Detectives believe that a murder victim may have been mistaken for another target. But when the actual target is also killed, they discover that a loan shark had taken out a life insurance p... Read allDetectives believe that a murder victim may have been mistaken for another target. But when the actual target is also killed, they discover that a loan shark had taken out a life insurance policy on her.Detectives believe that a murder victim may have been mistaken for another target. But when the actual target is also killed, they discover that a loan shark had taken out a life insurance policy on her.
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Did you know
- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on the 1995 Leonard Owen Mundy/Premium Commercial Services Corp. case.
- GoofsWhen the detectives are interviewing the victim's husband in the interrogation room, a bald man with a beard holding a boom microphone is reflected in the interrogation room mirror.
- Quotes
A.D.A. Jamie Ross: Who would you ask if you needed a hitman?
Detective Rey Curtis: [jokingly referring to Briscoe] I'd find an old cop, preferably one with a lot of alimony.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits included the following statement: "Sam 'Bunny' Russo is currently serving a sentence of life without parole. Three months after testifying against Russo, Steven Tashjian was gunned down outside his office. The killers remain at large. His assets, including his co-op, were liquidated to settle his debts."
- Alternate versionsThe WE TV/Oxygen Channel re-airing censors the adult entertainment store novelties.
- ConnectionsReferences Hello, Dolly! (1969)
It is another episode that has held up incredibly well and that has gotten better and better with each watch. As far as Season 7 episodes go, "Barter" is among the best and the third outstanding episode in a row after two disappointments prior. It is a fine example of how to do something memorable and more complex than meets the eye with something that sounds standard and unoriginal on paper, have found this with many 'Law and Order' episodes but this is one of the finer examples from the Briscoe and Curtis period.
What makes "Barter" work so well especially are the performances of Sam Waterston and George DiCenzo and the storytelling. Waterston always delivered as McCoy throughout his long tenure, even when McCoy took time to warm to when he was first introduced. He delivers here, ruthless yet resourceful where one is intrigued by how his thought process works and doing so in a subtle way. DiCenzo is pretty terrifying as Russo, calling Russo a rotten egg is a big understatement and DiCenzo doesn't hold anything back without going over the top.
The story is always riveting. It is not quite as complex or as twisty as the previous two episodes ("Legacy" and "Menace"), but it keeps one guessing throughout and it doesn't come over as too obvious. Everything regarding the insurance is truly frightening. The script is taut and intelligent, there is a lot of information to digest but it doesn't feel like too much talk. All the performances are top notch, with Waterston and DiCenzo being in a different league to everyone else. Yes, even Jerry Orbach is outshone.
Moreover, "Barter" is slickly photographed throughout, a perfect match for the gritty tone, and the location work looks both striking and atmosphere-filled. The music is only used when necessary and when it is used it does stick in the mind and not done so ham-handedly. Both the main theme and opening voice over are memorable. It is directed with a confident and sympathetic edge.
Overall, brilliant. 10/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 21, 2021