'Hubris' is one of those episodes with a loopy hook for the guilty party that you just have to accept and ride out the fun time. I'll admit at first I thought the story was very much absurd. Imagine my shock when after the fact, I find out it's loosely based on a true story. I don't get how people - mainly women - fall in love with murderers, convicted criminals and hatch fantasy romances. Then again, I'm also not a mental health expert or desperate for attention.
A murder robbery at a jewelry store takes a different direction when it's found the two pairs of victims were killed hours apart meaning Gail Churchill with her daughter was the intended target. Initial suspicion gets pointed at her ex-husband, but fingerprints come back to a mug shot. Gale's real estate boyfriend Mark Landry (Tim Guinee) who's got a criminal history under another name. In court, he represents himself and zeros in on the jury foreperson (Penny Balfour) who's wooed by his charm, well spoken manner and steps over the line.
The writing is well on the wall before the end of the trial. Past history of coming into women's lives, stealing, murder. A keen manipulator he even gets another lady to supply him with a fake alibi. Around the 40 minute mark the stupidity gets its payoff and was worth the wait. Guinee is super effective in his role though we do have to sit thru the cliche of having smart detectives getting key evidence thrown out. For those who are curious about the true crime it's based on look up 'Gillian Guess'.
List of murder suspects, motives, dirty hidden secrets is usually the name of the L&O game, their formula but 'Hubris' isn't about that. It's a ridiculous tale that I still can't believe is mirrored in reality, but it never stops being entertaining. Forget his criminal history you might not been privy to - the guy's on trial for killing four people viciously (one a child!) - and you help him out, go out with him, see him as your "soulmate". You can't make this stuff up, people.