For an episode later in the series, this one is a pretty decent. It's nice to see Detective Briscoe relating to the father of a young boy who whose death was caused by a drug dealer, even though that father is a prime suspect to the crime. The father's loss sparks memories for Detective Briscoe whose daughter was killed in connection with her involvement with drugs six years before. It was interesting to see that the personal nature of the investigation didn't effect how Briscoe treated it. For once, I enjoyed the investigation portion of the episode more than the trial. The trial portion of the episode showed how Jack McCoy feels about the higher powers that be. In the end, you learn about his friend named Tommy who may have inspired Jack's feelings on the matter.
6 Reviews
Influence
TheLittleSongbird15 June 2022
"Under God" was one of those 'Law and Order' episodes on first watch that had a number of good things but did feel on the ordinary side and other episodes stick in the mind more. There are episodes of the show and the 'Law and Order' franchise in general that felt like this, but there are many on both counts where that type of episode on first watch fared better on rewatch and were better than remembered seeing it through older eyes.
While there is still a good deal to like, my good but not great feelings on "Under God" have not changed all that much. As said more than once, there are 'Law and Order' episodes that sound quite basic on paper but don't feel ordinary in execution so there is no close-mindedness intended here. "Under God" has everything present and correct, but many other episodes have a lot more spark and not everything works. The franchise has varied massively when it comes to portraying religion but that aspect is not done too badly here.
A lot is great here. It is very well acted by most of the regulars, particularly Sam Waterston, showing off his authority, resourceful and ruthlessness expertly. Jerry Orbach does conflicted and sympathetic wonderfully. Dennis O'Hare unsettles. The character interaction once again delivers wonderfully, how most of the characters communicate with each other throughout truly absorbs.
The script is taut and intelligent. The first half is very well done, and really liked Briscoe's reactions and how he relates to the case without it getting personal. Everything centered around the religion is not one sided or one dimensional. The production values as ever have slickness and grit, with an intimacy without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when it's used but does so without being intrusive, some of it is quite haunting too. The direction is alert yet accomodating.
Do think that the second half isn't quite as strong, which was a disappointment after a few episodes where the second halves were even better. The tension and emotion aren't quite as strong and some of McCoy's dialogue is on the heavy handed side. The final third was on the over-crowded and rushed side, with a lot of information in too short a time meaning that some of it feels under-explored.
Furthermore, Elisabeth Rohm is lifeless and adds little again which has always been true for the character of Southerlyn herself. She and Waterston are quite disconnected in chemistry.
Concluding, not great but good. 7/10.
While there is still a good deal to like, my good but not great feelings on "Under God" have not changed all that much. As said more than once, there are 'Law and Order' episodes that sound quite basic on paper but don't feel ordinary in execution so there is no close-mindedness intended here. "Under God" has everything present and correct, but many other episodes have a lot more spark and not everything works. The franchise has varied massively when it comes to portraying religion but that aspect is not done too badly here.
A lot is great here. It is very well acted by most of the regulars, particularly Sam Waterston, showing off his authority, resourceful and ruthlessness expertly. Jerry Orbach does conflicted and sympathetic wonderfully. Dennis O'Hare unsettles. The character interaction once again delivers wonderfully, how most of the characters communicate with each other throughout truly absorbs.
The script is taut and intelligent. The first half is very well done, and really liked Briscoe's reactions and how he relates to the case without it getting personal. Everything centered around the religion is not one sided or one dimensional. The production values as ever have slickness and grit, with an intimacy without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when it's used but does so without being intrusive, some of it is quite haunting too. The direction is alert yet accomodating.
Do think that the second half isn't quite as strong, which was a disappointment after a few episodes where the second halves were even better. The tension and emotion aren't quite as strong and some of McCoy's dialogue is on the heavy handed side. The final third was on the over-crowded and rushed side, with a lot of information in too short a time meaning that some of it feels under-explored.
Furthermore, Elisabeth Rohm is lifeless and adds little again which has always been true for the character of Southerlyn herself. She and Waterston are quite disconnected in chemistry.
Concluding, not great but good. 7/10.
If they lose faith Then, we still have ours.
Mrpalli7724 November 2017
A prostitute was about to perform oral sex to a John in open air when they noticed a dead body on the ground shot dead. The victim was a local drug dealer not so beloved in the neighborhood. Some years before, he killed by accident a local boy but he managed to get acquitted. Back in his shanty hometown, detectives found his crack addicted "girlfriend" who let them know he had issues with another dealer disfigured in the left side of the face. Anyway teenagers shooting hoops all night long told Briscoe the father's boy and the local catholic priest were by the crime scene that night and after searching the apartment the murder weapon came up; but the priest took the fall in order to cover up his parishioner, stating that it was God's will, because man's law is different from God's law. It's not over anyway the trial is about to begin....
I find this episode quite boring, above all the long lasting trial. The best part is when Briscoe talk to the defendant about the grief he had to deal with after his daughter was killed by a drug dealer: they share the same feeling that let them understand each other.
I find this episode quite boring, above all the long lasting trial. The best part is when Briscoe talk to the defendant about the grief he had to deal with after his daughter was killed by a drug dealer: they share the same feeling that let them understand each other.
Protecting the flock
bkoganbing25 May 2014
Denis O'Hare made several appearances on the Law And Order franchise series. In this one O'Hare plays a Catholic priest who is also leader of a neighborhood watch group on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. When a local drug dealer is found with a couple of bullets in him, Jerry Orbach and Jesse Martin initially suspect a grieving father. That is someone who Orbach can empathize with having lost one of his daughters. But the priest confesses that he did it and Briscoe and Green arrest O'Hare.
This is the second time on Law And Order prime that O'Hare is playing a self righteous murderer. In another episode he played a leader of a militia who felt righteous in his cause to rob an Off Track Betting parlor and kill an armed guard. Here God himself directed his actions as he says. I'm not sure he did it though. Other than the confession the evidence could have pointed in many directions and did for the police. It's just as likely O'Hare confessed to save his parishioner.
Sam Waterston's cross examination of O'Hare leaves our ADA Jack McCoy with a lot of second guesses himself. Waterston is not big on religion and we gain some insight into that.
The story was interesting and thought provoking.
This is the second time on Law And Order prime that O'Hare is playing a self righteous murderer. In another episode he played a leader of a militia who felt righteous in his cause to rob an Off Track Betting parlor and kill an armed guard. Here God himself directed his actions as he says. I'm not sure he did it though. Other than the confession the evidence could have pointed in many directions and did for the police. It's just as likely O'Hare confessed to save his parishioner.
Sam Waterston's cross examination of O'Hare leaves our ADA Jack McCoy with a lot of second guesses himself. Waterston is not big on religion and we gain some insight into that.
The story was interesting and thought provoking.
Did they forget something?
blake-3639811 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
There is the old saying from the Bible - "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord". I am surprised this was not brought up. As far as I can determine, this was people taking matters into their own hands and hiding behind their religion like what was trying to be pointed out. If god was to help, really help he could have done what was done in the movie "The Bad Seed" Maybe if that could really happen people would think twice before they did evil. Anyway, it was an okay episode.
Anti Catholic screed
evony-jwm26 February 2021
This episode is all about McCoy prosecuting the Catholic religion in the guise of a priest confessing to a murder in the name of God's eye for an eye, & smit the killer Bible quote.
Long boring without merit yields pathetic
Long boring without merit yields pathetic
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