I've enjoyed the Law & Order franchise for over 20 years so I won't pretend that it's never succeeded in manipulating me before, but this episode was so egregious that I felt compelled to comment. The African-American judge who throughout the trial appeared to be impartial literally changed into a different character during the last scene(s) so as to serve the plot - a cheap trick that L&O has so scrupulously avoided in the past. Shame on everybody who took part in this episode - it was and is unworthy of the first-rate series that spawned it. At this point I should also admit that the device of introducing unpleasant and (usually) ignorant impediments to Olivia Benson has grown very tired. The addition to the cast of Peter Gallagher - himself aged and tired - to play an unnecessary, ugly, and disruptive character violates the high standards set so many seasons ago when this show was worth watching. This particular episode was crudely manipulative, not at all believable, and essentially cheap.
Review of Pornstar's Requiem
