This was one of those 'Law and Order' episodes on first watch that had a number of good things but it did feel on the ordinary side and didn't stick in the mind long after. There are episodes of the show and the 'Law and Order' franchise in general that felt like this, but there are many on both counts where that type of episode on first watch fared better on rewatch and were better than remembered seeing it through older eyes.
Season 14's "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" is one of those episodes. It's not one of the best episodes of Season 14, which was not a bad season at all and much better than the Season 14 of 'Special Victims Unit', while also not one of the worst. On paper it sounds fairly standard and is a bit ordinary to begin with, but the execution is a lot more complex than that. When things become meatier and twistier "Shrunk" becomes very intricate and it is one of those episodes that induces anger and outrage by its end.
As said, "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" starts off a little on the ordinary side and didn't immediately grab me straightaway and did think too that the final 5 minutes or so were on the rushed side from trying to cram a lot in.
Elisabeth Rohm plays personality free Southerlyn as too much of a cold fish.
However, a lot is done very well indeed. The production values are still fully professional, the slickness and subtly gritty style still remaining. The music is sparingly used and is haunting and thankfully non-overwrought. The direction shows some nice tension in the legal scenes, which is where "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" fares a good deal better. The script is intelligent, lean enough and thought-provoking on both sides of the arguments, although it doesn't quite have the extra spark.
The story is also very absorbing, with more than one motive and one that is very surprising and not considered. It is standard to begin with but becomes very twisty and suitably complicated, without being too much so. The acting is very good, particularly from Sam Waterston.
In summary, very good. 8/10.
Season 14's "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" is one of those episodes. It's not one of the best episodes of Season 14, which was not a bad season at all and much better than the Season 14 of 'Special Victims Unit', while also not one of the worst. On paper it sounds fairly standard and is a bit ordinary to begin with, but the execution is a lot more complex than that. When things become meatier and twistier "Shrunk" becomes very intricate and it is one of those episodes that induces anger and outrage by its end.
As said, "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" starts off a little on the ordinary side and didn't immediately grab me straightaway and did think too that the final 5 minutes or so were on the rushed side from trying to cram a lot in.
Elisabeth Rohm plays personality free Southerlyn as too much of a cold fish.
However, a lot is done very well indeed. The production values are still fully professional, the slickness and subtly gritty style still remaining. The music is sparingly used and is haunting and thankfully non-overwrought. The direction shows some nice tension in the legal scenes, which is where "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" fares a good deal better. The script is intelligent, lean enough and thought-provoking on both sides of the arguments, although it doesn't quite have the extra spark.
The story is also very absorbing, with more than one motive and one that is very surprising and not considered. It is standard to begin with but becomes very twisty and suitably complicated, without being too much so. The acting is very good, particularly from Sam Waterston.
In summary, very good. 8/10.