The previous season was an uneven one, starting off shaky but once it got going almost all the episodes were between decent and outstanding before petering out again towards the end. It took me a bit of time to get used to Fontana, considering who he replaced, but when he settled he was fine as was his and Green's chemistry. Season 16 was to me a very solid season, with no misfires or average or less episodes (the weakest still being decent).
"Red Ball" is a long way from perfect or one of the best episodes of 'Law and Order' (better episodes too were to follow in the season), but it is a very promising and strong start for Season 16. 'Law and Order' was past its prime by this point but Season 16 was one of the better and more consistent latter seasons in my view. It was also great to see Green and Jesse L Martin back. It is one of those episodes that starts very strongly and is great for most of the length but then got frustrating towards the end before ending rather unsatisfyingly.
Am going to start with the numerous good things. As always, it's a slickly made episode, the editing especially having come on quite a bit from when the show first started (never was it a problem but it got more fluid with each episode up to this stage). The music is sparingly used and never seemed melodramatic, the theme tune easy to remember as usual. The direction is sympathetic enough without being too low key on the whole. The acting is very good, with James Le Gros chilling the blood as a skin crawling character.
Furthermore, the script is thought provoking and lean, with no real extraneous fat or anything that felt choppy. The story on the whole is very compelling and is not too simple or convoluted, that the perpetrator is so skin crawling adds to the tension. Green was very much missed when he was briefly written out towards the end of Season 15 so it was great to see him back on strong form. The chemistry between him and Fontana intrigues and has grit, even if it doesn't have the entertainment value of his chemistry with Briscoe.
However, there are things that didn't quite work. The outcome felt trivial and unrealistic.
Also McCoys behaviour made me as infuriated by him as much as the detectives and Branch.
In summary, very promising. 8/10.
"Red Ball" is a long way from perfect or one of the best episodes of 'Law and Order' (better episodes too were to follow in the season), but it is a very promising and strong start for Season 16. 'Law and Order' was past its prime by this point but Season 16 was one of the better and more consistent latter seasons in my view. It was also great to see Green and Jesse L Martin back. It is one of those episodes that starts very strongly and is great for most of the length but then got frustrating towards the end before ending rather unsatisfyingly.
Am going to start with the numerous good things. As always, it's a slickly made episode, the editing especially having come on quite a bit from when the show first started (never was it a problem but it got more fluid with each episode up to this stage). The music is sparingly used and never seemed melodramatic, the theme tune easy to remember as usual. The direction is sympathetic enough without being too low key on the whole. The acting is very good, with James Le Gros chilling the blood as a skin crawling character.
Furthermore, the script is thought provoking and lean, with no real extraneous fat or anything that felt choppy. The story on the whole is very compelling and is not too simple or convoluted, that the perpetrator is so skin crawling adds to the tension. Green was very much missed when he was briefly written out towards the end of Season 15 so it was great to see him back on strong form. The chemistry between him and Fontana intrigues and has grit, even if it doesn't have the entertainment value of his chemistry with Briscoe.
However, there are things that didn't quite work. The outcome felt trivial and unrealistic.
Also McCoys behaviour made me as infuriated by him as much as the detectives and Branch.
In summary, very promising. 8/10.
