Law & Order (TV Series) Innocence (2010) User Reviews

Playing hardcore

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 21 March 2023]

Expectations were high for "Innocence". The premise is one of the most interesting ones, one that could pass easily for a story from the earlier seasons and makes one think this could be a tense episode if done right. Season 20, with a few exceptions like "Blackmail", was a solid final season to an often wonderful show, primarily in Seasons 1-10. Actually have a high opinion of Cutter, though he didn't work straightaway when there was a brief period in Season 18 where the legal scenes disappointed.

They certainly don't here, quite the opposite. The whole legal portion is to me one of the best of Season 20 and of the post-Fontana episodes, it sees Cutter at his best and "Innocence" is an excellent episode. One of the best of the season, certainly of its second half, and one of the ones that leaves me intrigued, unsettled and saddened. High expectations were more than lived up to and close to exceeded. There could well be a chance that anybody who wasn't a fan of Cutter before may find themselves converted.

"Innocence" is only not quite as compelling in a rather nothing out of the ordinary first quarter.

Can't see any issue with everything else though. Can find nothing to fault the production values for though, the slickness and grit still present and likewise with the more fluid editing. The music is used relatively sparingly and is not too intrusively orchestrated, fitting too with the mood. The direction is generally alert but also sympathetic, shining in the character interactions in the legal scenes. Liked the tautness, edge and thought-probing of the second half's writing.

Furthermore, the second half is absolutely riveting. Suspenseful, intricate without being convoluted, ethically intriguing. A tough subject handled with force and tact, and with no preachiness or one sided-ness. It is a great showcase for Cutter, making here his meatiest appearance since Season 18's "Quit Claim" and it is an appearance that is even meatier than that. It is also the closest Cutter ever came to being true to and capturing what made Jack McCoy such a great character.

All the performances are spot on, with Linus Roache giving a contender for his best performance of the show and Amy Madigan touches. Then we have the truly frightening Robin Taylor.

Summarising, excellent. 9/10.

Starts to Tilt More Toward Melodrama, But Still Compelling

[bkkaz · 8/10 · 25 March 2023]

The Law and Order franchise these days is such a shambles. SVU is virtually unwatchable, a Benson-centered soap opera that pontificates from a soap box each episode, even while its characters constantly cross personal and professional boundaries they shouldn't, making them hypocrites. And the Law and Order reboot is a shell of its former self, with bland, formulaic writing and two dimensional characters.

But you can see the seeds of melodrama being sewn late in the original run of Law and Order. They're not so bad as to be distracting like now, but the show is already starting to rely too much on mustache-twirling villains and over done reactions from the others. This episode is one of them, where guest Amy Madigan -- playing a holier than thou law professor who mistakes overzealous social justice for actual justice -- seethes with soap opera style hubris.

Still, compared to now, this episode is virtually Shakespeare, with ADA Cutter going up against his former mentor when she tries to get a jury verdict overturned for an obvious bigot and murderer. It works mostly because the cast is so able -- this is the last iteration of Law and Order where all of the actors deliver, inhabiting their characters and giving them dimension.

The biggest flaw here, though, concerns when the professor decides to go low and call into question Cutter's legal standing to be in the Bar. It seems somehow all of his credits weren't sorted out, so technically, he didn't receive an undergraduate degree. The big flaw is it's Madigan's character -- his former adviser in law school -- who tells him not to worry about it when he brought it to her attention all those years ago. It seems merely testifying to this effect would have both effectively quashed her accusation and also outed her for her own malfeasance, as if she hadn't told him that, he likely would have pursued other means to make sure he had his degree. But for some inexplicable reason, they don't go there.

Finally something from Cutter!!!

[madelemonade · 26 April 2014]

Since they brought in this new ADA Cutter, portrayed by Linus Roache, I have been skeptical; I have always been a big fan of Sam Watersons portrayal of Jack MacCoy, his indignation, morals, ethics I loved it. I was happy when I seen he was moving into the DA spot but had not really warmed to the new Exec ADA I found I was looking towards the ADA Rubirosa portrayed by De La Garza for that MacCoy-esk legal compass on the show. Cutter felt too opportunistic, egocentric and cold, it was hard to identify with as a hero in a legal drama.

Finally in this episode we see some heart, some moral and ethical indignation! I finally found myself thinking "yeah go Mike go! Thats it don't back down you show'em." He was still there a little egocentric and cold but for the first time I feel we got to see a little aggressiveness that had to do with the issue and not his personal gain or ego. The irony is that its brought on my an attack to his work, his ethics and his ego, but in the end its the moral and social issue that raises his reaction.

It is a shame that so late in season of the final in the series we get to see Cutter at his best, this Cutter is the one I would root for and cheer from the sidelines for, he is the hero not the one I've seen up till now that looks like his tie is a tad bit too tight! Well played by all parts on this one, well played!

Competitive lawyers

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 25 May 2012]

Usually when the trial's over and the verdict's in that's a wrap for the NY County DA's office. But it only starts here.

Robin Taylor is arrested, tried, and convicted of a bias homicide of a gay man and the only witness is his husband Cheyenne Jackson. No forensics, but right after the case is open the Innocence Project which is headed by Linus Roache's old law professor Amy Madigan.

With some over zealous work by some of her students Madigan gets the verdict set aside which burns Roache. Roache counters and the stakes keep getting raised. Motives are misinterpreted by all sides and justice is truly about to get lost in the process. Roache's own job gets in jeopardy.

Robin Taylor reveals in a stunning portrayal what a loathsome little creep he is and Madigan does become convinced that maybe she backed the wrong horse in this one. It's a close call for justice in this episode.