LAW & ORDER:

THE THIRD YEAR

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: cases dealing with sexual crimes, language, violence

Rated:

Just entering its stride as television's most impacting and controversial hour a week, Law & Order's third season stretches the bar with more twists and turns than ever before. It endangered some characters and introduced others. It also marked the final season for Captain Cragan and Paul Robinette.

After the scandalous death of a sleazy photographer in his high-priced Manhattan apartment, Mike Logan (Chris Noth) and Phil Cerreta (Paul Sorvino) uncover a prostitution ring running in the heights of society. The two don't always agree when it comes to personal opinions but make a formidable team as members of New York's finest. Determined to run down all the leads in the case, the cops overlook a vital clue to the end result, leaving ADA Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) to clean up the mess. The air has barely had a chance to clear before the African American leader of a civil rights group in the black community is assassinated. With racial tempers running high and the eye of a nation hard on their efforts, the detectives find the AAC unwilling to assist them in solving the case. The mostly-white cast members are put through prejudice as they sift through the likely candidates and come up with an explosive investigation.

From there the series explores immigrant slavery and other cases of racial prejudice, discrimination, and slander. There are corporate villains and drug busts, arguments on the right to keep and bear arms, and Colombian hit men. Every episode pushes further than the last and grants the audience numerous notions to chew on, from where they stand on racial issues to the perils of being a cop in the big city. There were a lot of surprises this season, from a near-fatal cop shooting to the disturbing rape of Dr. Olivet (Carolyn McCormick). And finally, there was Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach). A recovering alcoholic and three-time divorcee, along with Sam Waterston in later years, Briscoe became synonymous with Law & Order. He has a wisecrack for every occasion.

As per usual for the series, every episode revolves around a crime, most of them homicides. Someone comes across a body and the police are called in to investigate. Sometimes the law delivers justice, and sometimes vengeance is carried out on courthouse steps. Men are shot and killed. Bodies and photographs of crime scenes depict blood. Exhumations are carried out. Language is mainstream and rarely pervades the plot. Crime victims and associates are involved in extramarital affairs. There is immorality among suspects. A few cases become more personal. The first episode ("Skin Deep") discusses prostitution, underage sex, and contains partial nudity in photographs. It's implied the photographer was sleeping with a fifteen year old girl (Claire Danes). "Helpless" is a difficult episode to watch because it revolves around a gynecologist who molests his patients. It's implied that Dr. Olivet is given a sedative and raped. An audio recording of the encounter is played twice (moaning and brief dialogue). "Point of View" involves a woman claiming that she killed a man in self-defense because he intended to assault her. 

"Extended Family" accuses a father of sexually molesting his six-year-old. "Promises to Keep" discusses an illicit affair between a psychologist and her patient. "Conduct Unbecoming" believes the murder of a Navy officer has a sexual angle; strippers are seen at a navy party (one walks down a hall topless; only her bare back is seen). "Manhood" revolves around fellow officers leaving a gay policeman to die out of prejudice and hatred. More of the episodes are risqu in their subject matter than years before, but don't prevent them from packing a punch. The standout episode in the season is "Prince of Darkness," revolving around a complicated case of Colombian hit men. 

One of the brilliant things about Law & Order is its ability to shock the audience. Not only is a main character shot and nearly killed in the explosive fifty-minute episode, it also accumulates in a profoundly impacting conclusion. After a successful case, Adam Schiff picks up the phone and is told that all the remaining witnesses in the trial have been killed. Ben Stone then asks about the victim's little girl, and is told she was picked up from school by her uncle. After a long beat, he replies, "She doesn't have an uncle." That is the stuff of legends.