Law & Order (TV Series) The Family Hour (2007) User Reviews

About average ending for an under par season

[ryangcassidy · 7/10 · 7 September 2018]

So L&O's weakest season draws to a close with this uneven episode. The episode itself is all over the place much like the season itself, involving murders most foul committed within a wealthy and politically connected family with a dark history of abuse. The mechanics of the murder investigation and subsequent trial seem very contrived (the case apparently hinges upon the murdering Senator having read a book in which a murderer gets away with it by way of a concocted self defense story - all very Murder She Wrote), and the entire family all seem as ghastly as each other, however the real drama is in the casting problems behind the scenes; this is Milena Govich's final show as Det Cassady - she never seemed to be a proper fit on the show both in terms of the actress and the character she played. Unlike prior departures on the show, poor Det Cassady gets ushered out of L&O off camera after botching an interrogation and getting eviscerated by Van Buren and indeed is never even mentioned again! Her character never seemed convincing as a Homicide Detective, Lt Van Buren never took to her (neither did most of the audience seemingly) and the producers never quite seemed to know what do with her, so her departure wasn't really of much consequence.

This episode is also a swan song for Fred Dalton Thompson's much more memorable DA Branch - it's never addressed directly on camera but he drops a heavy hint in the final scene that he'll leaving soon - which he does indeed.

Two other highlights are Alana de la Garcia's standout turn as ADA Rubirosa, who gets her spot in the sun delivering a memorable closing argument at trial, and Jeremy Sisto as the Defence Attorney - in fact he was so attention grabbing the producers cast him in the following season as poor old Det Cassady's replacement!!

Perfect? No. On par with previous L&O? Mostly.

[WickednessIsAMyth · 7/10 · 23 June 2008]

The above comment (by Jordan Nookeen) comes across strongly sexist and vaguely ridiculous. He is correct in that The Family Hour is not in the list of top episodes of L&O. The writing was just a little more than middle-of-the-road, the characters were slightly simplistic and the situations were on the obvious side.

However, these qualities are not singular to this episode. Hell, when a fiction-serial show has been on the air for the better part of two decades episodes are bound to run the full gamut: the superb, the sublime, the incredible, the mediocre, the stupid, the ignorant, the intelligent. If a show is on for long enough, you can't avoid it.

Milena Govich was an inspired choice and I wish we could have seen more of her. She was a rookie detective; beyond that she had skipped huge amounts of experience and education because of the extraordinary circumstances of her gold shield. Comparing her to Jerry Orbach's character is beyond unfair. He was an old hat at the job by the time Lennie Briscoe walked onto the scene in '91. Nina Cassidy had a lot to learn before she could become a good detective. Twenty-plus years of experience versus the eight months that Det. Cassidy had under her belt? No contest.

As for these comments: "I can understand hiring a sexy actress to play a DA...Appearance of a good looking woman makes it more enjoyable...What characteristics do you think about when you hear the words: police homicide detective? I would say it should be a prick like Jerry Orbach's character (Detective Lennie Briscoe), or some buffed up guy..." Excuse me? The only good homicide detectives are buffed up, powerful-looking men? I guess that just goes to prove that old point about "considering the source." I have a feeling ever female cop who ever wore a badge is standing up and giving you the finger.

And what about this comment? "But in 'Family Hour' episode, it really does not matter because we already know that she was an idiot, so whoever killed her did it for a reason." See, last time I checked, someone's being a complete jackass is not valid reason for murder. Otherwise there wouldn't be a politician left alive.

Consider the source, people.

A politician who hates women? Surely you jest.

[djfone · 8/10 · 7 March 2024]

Harry Hamlin, who was so good for several years as a trial attorney/law firm partner on "L. A. Law", excels here, stretching as a former U. S. Senator with serious anger control issues regarding women, as well as his own family.

This episode is a welcome departure of the wooden Nina Cassidy character after one season. A photograph of her one facial expression could have stood in for her season-long role. Very rare poor casting for this great series, but also recognized and promptly corrected.

Very uncharacteristic of the series' usual technical excellence is the distracting sound of every single step on the courtroom floor during Alana de la Garza's (ADA Rubirosa) dynamite summation to the jury. The clump-clump-clump of her heels comes through a poorly-placed or over-attenuated mic, not recognized during editing.

Jeffrey Tambor shines as an obviously partisan political hack chosen to fill a judgeship, not that that would ever happen in real life, of course.

When to tell the truth.

[naphiah · 10/10 · 8 April 2024]

With Jeffrey Tambor, Harry Hamlin, Sam Waterston and ultimately Alana De La Garza each pulling on the reins of a "who's the best actor here" tether, I can't say who won but I had fun rooting for each one intermittently.

I happen to have attended the same schools as Misters Hamlin and Tambor and they can't teach what they have: a willingness to wade into deeper water than one can stand and see if they float.

Their characters are compelling in both comic and tragic ways ala Anton Chekhov.

In Mr Waterston is a reliable king of human depiction and until the end of the episode, I took Ms De la Garza for granted.

Everyone's great. I mean everyone and the brief appearance of Mr Hamlin's character's son is a palate cleanser of refreshment.

If I didn't mention any one else here (the Medical Examiner, the two cops, their boss, the defense lawyer (a glimpse at Jeremy Sisto), it's because I forgot they were acting.

I exercised the control I learned in my training. That control is why your client is alive today.

[Mrpalli77 · 6/10 · 22 February 2018]

A wealthy woman made a complaint about table position in a charity event in order to have a better views of reporters. The same woman was found dead the day after: she had an argument with someone in her apartment ended badly (she was also raped with a wooden spoon). Her estranged husband, a senator, was the prime suspect, but he had alibi. Then they followed victim's stepdaughter (Annika Boras) who had a gold digger (and abusive) husband; bad blood ran inside the family: a drug addict stepson was found chained to a radiator by the police; he had several cigar burns in his back. Things gone worse, the senator killed his own daughter with a knife, holding her responsible for stepmother's murder. A crazy judge, star witness runaway, an unconvincing defendant, medical examiner made a naive mistake on the stand: in few words, an unlikely trial.

McCoy insulted a judge before trial, considering him uncapable of dealing with a murder case; Van Buren confronted Cassady for her attitude; Branch refused McCoy's resignation. The only interesting things in this boring episode.

Doesn't rate a rewatch

[idontwantthiseitherorwhatever · 6/10 · 8 December 2023]

I play my L&O DVDs the way many people play music. So, I have viewed many seasons many times. I didn't think season 17 was horrible but it didn't compare well with the better seasons. But the last show was unwatchable. Agree that the murder in the cold open was uncalled for. Prefer the typical bickering couples and unsuspecting delivery guys stumbling onto the dead or dying victim(s).

I didn't hate Det. Nina Cassady; I was saddened by what the show did with her character. The beauty queen route to the position was a joke. No way would Lt. Van Buren allow Nina to dress that way after making clear she did not want her on her squad. The L&O universe knew better: Det. Alexandra Eames on L&O: CI wore tailored suits smartly and she could throw down.

I also take issue with the idea that the point of Cassady was to sex up the show. In that regard, the show started that in the fourth season.

How realistic was casting a series of gorgeous 30 year old female ADAs opposite the ever-aging (yet appealing) EADA Jack McCoy? Sure, they wore suits to work but they were shown wearing casual outfits off duty. I do want to point out that these actresses did a good job in the role.

Unhappy family hour

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 16 September 2022]

Personally actually thought Season 17 was a solid season, apart from having a couple of flaws that were never corrected. Few of the episodes were great, though there were a few that were like "Fear America", "Captive" and especially "Deadlock", "Home Sweet" is also close. Most were between good and very good and nearly great. There were a few disappointments though too, such as "Good Faith" and "Over Here". Always have had high expectations for season finales.

"The Family Hour" for me underwhelmed. Not a terrible episode by alll means, none of the Season 17 episodes fit that distinction even the heavily flawed ones. It really could and should have been much better, and also is not a good final appearance for the character of Ed Green's partner Nina Cassady (who never worked for me as a character just to say and have made no secret of that, perhaps annoyingly so to some).

Certainly there are good things here. Most of the regulars are very good, particularly Sam Waterston and Alana De La Garza (Rubirosa being one of the show's best additions in a while). Really like their chemistry together, whether in agreement or disagreement and both make valid cases for their opinions. Jeremy Sisto does great work too, this time as a defense attorney and a competent one.

Did think that there was some nice tension later on. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic.

However, the first half is too routine and is further let down by the blandness of Cassady (and Milena Govich's rather one note acting) and her and Green's lacklustre at best chemistry. Of Green's partners, Cassady was by far the weakest, Lupo and Fontana grew on me and Briscoe of course is iconic. Really didn't like how anti-climactic her exit was, clearly written by someone that didn't like Cassady.

On the whole, the case was too simple and too obvious, which made it feel rather dull. Pacing is on the drab side in the first half. Also let down by the simplistic supporting cbaracters (ones that are competently acted but written with very little dimension and little more than genre cliches), lack of twists and surprises and the too talky and here trite dialogue. Tension is too little and parts feel disorganised. The direction is not incompetent but there is not much distinct.

In summary, underwhelming end to a solid season. 5/10.

Spin

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 2 December 2012]

The murder of the former wife of State Senator Harry Hamlin brings Jesse Martin and Milena Govich to investigate. But before the investigation is through they have a second murder of one of Hamlin's family, that of his daughter by a first marriage.

What was interesting about this was that the detectives on their way to pick Hamlin up see squad cars responding to a 911 call and they come in just in time to see Hamlin with a bloody knife standing over his dead daughter. Now if this was Perry Mason, Raymond Burr would then prove that it could not have been Hamlin. But 99 times out of a 100 you've got the doer cold.

That does not stop Hamlin though who is a politician used to spinning things and he and Govich have some history where she went gangbusters on him during the first interrogation. That gives his lawyer enough to spin things his way or attempt to.

By the way his lawyer is Jeremy Sisto who turned out to be Govich's successor. There was precedent for that as Jerry Orbach also played a defense lawyer in an episode of Law And Order and then succeeded Paul Sorvino.

This episode strained some credibility, still it's not too bad a story.

comment on series 17

[arty44 · 3/10 · 26 April 2009]

i begin by saying i'm a big fan of L&O, having seen and enjoyed most of the first 16 series. but something seems to have changed in series 17, and taken the show from head and shoulders above the others down to bordering on run of the mill with the rest.

milena govich cast as det nina cassady is a glaring and perhaps symbolic example. she appears to have been chosen for the sake of 'sexing up' the show. the only gravitas she has is in her push up bra (with the accompanying 3 open buttons of her top). and looking at her conduct as a detective, how did cassady ever get promotion to this illustrious unit of the NYPD? in episode 7 the suspect, under interrogation, blurts out and calls her 'sugar tits' - all very titillating, but L&O never used to call on this particular element of the movie maker's tool box.

i'm in england so we run a little behind the US screenings. we are just seeing series 17 now, and we've had the first 8 episodes. of those episodes, 3 have already had celebrity/youth orientated plot lines, with a sensationalist flavour. has the show decided to target a younger (and less discriminating) audience? the plot lines are less intricate, the legal issues have lost their fascinating convolutedness, the police section is more superficial, the characters have gone thinner, the scripts are weaker, and the acting has gone more watery too - partly on account of the weaker material. beside looking older, naturally, sam waterston looks tired - playing with less conviction - maybe because he's not convinced by the show any longer.

did money talk behind the scenes? too bad if it did, and maybe got it wrong into the bargain - maybe they should've stuck with their core, loyal audience of the first 16 years.

A wife of a known senator gets assassinated.

[nsbproject · 3/10 · 6 August 2007]

I begin by saying that I am a fan of Law and Order: The Original (LAO). I have watched many episodes, and I was always amazed by how writers were able to find a great topic, dilemmas, and construct suspense. Every court session was written in a very realistic manner.

However, this episode "The Family Hour" cannot compare to the previous seasons' series and here is why: 1) Casting is terrible 2) Writing is terrible: weak dialog, bad action/dialog balance 3) Directing is awful 4) Poor soundtrack 5) Weak theme.

1) So, first, I was very upset about casting (in this whole season). I would really like to know whose idea it was to replace Dennis Farina (Detective Joe Fontana) with Milena Govich (Detective Nina Cassady). I can understand hiring a sexy actress to play a D.A. (e.g. Elisabeth Röhm - A.D.A. Serena Southerlyn). It's OK, I can understand it. Appearance of a good looking woman makes it more enjoyable. But, please do not turn Law and Order into Baywatch! I mean, I have nothing against Govich, she is a great looking woman, but it is not her role.

What characteristics do you think about when you hear the words: police homicide detective? I would say it should be a prick like Jerry Orbach's character (Detective Lennie Briscoe), or some buffed up guy, who would convince a suspect that he/she is guilty even when he/she is not only by looking at him/her. But Govich? The only thing I think about is that she is good looking. The problem is that she is too feminine for this role. She looks too delicate to play a detective on LAO. She just does not blend in. Sorry, but she is no Cagney or Lacey.

Second, the interaction between her and Jesse L. Martin (Detective Ed Green) just does not feel right. They are both similar, so we are aware what to expect from both of them. However, Martin and Farina were a perfect pare. We could not guess what they were going to comment on next, so we payed attention to each sentence. Their dialog was really funny.

2) What happened with witty dialog, fast-paced action, and interesting and controversial themes? First, dialog is really boring. Cut half of what they say and we would still learn as much. Second, camera work is terrible. Angles and characters' pauses are really not what I got used to in LAO. This is one of the reasons I do not watch other versions of LAO, there is too much blah-blah, and very little action.

3) Let's go back a little, some shots I saw in original LAO are really superb! For example, (I do not remember an episode title, but it was about a broker from NYSE who got killed) a shot begins with a camera moving through a shiny metallic surface reflecting a beautiful garden and then cutting the frame in two, and showing the detectives. We then see that it was an open trunk of an expensive car that produced this effect. It was a really cool shot. But if I would have seen this episode prior seeing any previous seasons, I would say what is this weird thing and would never watch it again.

4) No more music makes the scenes appear naked. Again, I compare it to previous seasons, so maybe I am just used to it, but it really does seem that something needs to be added in order to make the scenes move faster. Otherwise, they appear really boring.

5) This episode (The Family Hour) begins with a short scene that shows the personality flaws of a victim when she is still alive (basically she is being a pain in the rear end to everyone). After that, the shot immediately cuts to her dead body and the police examining the scene. OK guys, this is not Columbo! The specific trait of the whole series was that we get to learn about a victim after his/her murder. And then when the trial begins, we try to choose whose side we are on.

For example, who would we support: a dad who killed an insurance agent because he refused to pay for his daughter's medicine and by doing so signed a death penalty for her, or the insurance agent's family who lost their husband and dad. This IS an interesting dilemma. As we learn about the case, we are able to form our opinion about it. But in "Family Hour" episode, it really does not matter because we already know that she was an idiot, so whoever killed her did it for a reason.

It really feels that the funding was cut or something major happened that caused the production take place in fewer locations and with less action. Otherwise, it just does not make sense to me. I really hope that the producers and writers would consider turning back to the established guidelines, with no Baywatch or Columbo elements, but instead with serious drama, suspense and controversy.