Remains of the Day

A nineteen years old junkie guy died at the hospital in what seemed to be a pulmonary edema. Detectives thought at first the target was his mother. There was a will of 46 million dollars, a lot of people could be involved in the murder: Green and Cassady had to deal with people who talked only with the attorneys' help, the classic rich folks. Anyway, medical examiner figured out he died as consequences of a brain cancer that he contracted as a result of a leg surgery, that caused him ovarian cancer at first. The bones belonged to a dead girl who had that cancer whose body was cremated, that means that someone (the undertaker) must have sold stolen body parts before the cremation. Another guy who received bone tissues agreed to testify to help McCoy at trial, in order to convict the doctor (Ben Bass) who performed the surgeries.

I don't know exactly how healthcare works in United States; I don't have any knowledges about medicine as well. Anyway I'm not agree healthcare should be a private matter. The poor black guy couldn't afford that kind of surgery because he had no insurance....

Of all the topics covered in Season 17, that for "Remains of the Day" was one of the ones most difficult to get right. It had real potential to be a hard hitting and insightful episode. Or it could easily have been too strange and sleazy. This is not the first episode of the 'Law and Order' franchise (or last) to have a plot line that has something to do with illegal use of body parts, and have seen the subject executed both ways. Almost all the previous Season 17 episodes are very impressive and more.

A very high standard that "Remains of the Day" continues. It is not Season 17 or 'Law and Order' at their best, but it did execute its topic very well. Uncompromisingly yet tastefully. There is nothing sugar-coated about it, yet nothing is over the top or exploitative, all dangers with exploring the subject and its variants and not fallen into. A very good episode, though not a great one, that has a good first half and a mostly really great second half sans the ending.

"Remains of the Day" has very little wrong with it. Milena Govich still comes over as bland.

While some may not have issues with the type of ending that the episode has, for my tastes the ending was too on the abrupt side. Do agree too that the murder charge was a bit too much of an overreach.

Have very little else to fault though. It is well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse. The acting is very good, the one exception being Govich. The legal portions are especially well acted, not a surprise as the legal portions were more interesting than the policing in a lot of the show's episodes. The first half was interesting and the ways at getting to the truth also intrigued.

This is a case of the second half being even better, with it being more complex and having more tension, without being convoluted. Quite a feat as this is a subject that is not always easy to make accessible or easy to get the head round. While the script has a lot of talk and a lot to digest, it is tight enough to not become rambling and always provokes a lot of thought without being overly serious that it becomes too dreary. The ethical issues and moral dilemmas are handled in a thoughtful and not heavy handed manner, the subject doesn't feel exploited and unlike latter seasons 'Special Victims Unit' and occasionally on 'Criminal Intent' it is not made too clear and shoved down the throat what the writers' stance is on the subject.

Concluding, very good. 8/10.