Have loved the original 'Law and Order' for a long time, particularly the earlier seasons, and consider it my personal favourite of the 'Law and Order' franchise. Did like the idea for Season 17's "Profiteer", though on paper it may seem too ordinary and has the dangers of heavy-handedness and one-sided-ness. 'Law and Order' do have a good track record at making something great and more complex than expected out of stories that don't sound out of the ordinary on paper
"Profiteer" is a very good episode, if falling a little short of being great despite having a lot of great things individually. Like a lot of episodes in 'Law and Order's' late seasons and actually 'Law and Order' in general, it is a case of one half being superior to the other. But not because one half is bad, just that there is one half that executes the storytelling especially even better. Though perhaps it could have done a little bit more with the subject covered, which is a challenging one and a brave one to tackle.
Beginning with the good, it is 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 script is generally taut, with little fat, and intelligent. The story does intrigue and is tense and moving, the policing scenes are solidly done and the legalities are accessible and intriguing. It doesn't come over as preachy and it isn't too much of one side. Most of the acting is very, very good, Sam Waterston dominating.
Milena Govich is still bland and lacks personality, Cassady just never did it for me and can see why she only lasted one season.
Did find the ending slightly rushed as well, a lot of information to digest and it needed a longer amount of time to tell it.
Overall though, very good. 8/10.
"Profiteer" is a very good episode, if falling a little short of being great despite having a lot of great things individually. Like a lot of episodes in 'Law and Order's' late seasons and actually 'Law and Order' in general, it is a case of one half being superior to the other. But not because one half is bad, just that there is one half that executes the storytelling especially even better. Though perhaps it could have done a little bit more with the subject covered, which is a challenging one and a brave one to tackle.
Beginning with the good, it is 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 script is generally taut, with little fat, and intelligent. The story does intrigue and is tense and moving, the policing scenes are solidly done and the legalities are accessible and intriguing. It doesn't come over as preachy and it isn't too much of one side. Most of the acting is very, very good, Sam Waterston dominating.
Milena Govich is still bland and lacks personality, Cassady just never did it for me and can see why she only lasted one season.
Did find the ending slightly rushed as well, a lot of information to digest and it needed a longer amount of time to tell it.
Overall though, very good. 8/10.
