The last episode of season five, "Pride", sees the exit of the last original member of the L&O cast (I'm counting the DA from the pilot, Alfred Wentworth). The episode itself is not that memorable except for the fact that at the very end Logan punches a defendant who has just been freed thanks to a deadlocked jury and a controversial topic that was part of his defense. This whole thing with Logan finally resorting to violence seemed a bit contrived. After all, Logan had verbally sparred with suspects before, and taken other cases much more personally than this one, but this is the first time he reacts this way. It results in his demotion and being sent to walk a beat in Staten Island, which is the subject of a later L&O movie, "Exiled". It's been said that the producers of the show decided to get rid of Logan because he was too much like Lenny, but to me this is what made their partnership click so well.
6 Reviews
Great Episode, Despite an Abrupt (and Controversial!) Ending
Better_TV10 June 2018
I'm torn on this one. I really enjoyed the plot and acting, especially a brilliant turn by Daniel Hugh Kelly (you've seen him in various soap operas and he was one half of "Hardcastle and McCormick" in the '80s) as a ferociously homophobic congressman.
On the other hand, this episode is also the final appearance of a major character - and the way it's handled just feels dismissive and abrupt. "He'll be fine," we're told right before the closing credits. L&O would become known for terse sendoffs that almost felt like last-minute endeavors, and there'd already been a few by this point (Cragen, Robinette, Cerreta, Greevey).
Outside of that, this a well-written episode about the death of a gay congressman and NY city politics. It functions well as a season finale because it deals with hot-button subject matter that's big in scope - it's not just some nobody Joe Schmo who was murdered over a lovers' quarrel or something.
I've watched it twice now, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, even with the odd ending.
On the other hand, this episode is also the final appearance of a major character - and the way it's handled just feels dismissive and abrupt. "He'll be fine," we're told right before the closing credits. L&O would become known for terse sendoffs that almost felt like last-minute endeavors, and there'd already been a few by this point (Cragen, Robinette, Cerreta, Greevey).
Outside of that, this a well-written episode about the death of a gay congressman and NY city politics. It functions well as a season finale because it deals with hot-button subject matter that's big in scope - it's not just some nobody Joe Schmo who was murdered over a lovers' quarrel or something.
I've watched it twice now, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, even with the odd ending.
Pride and prejudice
TheLittleSongbird13 January 2021
To me, Season 5 wasn't as good as the previous four seasons and it took a while for me to get used to Stone no longer being there. His replacement Jack McCoy also didn't connect with me completely straightaway. Having said of that, Season 5 was still yet another solid season with the only real disappointment being "Helpless". "White Rabbit", "Rage", "Cruel and Unusual" and "Bad Faith" were especially strong as episodes.
"Pride" is most interesting for it being the final appearance of Mike Logan for the original 'Law and Order', for a long time until his guest star turn in the 'Criminal Intent' episode "Stress Position" and then went on to being a lead on that show for three seasons. It is also the last episode of the season. It is a strongly executed finale with lots of good things, but it doesn't have the wow factor with the season having better cases. Logan also did deserve a better exit.
Am going to start with what "Pride" did very well in. 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. As to be expected, "Pride" also has a taut script with some nice one liners from Briscoe and tense interaction in the latter stages.
In regard to the case, it is not exceptional, with it being quite standard to begin with, but the tension in the second half is very well done. Which stems from one of Season 5's most loathsome supporting characters and from Logan's very intensely written conflict. Did think that the episode did very well with a difficult topic, difficult because of it being hard-hitting and controversial (with extreme opinions on both sides) and because it is easy to be one-sided, having too much of a judgement and heavy-handed. Which "Pride" just about avoids. All the regulars are very good, with Chris Noth giving one of his best performances of the show. Daniel Hugh Kelly is truly unsettling, calling his bigoted character truly vile is being kind and Kelly plays him to the hilt without being too pantomimic. Even those subjected to bigotry on most days will be shocked.
Logan in my view did deserve a better exit than what he was given. Do agree that it did come out of nowhere, was quite indifferently handled and ended the episode and season a little too inconclusively.
On the whole though, a very well done episode. 8/10
"Pride" is most interesting for it being the final appearance of Mike Logan for the original 'Law and Order', for a long time until his guest star turn in the 'Criminal Intent' episode "Stress Position" and then went on to being a lead on that show for three seasons. It is also the last episode of the season. It is a strongly executed finale with lots of good things, but it doesn't have the wow factor with the season having better cases. Logan also did deserve a better exit.
Am going to start with what "Pride" did very well in. 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. As to be expected, "Pride" also has a taut script with some nice one liners from Briscoe and tense interaction in the latter stages.
In regard to the case, it is not exceptional, with it being quite standard to begin with, but the tension in the second half is very well done. Which stems from one of Season 5's most loathsome supporting characters and from Logan's very intensely written conflict. Did think that the episode did very well with a difficult topic, difficult because of it being hard-hitting and controversial (with extreme opinions on both sides) and because it is easy to be one-sided, having too much of a judgement and heavy-handed. Which "Pride" just about avoids. All the regulars are very good, with Chris Noth giving one of his best performances of the show. Daniel Hugh Kelly is truly unsettling, calling his bigoted character truly vile is being kind and Kelly plays him to the hilt without being too pantomimic. Even those subjected to bigotry on most days will be shocked.
Logan in my view did deserve a better exit than what he was given. Do agree that it did come out of nowhere, was quite indifferently handled and ended the episode and season a little too inconclusively.
On the whole though, a very well done episode. 8/10
Controversial
safenoe4 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I'm enjoying catching up on the early seasons of Law and Order, and only today did I finally watch the season five finale, Pride. I didn't realize that Pride was the final episode for Chris Noth as
Detective Mike Logan, and here this episode pretty much mirrors the Harvey Milk case but only to an extent, and the twist about the motives of the accused, Councilman Kevin Crossley (Daniel Hugh Kelly) was all about pure political grandstanding. Now the writers had to kind of restrain themselves with the LGBTI tropes (yes there was one reference to the Village People) and all those prejudices coming from Logan. But I know what the writers were doing to try to redeem Logan when he punches Crossley at the end, as to kind of absolve himself from his negative views towards the LGBTI community.
Logan and Briscoe Did Have Great Chemistry
shelbythuylinh30 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
To get rid of Logan really what was Dick Wolf Thinking? As he was the last of the original cast members to depart there. But he would later show up on Criminal Intent.
But that over when a gay Congressman is murdered and his Conservative nemesis is accused of the killing there. The Conservative Congressman that Logan would punch and cost him his detective shield to walk a beat for up to five years in Staten Island.
It was the fault on all sides but really the guy deserved to be punched and Logan I wished could had left on his own terms. I wished that McCoy was the one who got punched in the face. Guy was too arrogant and over the top.
But that over when a gay Congressman is murdered and his Conservative nemesis is accused of the killing there. The Conservative Congressman that Logan would punch and cost him his detective shield to walk a beat for up to five years in Staten Island.
It was the fault on all sides but really the guy deserved to be punched and Logan I wished could had left on his own terms. I wished that McCoy was the one who got punched in the face. Guy was too arrogant and over the top.
A hero to my dad
bkoganbing10 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
When Chris Noth came back in Criminal Intent after leaving Law And Order prime Kathryn Erbe was wont to remark that what he did here made him a hero in the eyes of her dad. That is punch out a city councilman and one with a big mouth. There've been many a politician I'd like to have punched out including some right now.
That's what he does here to Daniel Hugh-Kelly who represents Canarsie in Brooklyn but is looking for greener pastures and a more accepting constituency in Staten Island, but is being blocked by one of his colleagues, an openly gay one whom Kelly shoots.
For a lot of reasons, mainly some involving the closet Sam Waterston and Jill Hennessy can't close this one. Unlike the Harvey Milk case on which this is clearly based, justice is denied the Milk like victim. One of the reasons are some less than discreet remarks Detective Mike Logan made in a homophobic past. Noth has to own up to them on the stand and the comparison with the right wing homophobic Kelly leaves him uncomfortable and unhappy.
In New York City one does not switch constituencies the way Kelly is trying. The writers were very careless on that point. Robs Noth's first farewell to the Law And Order franchise of its effectiveness.
That's what he does here to Daniel Hugh-Kelly who represents Canarsie in Brooklyn but is looking for greener pastures and a more accepting constituency in Staten Island, but is being blocked by one of his colleagues, an openly gay one whom Kelly shoots.
For a lot of reasons, mainly some involving the closet Sam Waterston and Jill Hennessy can't close this one. Unlike the Harvey Milk case on which this is clearly based, justice is denied the Milk like victim. One of the reasons are some less than discreet remarks Detective Mike Logan made in a homophobic past. Noth has to own up to them on the stand and the comparison with the right wing homophobic Kelly leaves him uncomfortable and unhappy.
In New York City one does not switch constituencies the way Kelly is trying. The writers were very careless on that point. Robs Noth's first farewell to the Law And Order franchise of its effectiveness.
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