When it comes to talking about the original 'Law and Order', there is a strong preference for the earlier seasons (Seasons 1-10), the standard of the seasons were more consistent and hit hard more, they were the seasons with the more iconic characters and had none that annoyed me. Season 11 onwards was still very watchable and there were a number of great and more episodes, but the show was not as consistent or as fresh in stories and characters.
Although not one of the best seasons of 'Law and Order', Season 20 didn't disappoint me overall as a final season. When talking about final seasons, one can definitely think of far worse without even trying to look. "Memo from the Dark Side" has a very important subject agreed, and while it could have handled it better with more believable trial scenes it is a bold and worthy attempt at tackling it. While not starting Season 20 on a bang, this reviewer cannot bring herself to agree that "Memo from the Dark Side" being a dud.
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 a case of them faring better than the trial scenes and it isn't one sided or preachy. Everything said about the torture is chilling in its truth and leaves food for thought with what is argued. Lupo and Bernard have come on a long way as a pairing. The acting is very good to great all round.
However, the second half could have been stronger. Everything regarding the case being tried in city court considering the type of crime is agreed nonsensical, and the prosecution argument is pretty flimsy.
Did find myself very unsatisfied at the end, which for my tastes was anti-climactic and felt wrong.
Overall, interesting episode but not great. 7/10.
