Sisters of Mercy

"Sisters of Mercy" was made at a time where 'Law and Order' excelled at basing their stories on real life cases and also for tackling challenging themes. Something that in my view the later seasons, when the show also began to run out of ideas, weren't as strong in. This episode is an example of what the early seasons excelled in, here based on the 1990 Covenant House scandal and revolving around sexual abuse at a treatment house.

The episode "Sisters of Mercy" does a great job with presenting the issues raised, overcoming any hurdles that comes with tackling one of the most challenging subjects known to man. A subject handled in "Sisters of Mercy" with force and also tact, the full impact not being trivialised or downplayed and making for an appropriately not an easy watch sort of episode. One of the things that was particularly striking about the early seasons of 'Law and Order' and also of 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' was the pulling no punches approach and the ability of displaying tension and emotion as a result.

Maybe the ending is a little too neatly wrapped up and hasty, but there is very little to dislike here about "Sisters of Mercy".

Production values are slick as usual, the locations are spare in number but not used in too confined a way. The music fits well, only used when needed (namely underscoring in revelations) and doesn't over-emphasise the mood. The theme tune has never stopped being memorable, all the theme tunes in the 'Law and Order' franchise are that. The story is compelling, with the procedural work keeping one on their toes and not confused. The legal scenes are even better though.

With any conflicts having the right amount of tension and how the attorneys conduct the cases and any issues raised intrigue. The writing is intelligently written, approaching the subject with edge and sensitivity, and paced tightly. All the characters are interesting, although Powell's nastiness (to put it lightly) is obvious almost immediately the character is juicy and makes one care about the case being solved.

All the performances are on point too, while Paul Sorvino and Chris Noth work well together Michael Moriarty (helped by Stone being the show's most interesting regular character at this stage) is the one that commands the most of the regulars. William H. Macy is chillingly vile in his role, one doesn't always see him this evil.

Overall, great. 9/10

The case begins with a young Kelli Williams who accuses Sister Bettina of molesting her. Kate Burton plays the nun who has been called to help the girls at Haven House where young girls from the streets find a home. William H. Macy played Mr. Powell, the director. The original cast with Paul Sorvino was stellar but it was mostly all men. Still I preferred the early seasons of the series with Michael Moriarity as the assistant district attorney. Kate Burton and William H. Macy were experienced stage actors and they still are. I would have loved to have seen more of Kate Burton, Richard's daughter, as a regular character.

When a young homeless runaway played by Kelli Williams discharges a weapon in a diner it's Paul Sorvino and Chris Noth on the scene to take her in and question her.

Williams is a most disturbed young lady who reacts badly to nun Kate Burton from the place that sheltered her. Later on some accusations of sexual molestation from another client Judy Reyes surface against Burton.

But the real villain her in this charity that is half controlled by the Archdiocese is William H. Macy. Macy is one slick piece of work who as CEO of the place regards this as a private harem.

When Macy does go on trial where the witnesses against him are street kids his lawyer has a field day in cross examination.

Macy is one evil slick piece of work.

This one will have you on edge awaiting the outcome.

I watched Law and Order SVU until I ran out of episodes, then went back to the beginning with this series. I'm only on the second season, but A.D.A. Ben Stone is by far my favorite person on the show. He goes for what is right, no matter what the odds. He most definitely stands out as someone who is more interested in justice than simply winning. I really like him.

In an episode that is prototypical of A.D.A. Ben Stone's desire to make new law, "Sisters of Mercy" is the case of a troubled young woman who has an affair with the director of the home for recovering addicts in which she is living because the director says that if she doesn't she will be put out on the street. Prosecutors Stone and Robinette go for first degree rape, a charge that requires them to prove a direct threat of physical violence. Stone argues that since expulsion would have forced the girl back onto the street where she probably would have been killed, the threat to expel constituted a threat of violence. Although everyone, including his boss Adam Schiff, tells Stone that the judge will set aside the verdict because he won't share Ben's enthusiasm for making new law, Stone proceeds.