When it comes to the previous episodes of 'Law and Order', there is not a bad one in the lot. A vast majority being very good to brilliant, with only two being a little bit less than the former. It is hard not to have high hopes for any episode, and felt the same for "The Troubles" and actually more so than most of the previous Season 1 episodes. The premise of the story being one of the season's more intriguing ones but one does expect for it to not be an easy watch.
Something that it wasn't, but that is not meant in a bad way as it was clear reading the premise that it was going to be a story that would hit hard and provoke much debate afterwards if seeing it with somebody. Found "The Troubles" to be one of the most interesting Season 1 episodes of 'Law and Order', as the story on paper indicated it would be and the episode lives up to expectations. Also one of its best too, not quite one of the magnum opuses but it is truly excellent.
Even with the stereotypes, which are less than kind and may, and this is a big emphasis on may, cause some offense for some, something that should be understandable and people should not be blamed or shamed for thinking so.
Other than that, so much works in "The Troubles" favour. The story is riveting throughout, with the trial/prosecution portions being among the season's best where one is hanging on every word and intricacy. Michael Moriarty always shone in every episode of his too short stint on 'Law and Order', his material is meaty here and he goes for it in one of his finer hours. The investigation elements intrigue too, and while the case does demand full attention it never becomes hard to follow or over-complicated.
Greevey and Logan's hard-boiled interaction and dialogue, in a script full of tautness and thought probing, help quite a bit. As does O'Connell, Anthony Heald not overdoing or underplaying the character in any way, being a compelling and not too obvious suspect. The episode is well shot as ever and the music doesn't overbear. George Dzundza and Chris Noth bring the right amount of edge and grit to Greevey and Logan, their chemistry increasingly settling all the time.
Summing up, excellent. 9/10
Something that it wasn't, but that is not meant in a bad way as it was clear reading the premise that it was going to be a story that would hit hard and provoke much debate afterwards if seeing it with somebody. Found "The Troubles" to be one of the most interesting Season 1 episodes of 'Law and Order', as the story on paper indicated it would be and the episode lives up to expectations. Also one of its best too, not quite one of the magnum opuses but it is truly excellent.
Even with the stereotypes, which are less than kind and may, and this is a big emphasis on may, cause some offense for some, something that should be understandable and people should not be blamed or shamed for thinking so.
Other than that, so much works in "The Troubles" favour. The story is riveting throughout, with the trial/prosecution portions being among the season's best where one is hanging on every word and intricacy. Michael Moriarty always shone in every episode of his too short stint on 'Law and Order', his material is meaty here and he goes for it in one of his finer hours. The investigation elements intrigue too, and while the case does demand full attention it never becomes hard to follow or over-complicated.
Greevey and Logan's hard-boiled interaction and dialogue, in a script full of tautness and thought probing, help quite a bit. As does O'Connell, Anthony Heald not overdoing or underplaying the character in any way, being a compelling and not too obvious suspect. The episode is well shot as ever and the music doesn't overbear. George Dzundza and Chris Noth bring the right amount of edge and grit to Greevey and Logan, their chemistry increasingly settling all the time.
Summing up, excellent. 9/10
