Law & Order (TV Series) Aftershock (1996) User Reviews

Was Claire's fate always hinted at?

[rossmcfarlen · 10/10 · 19 October 2020]

Of all the ADAs who came and went over a 20 year series, it is Gill Hennessy's character, Claire Kincaid, who is my overall favourite.

Though confident, bright, knowledgable and hard-working, Claire conveys a sense of the unsettled ingenue, and no matter how committed to each brief (read episode), she may not be a right match, psychologically, to her chosen profession.

This uncertainty is alluded to in another episode when she jokes with an old classmate from Law School (fitting setup to the close of this episode) about them both packing it all in to run a flower shop - I presume somewhere in Hicksville where there are no city cops, disillusioned lawyers and no dregs of urban mankind; the meat & spuds of the Law & Order franchise.

These career doubts percolates nicely into Kincaid's final episode on L&O, when she returns to aforementioned Law School (after a pointedly grim start to the day) and has a philosophical chat with her old Professor (step-father) about the whys & wherefores of the death penalty.

Her black leather jacket & denim jeans betraying a rebellious spirit; but also a sense that she's in soul searching mode about her career in law, after going through a recent work-related trauma.

*****

The subsequent ADAs, have their own strengths & merits...but none have Kincaid's self-deprecating charm and moral uncertainty about their chosen profession. It's this self-doubt and and a conveyed sense of uncertainty that made Kincaid particularly special IMO.

A forlorn ending, but a must-see episode for all fans as we get to see the very human side to cops & lawyers: Briscoe & Briscoe's sidekick, McCoy & Kincaid.

Poor Claire...

Best Episode of the entire 20 years

[cathie454 · 10/10 · 22 March 2014]

Someone asked when this episode will be shown again...all the episodes are on Netflix; I've been watching them all again, in order. Amazing that every week, for so long, they came up with interesting, intriguing situations and had one of the best dramatic casts ever. They used the death penalty in this episode to add background information on four of the main characters; without preaching, they made the audience think about the issue by showing how and why each of the characters reacts the way he or she does. I have to admit that Lennie falling off the wagon was upsetting, and then the surprise, tragic ending tears me up every time I see this episode. Law & Order is one of those television shows that will retain it's quality forever.

I worked death penalty cases. This episode got it right.

[hayley96 · 9/10 · 29 February 2020]

I almost don't know where to begin. I handled death penalty cases as a public defender and a prosecutor. I left the practice before any of the defendants I convicted came up for execution. But our office did have a couple and the cops and lawyers who worked the cases were a mess the day of the execution. This episode nailed the emotional tone. The personal stories each character tells is a layer deeper than where the show normally goes.

aftershock great episode

[lost_321 · 7 April 2008]

Okay, so I'm a Law an Order fan, So what. I actually like it and no I'm not over the age of 40 and not a cop nor a legal student or whatever. Im actually just a young guy (early 20's)who likes a strong crime fiction story line with some good acting squeezed into one hour. So anyway, Im commenting on this particular episode because...well because its good. I have seen many law and order episodes and from the earlier seasons with George Dzunda to the newer variations (if your reading this then you know what I'm talking about), and none have impacted me like this one episode and I've only seen it twice. Its starts with an inmate execution that leaves Det. Briscoe, Det. Curtis, Mckoy and Kincaid all reacting differently about what just happened. The episode provides a deep background of their motives for who they are and why they work so hard. You see the color the characters unlike in any other episode they almost look lost as oppose to the strong direction and moral understanding of what there lives are about, in most episodes. Not in this one however, you see each of them question themselves and put into compromising situations that let you judge what kind of characters they are. Keep an eye on D.A. Jack McCoy,played by Sam waterson in this episode never have i seen him, or any other main character, so vulnerable.

Anyway, I try to look out for this episode whenever its on. If ever the opportunity arises to see this episode I recommend you watch it. How will you know whitch one it is? you ask. well, you will know it when you see it. Trust me.

PS. if you a Jill Henessy fan i highly recommend this one.

Tears and shock

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 24 March 2021]

'Law and Order's' Season 6 was uneven, though not as much as the very mixed bag that was 'Criminal Intent's' Season 6. There were a lot of fantastic episodes, but also a few that could have been a lot better while still being decent. The season finale "Aftershock" made a big impression on me on first watch, when first getting into the 'Law and Order' franchise in my mid teens it was one of the few episodes to reduce me to tearful silence at the end.

"Aftershock" couldn't have been a better way of ending the season, not just a contender for the best episode of Season 6 but also one of 'Law and Order's' finest. It not only has held up extremely well, it actually is one of those episodes that got even better overtime. Being still one of the few episodes that has never failed to make me cry and the shock value hasn't gotten old either. As far as 'Law and Order' goes, "Aftershock" is special and one case of once seen never forgotten.

Everything is of superb quality here. Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, Jill Hennessy and Benjamin Bratt are all wonderful. Especially Orbach at the end, his reaction to what happens is quite heart-breaking and sees a side to him not seen before up to this point. The chemistry between them is beautifully balanced and always natural. The script is tight and intelligent, the tone is a typically serious one but to me it didn't become melodramatic or dreary.

Structurally, "Aftershock" is a quite unique episode. With it being the one episode to begin with an execution and then concentrate on the four characters that witness it, their reactions and how they deal with it. That didn't come over as soapy and it was interesting how their minds worked and how the execution affects them, we also get some illuminating character development for Briscoe and McCoy particularly in how they work, their motivations for why they came to be the way they are, why they are in the jobs they are and their levels of commitment. It has been said that Curtis behaved out of character, yes he did behave differently to before and does go against what he stands for usually but seeing something that affects you so harrowingly does often make one behave oddly and out of step.

It is a very powerful episode, it was from the very first scene. And it is spot on in how people, police, attorneys and the public alike, feel on the day of executions and watching them, meaning emotional wreck level. The ending, the episode's most talked about scene, is truly shocking and heart-wrenching.

The production values are suitably slick and gritty, with photography that is reliant on close ups that have an intimacy without being too claustrophobic. The music is didn't come over as too melodramatic or like it was emphasising the emotion too much. The direction is sympathetic while still giving momentum.

All in all, absolutely brilliant. The season was an uneven, but it ends on the biggest of highs. 10/10

very touching episode

[mse42 · 10/10 · 29 July 2008]

have only seen this episode twice, but always miss the first 5 minutes. the show is written well enough, that even though missed that time, its made up during the show. this is my favorite TV show, but my opinion is still unbiased. (stopped watching during dennis farina days). if you are an avid watcher, you know they give some insight to the private lives of the characters. this episode really gave human qualities to each character. i see someone put a spoiler here, but each time i saw it, i was truly shocked. you don't see the ending coming. almost cried each time. won't give details of the show, but it it well worth watching. you won't be disappointed. if anyone knows when will be shown again, please post.

Absolute Best Episode of Entire Series

[seamovieman · 10/10 · 11 April 2019]

This episode is a great reward to any fan who has watched the show since Season 3. It is completely different than any other episode in many ways - and winds up being the best. It really is the apex of the show; the series never gets better than this season and this one episode.

The show usually follows the formula of a crime committed, catching the criminal and then prosecution of the criminal. We rarely see even a glimpse of the lead characters' lives.

But instead, this episode has no crime. Rather, it gives us a detailed and insightful look into the lives of each of the four leads.

In the story, the prosecutors and detectives attend the execution of a criminal they have convicted. Seeing it does not sit well with any of the four.

The remainder of the show details both how they deal with their feelings, most of them acting out in ways antithetical to their usual strengths. One character does not act out, but sticking to the lens of life proscribed in "Law & Order," this character is not rewarded - far from it.

Rashomon reworked for American TV

[rbkjr · 9/10 · 26 January 2019]

The famous Akira Kurosawa film, Rashomon, from Japan many years ago is redone for a 1-hr. American TV production. It's a retelling from the main protagonist's viewpoints, including Lenny, Rey (the 2 detectives) & the ADA, Jack McCoy. Some of the other peripheral characters are all there but not focused on as usual this time. The 3 protagonists go back to Attica prison to witness an Execution they were all involved in 1 way or another in putting this guy behind bars; the aftermath is the main part of this well-thought out plot & how each person deals w/ their emotions & feelings about whether they did the "RIGHT THING" putting this man to death! Lenny tries to forget it by going to a bar & shooting pool b4 finally giving in to having a REAL drink, after running into McCoy, who's pushing down several scotch & soda's and talking to another couple guys he met at the bar...talking about his OLD MAN "walking the beat" as a cop & always wanted to do the same; the pressure was too much to succeed at something better than the father did. Meanwhile, Rey has met an attractive young lady who convinces him to take her to lunch, after which they end up back at her apartment kissing & dancing to the music they bought in the used CD bins set up in the park. Each of the 3 is very aloof & acting strangely than their normal demeanor. The emotional affects & psychological undertones runs thru each person's "take" on how the day ended up...sadly, Clare (the asst. to Jack McCoy) offers to drive Lenny home after getting a little drunk (when he's normally sober & a member of AA) but her good deed got her punished when a work van blindsided her directly into the driver's side, killing her instantly as Lenny walks around in a shock, saying nothing but taking in ALL THE PAIN THAT WAS RELEASED IN JUST 1 DAY. Obviously, that was Clare's (Jill Hennessy) last episode...What a way to go OUT! A gut-wrenching tear-jerker of an episode. One of the best, well written episodes not to mention the roller-coaster ride of the journey you've never seen about the inner emotions & how this affected their views of each other & namely, THEMSELVES!

Best of the best

[loboblanco9 · 10/10 · 24 July 2018]

A truly touching episode. The best episode of a great series. I won't get in to the story as I am in no way a critic. What I am is a fan of the series with what I consider good taste. This episode touches me emotionally every time I see it. When a story continues to tug onto emotions from well developed characters I consider it a success.

A great departure episode

[bpete333 · 10/10 · 14 February 2023]

This was an utterly fantastic episode. It's nice to take a break from the procedural formula. Great insight to the characters, especially McCoy and Briscoe. I nice to see this cast just act rather than just push the plot/case forward. I enjoy the show and it's procedural format but it's nice to switch it up.

And for the (few) people complaining about it being anti-death penalty, it's not. It's not making a political statement. It's conveying the weight of implementing/witnessing said penalty. I personally go back and forth on whether I am for it or not but I know I'd have more mixed feelings if I witnessed a state execution. That's what this explores and it does it well. No character, other than Claire, expresses they're against it. They just talk about how they feel being a part of the case/trail that end in someone sactioned death. That's interesting to me. And I don't need every character express only opinions I agree with. Shows would be very boring if that happened. If you don't like this episode because of that or that they broke from the procedural format there's almost 500 other episodes you can watch.

10 Stars - Excellent Episode

[jul_g · 10/10 · 6 August 2022]

"Aftershock" is a perfect name for a brilliant episode. Shock after shock throughout, I'm not sure what was the most shocking: Lenny taking a drink, Ray cheating on his beloved wife, the opening scene, Claire's death at the end. I loved the intimate talk between Claire and Van Buren. And am wondering what, if anything, was going on between Claire and Jack McCoy.

The only thing wrong with this episode is that there was no real follow up to all these cataclysmic issues in subsequent episodes. Lenny the alcoholic seemed to immediately bounce back from taking that drink, we don't know how Ray handled his infidelity, and there were no scenes of mourning Claire.

Personal reflections

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 21 May 2019]

Nearly the whole cast of Law And Order regulars go up to witness an execution which in real life never took place because New York hasn't executed anyone for almost half a century now. Still the law went into place after George Pataki's election and in this story all the regulars have some personal reflections.

We see Jerry Orbach interact with both of his daughters and it's not all nostalgic. Neither is it with Sam Waterston at a cop bar talking about his father on the Chicago PD. Dad McCoy wasn't father of the year.

The occasionally self righteous Benjamin Bratt spends some time with a woman not his wife, innocently enough. And we see Jill Hennessy and we learn her father is a law school professor.

The show marks the demise of one regular and the near demise of another. We learn a lot about the lives of our cops and lawyers in this exceptionally well acted story.

Moral Dilemmas.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 17 September 2012]

An attempt to try something different in the series. There is no crime to be unraveled, no criminal to be prosecuted. The principals witness an execution and are, in their different ways, disturbed enough to go through some changes. McCoy, for instance, gets drunk in what is supposed to be McSorley's Old Ale House (but isn't) and spills the beans about his life under a domineering father who died of cancer. It's the sort of tale one drunk might tell another, without ever mentioning any of it to his colleagues.

More acting commitment is required than is usual. Not only McCoy drunk, but Ray unfaithful, Lenny demolished by his daughter, and Kinkaid thrown into a philosophical conundrum.

It's a character study, and an episodic one, rather than a crime story. I think I prefer the crime stories, repetitious though they may have been. There's something satisfying in the formula, the Big Reveals accompanied by that CLANG on the sound track. Further, the morality isn't really gone into. We simply see people reacting to what we take to be their having been frazzled. Mostly, they talk around the issue of capital punishment without really dealing with it. They chat instead about dart game, horses, and Chinese food.

Claire's abrupt end

[jpmjr-54639 · 5/10 · 12 March 2020]

A very different episode (a non sequitor) from the other 455 episodes. We see Kinkade, McCoy, Curtis and Briscoe go about their personal lives after witnessing an execution. This is probably the only episode in the series that showed these workaholics having a life outside work and not on the job.

I liked McCoy and Briscoe in this show and how much character they show. McCoy revealing what a domineering jerk of a father He had while Briscoe admits He was a lousy dad after lunch with his daughter.

I didn't like Curtis who gets sent home from work for being rough on a suspect and He decides to just have an adulterous one night stand with Jennifer Garner. What the heck? A very out of character move for what is supposed to be a dedicated family man.

Kinkade is the only one who doesn't do anything self destructive in this episode and just contemplates quitting her job and talks it over with Anita and her law professor/stepfather.

4 characters Two get drunk One commits adultery One has lunch while going through a personal crisis and is the designated driver. One of these 4 dies at the end of this episode in such an abrupt way that makes no sense. 😡

Strong episode. One of L&O's best

[playtime88 · 9/10 · 17 November 2021]

Someone wrote a review about the death penalty not being in effect in New York at the time of this episode. That is not true. While the reviewer was correct that NY hadn't executed anyone since 1963, the death penalty was enacted in New York State under Governor George Pataki in 1995. New York didn't execute any criminals before the state's statute was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals in 2004. Just wanted to put those facts out there.

This episode was a nice break from the usual crime, investigation, arrest, trial format of the show. Character development is often neglected in these types of shows, so getting to learn more about all of the lead characters adds depth and texture to the series.

Ray shows that despite his self righteousness, he is a human with the potential for errors in judgement just like everyone else.

Briscoe's falling off the wagon illustrates that the struggle with alcohol addiction is never over and the damage it causes to loved ones sometimes is impossible to overcome.

McCoy shows that he wasn't raised in the perfect nuclear family.

And last, but not least, Claire Kincaid shows that her opposition to the death penalty is more than just liberal posturing. She clearly is struggling morally with being part in an action that ended another person's life. And of course her tragic ending is a shocker that I sure didn't see coming.

It's a 'ten' but it's not the best

[fiftystate · 10/10 · 20 April 2021]

As a standalone episode it makes a great vignette but by breaking the format completely it is a novelty episode like "Mayhem" (the 5-in-1 investigation only episode.) Two great episodes, great writing, great twists, but not two great examples of why the series is captivating: It's a combined police and courtroom procedural. Being the most restrictive an episode like "Dissonance" s11e3 is an excellent example of the series with good humor, guest roles that contrast each other, reeling plot twists. Dismounting my most restrictive canonical high horse, the producers saved some of the best shows or roles for stars like Candace Bergen, Chevy Chase or Julia Roberts, among many others. Only a strong example for now, I'm not titling any title 'best' in this comment.

Getting away from reality

[tim-wilde-1 · 7 May 2008]

As an indictment, or at least a reflection, of capital punishment this episode doesn't wash.

The idea of angst-ridden cops and boozed-up prosecuting attorney's wallowing in soul-searching bouts of self-recrimination over their involvement in an execution is just about the most laughable thing one could imagine.

Despite the series's perspective L & O is very liberal in much of its subject matter once it gets away from the meat and potatoes style material that makes up much its content. This episode is a case in point where the writers imposed their standards or viewpoints on characters who, in the real world, wouldn't have cared less about the imposition of a sentence many in the law enforcement community whole-heartedly agree with.

I happen to be opposed to capital punishment, but I have family and friends working in the law enforcement community who constantly deal with all the worst elements of society and see a side of life that most of us thankfully don't have to become involved with. They can hardly be blamed under the circumstances for developing very cynical and hard-line views, particularly given the violence they're so often required to deal with. Ask most cops to render a view on capital punishment and the vast majority would nod their approval without a second's thought. I'd hazard a guess and say most attorney's working for a DA's office would feel the same way as well.

Eye for an eye?

[hiltonsmithjr · 10/10 · 29 February 2020]

It's NOT Fair the way L&O took out Kinkaid. It Is Human Nature the events that led up to her demise. Drinking or Not drinking. Choice. We ALL Have it to make. The B. Frickin. S. the writers insert IS that it is Blamed on the viewing of an Execution. SO??!! DID the Victim have the SAME Choice? NO! The Murderer got Off EASY compared to What HE DID. The Victim had NO Such Opportunity. I grieve for Claire; And, for McCoy, Briscoe and Curtis' feelings For her BUT, a UNRepentant MURDERER Received Justice. Good!

Cariou's cameo cameo as the lefty law professor

[dickersonjohng · 7/10 · 7 November 2019]

Len Cariou played a much more likable character in Spotlight.

Garbage episode

[Xeliou66 · 1/10 · 15 September 2016]

Without a doubt, the worst episode in L&O history. It was everything L&O wasn't supposed to be, it was a soap opera. We aren't supposed to have episodes devoted to soapy personal drama on L&O and thankfully, this episode aside, we never did. This was preachy, melodramatic, total crap fest. It didn't even feel like an L&O episode. It was like it was written just to kill off Kincaid and they did it in the most soap opera like way. This was just the opposite of what L&O was about, there were no cases to be investigated and prosecuted, just an execution and the characters unrealistic, uninteresting and stupid reactions to it. This episode sucked.

Why did Jack McCoy become a lawyer?

[charlesawarner · 19 May 2018]

In this episode, ADA Jack McCoy reveals that his officer was a beat cop who mandated that the first born (Jack) was to go to law school and become a lawyer... maybe a judge.

L&O goes SciFi 1963 Time warp against the death penalty

[evony-jwm · 1/10 · 12 May 2021]

Writers concoct episode on the Not existing since 1963 death penalty. Goof

Which causes the show's Democrat INGSOC liberals implementing it to go postal. Another Goof.

Alternatively this is an anti-drinking anti-alcohol meme. They all get drunk and destroy themselves, period, case closed.

Oh the episode's NY's DUI/DWI death resulting accident to kill the DA aka remove from next season's L&O would be? A Death Penalty offense, lol another Goof.

Soap Opera episode with no crime investigation, no court room drama. Unlike the rest of the series, or why some like an unwatchable episode.

Not a crime drama

[CrimeDrama1 · 5/10 · 26 July 2022]

Aftershock is one of my least favorite episodes because it is a soap opera, not a crime drama. I'd bet this was not Dick Wolf's idea and a writer or producer had to convince him to include it. The only intriguing part of this episode is the shocking final scene as we say farewell to Claire. I still shake my head. Writing off Claire could have been the final scene of any episode.

A Joke Episode?

[MyEinsamkeit · 1/10 · 9 November 2022]

They never explained what the inmate who was executed did to put himself in that position, but obviously he had to have killed multiple people or just did something horrible.

So they created an episode where instead of them crying and mourning about the victims who was killed, they sit up and whine and cry about a evil man who committed murder? Hahahahaha are you serious, were the writers drinking?

There were also people in the show who gave the detectives pats on the back for what happen. The writers wanted to show up what exactly? That's its ok for evil people to killed people and we're suppose to sit up and feed them everything, allowed them to live and watch TV etc.

Satan is truly laughing at this world at how he continues to deceived mankind. For anyone who received the death penalty who has killed people, good riddance. Remember the victims.

Remember innocent people such as "Hannah Graham".