Bait

A shop owner, before opening up his store, figured out a seventeen years old kid was lying before the shutter, shot in the chest. Bums living there were not so clear to detectives. Luckily the victim managed to survive but he lied to police about what happened to him (two assumed black guys assaulted him, stealing his car). Actually, a teenage girl (his girlfriend) bought condoms at a local pharmacy and the receipt were still inside the stolen car: unfortunately she was killed as well that night. The right path involved a drug dealer, the young kid has just been a small fish. But the boy still hid something to the police, he was actually a snitch called "Mr. Weekend" by his peers who received a better treatment from a previous arrest under duress.

Detectives and lawyers had hard times in dealing with a fellow detective (José Zuniga) not so cooperative, because he had strong ties with the defendant. McCoy compelled Lennie to testify against his real will.

"Bait" was one of those 'Law and Order' episodes on first watch that had a number of good things but did feel on the ordinary side and didn't stick in the mind long after. There are episodes of the show and the 'Law and Order' franchise in general that felt like this, but there are many on both counts where that type of episode on first watch fared better on rewatch and were better than remembered seeing it through older eyes.

Season 9's "Bait" is one of those episodes. It's not quite up to the same level of the previous two Season 9 episodes, but it is still truly excellent. On paper it sounds fairly standard and is a bit ordinary to begin with, but the execution is a lot more complex than that. When things become meatier and twistier "Bait" becomes very intricate and it is one of those episodes that induces anger and outrage by its end, because of objecting so much to the legalities surrounding drugs.

As said, "Bait" starts off a little on the ordinary side and didn't immediately grab me straightaway and did think too that the final 5 minutes or so were on the rushed side from trying to cram a lot in.

This is a feeling however that didn't last long at all and the rest of "Bait" is truly excellent. It is as ever shot with the right amount of intimacy without feeling too up close, even with a reliance of close up camerawork. That the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time is great too. The music isn't over-scored, manipulative or used too much. There is intimacy and tautness in the direction.

The performances are never less than superb across the board, with a chilling performance from Jose Zuniga standing out. Now his character is one that one wants to be taken down. Sam Waterston's authority and ruthlessness shines too, as does Jerry Orbach's conflicted intensity. The script is intelligent and lean with no signs of fat. It also has intensity, emotional impact and even the odd sprinkle of humour, with it being especially good in the conflict between McCoy and Briscoe and anything with Rivera.

Really liked the storytelling too. A lot happens, without mostly being over-stuffed. It is complicated too without being convoluted, and it is basically one of those episodes that leaves one deep in thought and outraged.

Concluding, great. 8.5/10.