Green and Cassady investigate the death of a publishing agent who approved a book written by an ex-athlete that describes how he would have murdered his wife if he was in fact the real kille... Read allGreen and Cassady investigate the death of a publishing agent who approved a book written by an ex-athlete that describes how he would have murdered his wife if he was in fact the real killer.Green and Cassady investigate the death of a publishing agent who approved a book written by an ex-athlete that describes how he would have murdered his wife if he was in fact the real killer.
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- DA Arthur Branch
- (as Fred Dalton Thompson)
- Defense Attorney Bocanegra
- (as Marlyne N. Afflack)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on the 1994 O.J. Simpson murder case and his controversial 2007 book "If I Did It".
- GoofsIn the opening, the victim is referred to as Serena Darby of Darby Publishing. For the remainder of the episode it is repeatedly mentioned that she worked for Virgil Publishing.
- Quotes
Detective Ed Green: [chasing a suspect] Get your ass back here!
Gerald Stockwell: [struggling as Green cuffs him] What are you doing?
Detective Ed Green: Your hands.
Detective Nina Cassady: [taking his license out of his wallet] Oh, what do you know? Gerald Stockwell.
Gerald Stockwell: I don't have money, okay? I can't pay you right now, yeah?
Detective Ed Green: Who do you think we are?
Gerald Stockwell: What? You're cops?
Detective Nina Cassady: Homicide.
Gerald Stockwell: Homicide? What? I didn't do anything! I didn't do anything!
Detective Ed Green: [dragging him out of the building] They always say that when they run.
"Murder Book" may not be anything original and one half is better than the other, but it is still a very solidly executed episode with more done right than wrong. It is not one of the best episodes of a generally solid Season 17 (with "Deadlock" being particularly outstanding of the great episodes), but "Murder Book" also is not one of the worst with it being better than half of the episodes that were after it. Season 17 started off very well, despite never solving the recurring issues, but ended disappointingly.
The first quarter is nothing out of the ordinary and is somewhat formulaic and Milena Govich is anaemic.
Jesse L Martin and S Epatha Merkerson are great though, while Sam Waterston and Alana De La Garza (with Rubirosa being the general ADA assistant since Carmichael and that is saying a lot) carry the legal scenes beautifully. But the supporting cast are even better, with Mario Van Peebles enjoying himself as the very juicily written defense attorney and Bobby Cannavale unsettlingly playing a character that one roots for to be sent down.
Photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone. The episode is sympathetically yet uncompromisingly directed.
Furthermore, the script is typically tight and intelligent with an uncompromising grit. There is a lot of talk, but it doesn't feel too much. Once the story gets going, it quickly grabs the attention and the legal scenes are riveting.
Overall, very solidly executed. 8/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Sep 13, 2022