Promises to Keep

With the episodes from 'Law and Order's' middle period and from its later seasons airing so often, it is very easy perhaps to overlook the early seasons. Meaning in my view pre-Season 7. That is a shame, because 'Law and Order' in its early years was more often than not good to fantastic with some truly fine episodes in each of the seasons in question. Even if there were a few not that major bumps along the way and times where it didn't always feel settled, Season 2 for example took some of its first half to completely settle.

"Promises to Keep" is one of the fantastic episodes. It is one of the best of Season 3 and an early season standout in its own way. There are many episodes that show perfectly what 'Law and Order' is all about as a show and "Promises to Keep" is one of them, if anybody got into the show via the later seasons (admittedly me being one) and hasn't seen any of the pre-Season 7 episodes yet should really do so and this is a strong example as to why. Everything here works.

It is a must for two things especially. One is the chillingly cunning performance of Lindsay Crouse in one of her better performances perhaps. The other is the powerful, quite the knockout scene between Meade and Olivet (played beautifully by Carolyn McMormick and they contrast just as beautifully).

They are not the only good things though. As said, everything in "Promises to Keep" is good. While Crouse gives the best performance, Jerry Orbach and Michael Moriarty are also excellent in their roles as one would expect. The character chemistry is right on too, especially between Meade and Olivet in that aforementioned scene. It's slickly shot with nice use of locations while the music is wisely not constant and is unobtrusive.

Furthermore, the script is thoughtful and tonally expertly balanced, whether it's the taut legal scenes, some of the tense interaction in the legal scenes between the regulars and Briscoe's one-liners. There are moments of unsettlement, like with Meade's matter of factness on the stand but it's balanced by moments of amusement from Briscoe and Schiff. The story is riveting, it's never too simple or convoluted and has tension and unpredictability too. The first half where we see how the conclusions are gotten to intrigues but the second half is even better, with more tension.

Overall, fantastic. 10/10

What a treat it was to see Lindsay Crouse and Carolyn McCormick, two actresses who should be more famous than they are, play a scene together. Lindsay has been great in everything I've seen her in, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fourth season to first season of Hack to theatrical film House of Games. I'll always remember Carolyn from a guest role on Star Trek: The Next Generation as a holodeck siren in first season. Boy was she hot! I felt Riker's disappointment when he couldn't get computer to reproduce her. But I digress. This was one of Law & Order's better efforts (not that I've ever seen a bad episode). Evidently, writers were giving Steven Hill better lines in third season because suddenly he's making me laugh out loud. Lindsay plays a psychiatrist who is accused of influencing a patient to kill his girlfriend. Her explanation on stand for behavior vis-a-vis patient is patently absurd, yet funny because she delivers lines so matter-of-factly.

Some white privilege is faintly observed in Michael Moriarty in seeking what to do about perpetrator Frederick Weller. Just how culpable is Weller when he's manipulated into killing his girlfriend.

The girlfriend's body is found in Central Park and the investigation by Jerry Orbach and Chris Noth lead to Weller, a Robert Chambers like character but without Chambers's arrogance. He is quite the sexy package, still is today and he's been undergoing mental health therapy. It is there that psychiatrist Lindsay Crouse just can't resist. I know this gay man would have difficulty.

But Crouse wants him all for herself and she being is therapist knows how to push the right buttons to make him do it. New York County DA consultant Dr. Olivet wants her punished and she persuades Moriarty to indict.

Assigning culpability and as beautiful a package as Frederick Weller, he's putty in Crouse's hands. Yet he did the deed and has to pay. With Carolyn McCormick's insistence on the primary blame Moriarty tries to work it out that way.

Watching it though you can't help but wonder if this was some minority youth gangbanger would Moriarty have been so concerned? This is where some white privilege comes in.

Weller is fascinating and sexy, Crouse is manipulative and cunning. There are also great performances from Gail Strickland as the victim's mother and Fritz Weaver as Crouse's attorney and Roger Sebagi as the judge.