Mon, Nov 10, 08 - Law And Order, The Jury, Rita Rocks, Life On Mars

05.30 Law And Order
06.30 The Jury
07.30 Rita Rocks
08.00 Life On Mars

Law And Order. Season 18, Episode 13. "Angelgrove" In a show without continuity and character development, fans jump on any moment of either. Such it is with me in this latest episode. McCoy and Olivet had harsh words in a previous episode (when he engineered it so her affair with a cop would come out) and in this one there's a line of dialogue where he attempts to mend the bridge between then (thanking her for helping out on the current case). She declines to respond and leaves the room.

It's a strong case-of-the-week. Nothing new in it, really but still a great story: a camp where Christian kids are trained as Soldiers Of God, and one of them goes home and stones his adulterous mother to death.

Lead guest star Sean Astin gives a great performance. When does he ever give a bad one?



The Jury. Episode 3. "Three Boys and a Gun" Anna Friel is superb as one boy's defence when a neighbour is shot by a gun he may or may not have been holding at the time.

The episode opens with the closing of the case and we watch the Jury do their deliberations, while flashbacks show us events from the courtroom and the investigation. Friel makes a great impression. She's every bit as beautiful here as she is on Pushing Daisies but she has a different physicality here. She abandons all poise and grace and puts forward a character of passion who is haggard and over-worked.

Billy Burke is just as good as her opposite number. Their scenes together are superb. Each one sure that they are correct.

The jury themselves are all very good. There's a second story being told here: the story of how these twelve people relate to one another. And the cast carry it off very well.

Rita Rocks. Episode 1. "Pilot" Nicole Sullivan is wonderful. Richard Ruccolo is wonderful. But their sitcom is average. It's pleasing, but not amusing. There are no laughs. I like Rita and I like her story, but they would need to make me laugh to make me go back every week.

Life On Mars. Episode 1. "Out Here in the Fields" Harvey Keitel is the weak link in an otherwise strong ensemble (with Jason O'Mara blowing everyone else off the screen). It's a strong concept: cop from 2008 wakes up to find himself working as a cop in 1973. The case-of-the-week is strong and the recreation of the period is good. In a season of many, many dreadful new shows this competent average outing is one of the best. Nice for Life On Mars, but a sad reflection on the state of network TV at the moment.

Highlight? The Jury (After the verdict is given, we get to see what really happened.)
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