Law & Order (TV Series) Hate (1999) User Reviews

It's all about hate, but there is nothing to hate about this episode

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 16 September 2021]

Anything race related is covered and depicted a lot, but that is in no way a bad thing. Racism, a major issue for decades, is a very brave and difficult topic. It also is a very important thing to address and explore and today it maybe should be addressed more with it being just as bad. Another major and relevant issue tackled is freedom of expression, something that should exist definitely but is too often abused to the point that it becomes hate speech.

"Hate" is another great episode from Season 9, of all the Season 9s of the three major 'Law and Order' shows (the original, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent') that for this show is by far the best and most consistent seeing as those for the other two were very up and down. It is not perfect or the best episode for anything to tackle these issues, but it does very well addressing the themes. "Hate" is not the first or last episode to tackle the themes, but so much is done brilliantly.

To me, "Rage" and "Profile" as far as other 'Law and Order' episodes go tackled racism especially with more tact and everything with the freedom of expression could have been more subtle. Especially with the character of Willis, who comes this close to being cartoonish and is one reason as to why there should be a limit.

On the other hand, "Hate" is excellent everywhere else. The production values as ever have slickness and grit, with an intimacy without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when it's used but does so without being intrusive, some of it is quite haunting too. The direction is also understated but the tension never slips, the second half being full of it.

Script is taut and intelligent. It is very intelligently crafted and has intensity and edge, most of it doesn't preach either and tries to not make too much of a judgement. The story is lean and pulls no punches, providing edge of the seat tension and emotion.

Character writing is spot on with genuinely tense conflict in the chemistry for the legal scenes. As is the acting from all the regulars, while Michael Cumpsty relishes his part and Paul Dawson is suitably unnerving.

In conclusion, excellent. 9/10.

Comes with the territory

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 22 February 2015]

The law is something that gets in the way here as Jack McCoy decides he's going after rightwing merchant hate peddler Michael Cumpsty. In his position I might have done the same thing.

A young teenage girl, one whom we find out is incredibly naive and just wants to fit in is found clubbed and stoned to death and left hanging like Mathew Shepard on a tree in Central Park. It turns out she fell in with a group of white racist skinheads who think she might spill some club secrets. And it is poetic that she be left like Mathew Shepard since during the course of show, a gay bashing is described.

The real doer here is a hate filled kid played by Paul Dawson and he's positively unnerving in his hate for all that is different from him. But there's a zealot played by Cumpsty who has a farm where Dawson and his crowd come and hear how they have to kick some gluteus maximus for the white race.

As leader of the skinheads Dawson's guilt is unquestioned, but Cumpsty's speech revolting as it is, can it be translated into a call for action, especially against one particular victim?

When you say you have a society that relishes free speech, problems like these come with the territory.

Betcha Bannon Hates This One

[tzvikrasner · 8/10 · 9 October 2017]

A group of teen Nazis lynch a naive girl who was going to expose them, and the DA not only goes after them but the white supremacist who inspired them. Guarantee you a number of the "fine people" who were at Charlottesville have a problem with the portrayal of their movement in this episode.

Good episode with a fine story-line. Also, props to future TV forensic detective Anna Belknap, playing a fifteen-year-old when she was already in her late twenties, and turning in one hell of a performance for only her second on-screen role.

Closing arguments

[lfarnhamtme · 10/10 · 27 March 2022]

Would love to find a clip or even a written copy of Jack's closing argument. Phenomenal!

Wish that everyone could have a listen &/or read this most brilliantly written oration.

A thorny subject

[lor_ · 26 July 2023]

Though dating back nearly 25 years, this "Law & Order" episode starring Sam Waterston is as topical as ever. "Hate" deals with the important but tricky subject of Free Speech, and especially the whole notion of incitement. With Trump and the owner of "X" (previously known as Twitter) in the news every day, it's a hot topic that nowadays is argued more on the level of one's preconceptions rather than rationally where honest debate is possible.

Waterston in court couldn't be beat as a spokesman for the legal aspects of the issue, and it's a credit to the 'Law & Order" writers room that I couldn't figure which way the jury would decide in the case of the "teacher of hate". Certainly, the ground-level criminal who carries out a hateful deed of violence will be judged guilty, but what about the man behind the scenes who tries to justify such actions, and then cops out with the First Amendment as cover?

Definitely food for thought, a durable segment withstanding the test of time handily.

Another masterful lesson on selective outrage.

[m-47826 · 1/10 · 17 January 2024]

This show suffers too much from far left shenanigans, and the McCoy character is at its most self righteous each time the « white peoples are bad » bandwagon is entering the station. This episode is yet another proof of the hypocrisy of American society, that tolerates communitarian behaviors and whine about the backlash. In « Hate », it's about white supremacy, because you guessed it, it was the most PC way to go. And one where writers could spew their hate without risking to have their show taken off the air. I'm not sure if they saw the pattern themselves, but it seems like each of McCoy's DA is here to give him a reality check. Carmichael was the only one truly objective to the situation for once, but it's a shame the jury fell for her colleague's silly arguments. Skip it.

Goes after All (about 5 total) "skin head" teens in America

[evony-jwm · 1/10 · 15 March 2021]

The only thing more stupid than white supremacists are law and order writers. Prima facia evidence is this unwatchable episode