In this episode ADA McCoy smiles as the bad guy refuses his plea and convinces him he's so guilty. When McCoy believes he's right (and most times he is) he has this smile that leaves no doubt he's very confident. In this episode the accused person says he didn't do it. Then comes the trial and McCoy's dog and pony show where he does his best to present his case. 99% of the time he nails it. In this episode the 1% creeps in. You'll have to watch and see. It's a good one.
4 Reviews
Die hard with a vengeance
TheLittleSongbird6 July 2022
"Payback" did have a quite interesting subject, although it is not much new. 'Law and Order' have done stories dealing with hitmen and the mafia quite a number of times before, almost all of them better than here. What 'Law and Order' and the whole franchise in fact has done well in quite a lot is its uncompromising handling of tough topics and also making something interesting out of basic or often explored premises, though the variety has varied.
As said, the basic concept here in "Payback" has been done better since and especially before. Where there has been more tension, surprises and also more variety, there is enough of two of those in "Payback" but not quite enough of one of them. Is it a great episode? No, not to me it isn't. Is it one of the best episodes out of Season 14? Again no and it is a disappointment compared to the brilliant previous episode "Darwinian". Is it good? Yes.
It could have done with more tension and edge, which is what one expects for a story like this, with it suffering from that it is fairly familiar ground. There are enough surprises certainly, but to me it did get on the over-complicated side later on from trying to throw too much in.
Elisabeth Rohm is very stiff and bland, not surprising as she was more often than not the cast weak link.
However, much is good in "Payback". The production values are still fully professional, the slickness and subtly gritty style still remaining. The music is sparingly used and is haunting and thankfully non-overwrought. The direction shows some nice tension in the legal scenes. The script is taut and intelligent enough and doesn't get too talky, despite a lot of information to take in.
The story generally compels and it never feels predictable or dull, it just needed more variety and didn't need to try and try to make it more complicated than needed. Apart from Rohm, the acting is very good, especially in the second half. It has to be said though that Briscoe and Green's pairing never got old.
Overall, not great but well worth watching. 7/10.
As said, the basic concept here in "Payback" has been done better since and especially before. Where there has been more tension, surprises and also more variety, there is enough of two of those in "Payback" but not quite enough of one of them. Is it a great episode? No, not to me it isn't. Is it one of the best episodes out of Season 14? Again no and it is a disappointment compared to the brilliant previous episode "Darwinian". Is it good? Yes.
It could have done with more tension and edge, which is what one expects for a story like this, with it suffering from that it is fairly familiar ground. There are enough surprises certainly, but to me it did get on the over-complicated side later on from trying to throw too much in.
Elisabeth Rohm is very stiff and bland, not surprising as she was more often than not the cast weak link.
However, much is good in "Payback". The production values are still fully professional, the slickness and subtly gritty style still remaining. The music is sparingly used and is haunting and thankfully non-overwrought. The direction shows some nice tension in the legal scenes. The script is taut and intelligent enough and doesn't get too talky, despite a lot of information to take in.
The story generally compels and it never feels predictable or dull, it just needed more variety and didn't need to try and try to make it more complicated than needed. Apart from Rohm, the acting is very good, especially in the second half. It has to be said though that Briscoe and Green's pairing never got old.
Overall, not great but well worth watching. 7/10.
Collateral damage, the cops called it.
Mrpalli775 December 2017
In a stable where horses used for carrying tourist rest, an old part-time driver was found dead by gunshot. He was a former bookie who recently helped mobsters as an informant. A crescent moon mark was found on his neck and that hint helped detectives in investigating murders happened in the past by the same hit-man. Then Briscoe and Green realized a district attorney's husband was shot dead some time before by a gun of the same caliber and the murderer left the same mark. In both cases, all clues lead to a local Italian American don (Joseph Ragno) who has just been released from prison, easily linked to both murders. Being old, he hired someone to do the dirty work, a real estate broker who looked meek at first sight. McCoy and Southerlyn cut a deal after all the proofs found in the defendant's safe deposit box, so case closed? Not at all folks, Feds come in....
An episode in which we see prosecutors playing dirty, by collecting information from spies and by changing deals for the greater good. Justice is not served at all.
An episode in which we see prosecutors playing dirty, by collecting information from spies and by changing deals for the greater good. Justice is not served at all.
The latest thing in Hit Men
bkoganbing27 October 2013
The murder of a bookie who was driving a horse drawn cab in Central Park sets off an investigation by Jerry Orbach and Jesse Martin that leads to a retired Mafia don who is trying to make a comeback. But to the outside world Joseph Ragno puts on a crazy act which undercover sources say is just that, an act.
This episode also presents the latest thing in hit men. The shooter of this bookie who informed on Ragno and the husband of a US Attorney who prosecuted him is in fact a real estate salesman who moonlights as a hit man. What I could not buy is the fact that T. Scott Cunningham puts his own trademark on his work. I mean that's just plain ridiculous.
There are wheels within wheels on this one with different branches of law enforcement and different factions of organized crime all working their own agendas here. Not sure if justice is truly done in this story.
This episode also presents the latest thing in hit men. The shooter of this bookie who informed on Ragno and the husband of a US Attorney who prosecuted him is in fact a real estate salesman who moonlights as a hit man. What I could not buy is the fact that T. Scott Cunningham puts his own trademark on his work. I mean that's just plain ridiculous.
There are wheels within wheels on this one with different branches of law enforcement and different factions of organized crime all working their own agendas here. Not sure if justice is truly done in this story.
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