There is no hiding the fact that if you work for the police or as attorneys you will sooner or later turn into a world class cynic. So I guess "Law & Order" deserves credit for delivering characters who lives up to this sad but true fact. But in my opinion they have done such a "great" job at it that I actually end up *HATING* most of these characters, *especially* the prosecutors before the end of yet another episode. These people really put the 'C' in cynical!
Take Sam Waterston for instance. For years he was one of my favorite actors, until I saw him on "Law & Order" where he at times seems more ruthless and cold-hearted then some of the criminals he is prosecuting! The other night I watched an episode where a homeless guy pleaded insanity to escape the death penalty for murdering a woman in a park. Waterston's character however was obsessed with doing everything in his power to prove his sanity so he could go for the death penalty (I guess ordering people to death is some sort of Viagra to him). For a European living in a part of the world that does not stoop to the level of killers by executing people as a punishment the Waterston characters mentality is sickening to me. To make matters even worse: by the end of this episode in question it turned out that the death was the tragic story of two mentally ill people where *he* had assisted in her suicide out of his love for her, so Waterston's character dramatically changed his view and let the guy of with 6 years in a mental institution. What makes this even worse is because you know that by the next episode the Waterston-character hasn't learned one bit from this affair and again he is as malicious as ever seeking out yet another person he can execute! Talk about lessons in life, not! And sadly, this goes for most characters, not only Waterston, I was a fan of Michael Moriarty too until I witnessed his character on this show and the list goes on and on.
Someone should tell this justice system that *compassion* is one of the most important traits of humanity. It is what separates us from the animals.
One of the few characters that seem to have room for compassion is S. Epatha Merkerson's detective-character. Come to think of it the cops all seem to have room for compassion, it's the lawyers that disgust me. Hm, this show really lets one appreciate that old joke: What do you call 5000 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start!
"Law & Order" deserves credit for being the show that seemed to turn the tides in TV drama, putting the realism back into TV entertainment, a turn for the better that would eventually result in great productions like "Homicide", "The Third Watch" and "The Shield", but as far as "Law & Order" is concerned: it has outstayed it's welcome.
Take Sam Waterston for instance. For years he was one of my favorite actors, until I saw him on "Law & Order" where he at times seems more ruthless and cold-hearted then some of the criminals he is prosecuting! The other night I watched an episode where a homeless guy pleaded insanity to escape the death penalty for murdering a woman in a park. Waterston's character however was obsessed with doing everything in his power to prove his sanity so he could go for the death penalty (I guess ordering people to death is some sort of Viagra to him). For a European living in a part of the world that does not stoop to the level of killers by executing people as a punishment the Waterston characters mentality is sickening to me. To make matters even worse: by the end of this episode in question it turned out that the death was the tragic story of two mentally ill people where *he* had assisted in her suicide out of his love for her, so Waterston's character dramatically changed his view and let the guy of with 6 years in a mental institution. What makes this even worse is because you know that by the next episode the Waterston-character hasn't learned one bit from this affair and again he is as malicious as ever seeking out yet another person he can execute! Talk about lessons in life, not! And sadly, this goes for most characters, not only Waterston, I was a fan of Michael Moriarty too until I witnessed his character on this show and the list goes on and on.
Someone should tell this justice system that *compassion* is one of the most important traits of humanity. It is what separates us from the animals.
One of the few characters that seem to have room for compassion is S. Epatha Merkerson's detective-character. Come to think of it the cops all seem to have room for compassion, it's the lawyers that disgust me. Hm, this show really lets one appreciate that old joke: What do you call 5000 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start!
"Law & Order" deserves credit for being the show that seemed to turn the tides in TV drama, putting the realism back into TV entertainment, a turn for the better that would eventually result in great productions like "Homicide", "The Third Watch" and "The Shield", but as far as "Law & Order" is concerned: it has outstayed it's welcome.