Is a man with Alzheimer's Disease competent enough to stand trial for murder? And if he is found guilty, should he be subjected to the near-inhumane conditions common for prisoners of his ty... Read allIs a man with Alzheimer's Disease competent enough to stand trial for murder? And if he is found guilty, should he be subjected to the near-inhumane conditions common for prisoners of his type?Is a man with Alzheimer's Disease competent enough to stand trial for murder? And if he is found guilty, should he be subjected to the near-inhumane conditions common for prisoners of his type?
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Did you know
- TriviaBoth Bradley White (Michael Hallenbeck) and George Martin (William Hallenbeck) have appeared in multiple episodes of "Law & Order".
- Quotes
Detective Ed Green: What's that on your phone? Brains?
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: It's egg salad maybe.
Detective Ed Green: You got another phone?
Det. Lennie Briscoe: When will you know what time Mrs. Hallenbeck was attacked?
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: Tomorrow morning. Maybe earlier. Right now I gotta get a javelin out of somebody's chest.
Det. Lennie Briscoe: What made you go into this line of work?
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: Free javelins.
While not one of the best episodes of Season 10, "Sundown" is very solid and tackles one of the more difficult and personal cases subject matter-wise very well indeed. It doesn't hold back, quite unyielding later, and has a large emotional punch as ought. It isn't perfect, with it being a case of one half being better than the other (which was the case with quite a lot of episodes from the early-mid seasons. But even the inferior half is still interesting, just not as riveting.
"Sundown" does start off on the routine side, from not standing above the ordinary, and doesn't have many surprises.
Did think too that it was lacking a little in tension and complexity.
On the other hand, "Sundown" does a lot absolutely right. As ever, the production values are slick, 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 overtime). 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. The performances are very good from particularly Angie Harmon, George Martin and Glynnis O'Connor.
Furthermore, the script is sharp, intelligent and gritty, again with a lot to take in without feeling too much. Especially in the latter stages of the second half and when one sees how much the case affects Carmichael. While the first half is interesting if routine, the second is truly riveting and emotionally powerful. It was very difficult to not feel angered or moved by what Carmichael finds going to the clinic and it is hard to not be completely on her side. Absolutely related to the subject and her and everything to do with the competence was handled intelligently and not in a heavy way.
In summary, very good with a riveting second half. 8/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Nov 9, 2021