This is a really good hour of drama. It's an episode tinged with cynicism, but it's one in which maybe, just maybe, justice might be allowed to prevail.
Regina Taylor gives a compelling performance as the main guest character Sarah Maslin. She is strong and resolute, with a burning inner fire; this is a woman who knows the evil that men do, but she has forced herself to carry that knowledge silently so she can move upwards in the law profession she loves.
We don't get much out of the primary antagonist, a married New York city councilman (and vocal supporter of the NYPD, we're told by Van Buren) played by Anthony Heald. He comes out swinging as a scumbag right away, and a scumbag he remains; women are just a series of good and bad lays to him, and he's so bold he doesn't even try to hide that fact from Sam Waterston as EADA Jack McCoy. What he does maintain, however, is that he's no rapist.
The script hits a variety of notes with regards to the rape issue, including slut-shaming, degrees of consent, whether or not it's even worth it for women to speak out, etc. It's smartly written, and it even features the DA's office sorta-kinda helping to re-write/re-interpret NY criminal law - far-fetched but cool nonetheless.
With a brilliant guest turn by Lily Knight as the councilman's defense attorney (she's more layered than the usual attorney of the week on this show, and she has a very unique dynamic with Sam Waterston), this is without a doubt one of the best episodes of season 5.
Regina Taylor gives a compelling performance as the main guest character Sarah Maslin. She is strong and resolute, with a burning inner fire; this is a woman who knows the evil that men do, but she has forced herself to carry that knowledge silently so she can move upwards in the law profession she loves.
We don't get much out of the primary antagonist, a married New York city councilman (and vocal supporter of the NYPD, we're told by Van Buren) played by Anthony Heald. He comes out swinging as a scumbag right away, and a scumbag he remains; women are just a series of good and bad lays to him, and he's so bold he doesn't even try to hide that fact from Sam Waterston as EADA Jack McCoy. What he does maintain, however, is that he's no rapist.
The script hits a variety of notes with regards to the rape issue, including slut-shaming, degrees of consent, whether or not it's even worth it for women to speak out, etc. It's smartly written, and it even features the DA's office sorta-kinda helping to re-write/re-interpret NY criminal law - far-fetched but cool nonetheless.
With a brilliant guest turn by Lily Knight as the councilman's defense attorney (she's more layered than the usual attorney of the week on this show, and she has a very unique dynamic with Sam Waterston), this is without a doubt one of the best episodes of season 5.