she was clean for over a year but there were traces of crack in her blood system). She had two different dealers and one of them was also her former boyfriend who became the prime suspect. Anyway a witness saw the day before the murder a pregnant woman getting out of the victim's apartment with a baby boy. That woman was soon traced down by detectives: she wanted a baby at any cost in order to save her marriage with a banker who spent most of his time working overseas. After a miscarriage, she was willing to pay up to 50 grand to get a baby. Defense attorney claimed insanity, but the storyline hasn't finished yet...
An episode in which we see unwanted children used such as cows in the cattle market. Branch seemed for the first time to be sympathetic.
An episode in which we see unwanted children used such as cows in the cattle market. Branch seemed for the first time to be sympathetic.
It's my baby!
lastliberal3 September 2008
This is the part of the series with the people I liked least - Detective Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina) and A.D.A. Alexandra Borgia (Annie Parisse).
I just didn't like the attitude of his character. He would do things like pull out a wad of cash like a pimp.
She just didn't have any character at all - just limp.
The story is good, with a wacko mom who stole a baby. But, like all "Law & Order" episodes there are the usual twists and turns that make thing interesting.
Jack (Sam Waterston) falls short in this one, but Arthur (Fred Dalton Thompson) tried to make things right in the end.
I just didn't like the attitude of his character. He would do things like pull out a wad of cash like a pimp.
She just didn't have any character at all - just limp.
The story is good, with a wacko mom who stole a baby. But, like all "Law & Order" episodes there are the usual twists and turns that make thing interesting.
Jack (Sam Waterston) falls short in this one, but Arthur (Fred Dalton Thompson) tried to make things right in the end.
Most tenuous
bkoganbing31 March 2017
Not one of the better Law And Order episodes. The writers made a very vague connection between two people at one time who were accused of murdering a single mother and snatching her baby.
The baby is found with Wendy Moniz who apparently lost the child she was carrying and was desperate to find another before her husband came home from an extended trip abroad. In fact she tried to snatch another infant from Central Park. The case against her looks most promising.
But there's another factor the former boyfriend of the deceased a real bottom feeding piece of garbage played by Victor Verhaege. Sam Waterston and Annie Parisse have good reason to go after him.
But do they have a good enough case? The connection between the two suspects is most tenuous. Not demonstrated well in the story.
The baby is found with Wendy Moniz who apparently lost the child she was carrying and was desperate to find another before her husband came home from an extended trip abroad. In fact she tried to snatch another infant from Central Park. The case against her looks most promising.
But there's another factor the former boyfriend of the deceased a real bottom feeding piece of garbage played by Victor Verhaege. Sam Waterston and Annie Parisse have good reason to go after him.
But do they have a good enough case? The connection between the two suspects is most tenuous. Not demonstrated well in the story.
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