"The Wheel" could have been a good deal more, considering that it was following on from eight episodes that all ranged between pretty good and outstanding. 'Law and Order' in its prime is my personal favourite of the 'Law and Order' franchise, that 'Special Victims Unit' has gone on for longer may indicate otherwise but that show has not been the same for a long time. Seasons 1-10 had a small group of disappointments but the best episodes in each season were absolutely brilliant.
While the show became less consistent post-Season 10, each season did have truly fine episodes still. Really do wish that "The Wheel" was one of those fine episodes. Unfortunately this was not to be, to me this was Season 13's first disappointment and one of the season's weakest (being one of the very few to be not particularly good). Don't get me wrong, it is not a terrible episode and has good things. It's just came over as very odd in not a good way and could have handled the subject more tactfully.
Of course there are good things here. The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. There are thoughtful and entertaining moments in the script, Briscoe's snappy one liners never get old.
Most of the acting is solid, although there have been better written supporting roles before and since. Sam Waterston dominating with his usual authority and cunning. The episode does start off well, with one of the latter season's most brutal deaths for example.
However, "The Wheel" disappoints in as many areas as it succeeds in. The story is lacking in tension, at times over-complicated, seldom surprising and too often downright bizarre. Anything that includes cults immediately has the danger of being too over the top and uncomfortably odd, and the episode is not just both it goes overkill on it. The ending does nothing for me, it's the part that is the most beyond strange, it feels rushed and there are not many motives for 'Law and Order' that were this trivial. One that goes against the brutality of the crime and what happens before it.
Furthermore, to me the second half was not anywhere as strong, which disappoints considering that with 'Law and Order' the legal portions tend to be superior to the investigating. In this case, the legal scenes were rather heavy-handed, especially towards the end and some of McCoy's dialogue. While the supporting cast are good enough, the characters themselves are not particularly well fleshed out and could have been written with a lot more subtlety. Elisabeth Rohm as was often the case on her stint is rather cold and stiff.
In conclusion, disappointing but not a waste of time. 5/10.
While the show became less consistent post-Season 10, each season did have truly fine episodes still. Really do wish that "The Wheel" was one of those fine episodes. Unfortunately this was not to be, to me this was Season 13's first disappointment and one of the season's weakest (being one of the very few to be not particularly good). Don't get me wrong, it is not a terrible episode and has good things. It's just came over as very odd in not a good way and could have handled the subject more tactfully.
Of course there are good things here. The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. There are thoughtful and entertaining moments in the script, Briscoe's snappy one liners never get old.
Most of the acting is solid, although there have been better written supporting roles before and since. Sam Waterston dominating with his usual authority and cunning. The episode does start off well, with one of the latter season's most brutal deaths for example.
However, "The Wheel" disappoints in as many areas as it succeeds in. The story is lacking in tension, at times over-complicated, seldom surprising and too often downright bizarre. Anything that includes cults immediately has the danger of being too over the top and uncomfortably odd, and the episode is not just both it goes overkill on it. The ending does nothing for me, it's the part that is the most beyond strange, it feels rushed and there are not many motives for 'Law and Order' that were this trivial. One that goes against the brutality of the crime and what happens before it.
Furthermore, to me the second half was not anywhere as strong, which disappoints considering that with 'Law and Order' the legal portions tend to be superior to the investigating. In this case, the legal scenes were rather heavy-handed, especially towards the end and some of McCoy's dialogue. While the supporting cast are good enough, the characters themselves are not particularly well fleshed out and could have been written with a lot more subtlety. Elisabeth Rohm as was often the case on her stint is rather cold and stiff.
In conclusion, disappointing but not a waste of time. 5/10.