Punk

I remember seeing her in a Law & Order Criminal Intent episode and Vincent D'Nofrio and Katherine Erbe were heading the cast. I didn't catch her name then, but when I saw this Law & Order episode I recognized her, even though it was a totally different type of role. I think her acting in this episode was very convincing and moving. This was an episode that caused me to think and care about this character. When an actor or actress makes me want to care about them, no matter how flawed the character is, that, to me, is one of the main ingredients I look for in considering great acting! Cara Buono's portrayal in this role was,for me great acting! I'd go so far as to say she should have at least won an Emmy nomination for her role in this.

This is a gripping story, but Cara Buono made this episode. Her performance is a standout! Why is she listed below the men? I had a difficult time finding out who she is. I just rewatched the episode for about the 4th time, always taken by her portrayal.

One of the biggest appeals of 'Law and Order' has been the topics it addresses and issues that come with the topics addressed. Also with how they are explored, the execution more often than not was hardly sugar coated or trivialised and was often pull no punches in quality. On first watch, "Punk" struck me as a very good episode that does so much right. Despite disliking Carmichael's, speaking as somebody who usually likes her, attitude.

My feelings on "Punk" are pretty much exactly the same. It is still a a very good episode on the whole with many fantastic things, as well as a couple of things done not so well that were also sporadic recurring problems. It's not one of the best episodes of Season 9 and not one of the best of 'Law and Order', but still has plenty to show why 'Law and Order' is such a fine show and why it in its prime was my personal favourite of the franchise.

"Punk" is another case of one half being better than the other, with it starting off quite unexceptional and routine.

Also really didn't like Carmichael's selfish and non-empathetic attitude towards the case, which is laid on too thickly.

However, so much is done fantastically. It is a slickly made episode, the editing especially having come on quite a bit from when the show first started (never was it a problem but it got more fluid with each episode up to this stage). The music is sparingly used and never seemed melodramatic, the theme tune easy to remember as usual. The direction is sympathetic enough without being too low key.

Furthermore, "Punk" has a thoughtful script that like a lot of 'Law and Order' episodes raises interesting questions worthy of debate with somebody, the moral dilemmas of the case treated intriguingly. The story is tactful but also pulls no punches, making one feel sad and angry. Nothing is too simple or too complicated and the second half even is riveting and keeps one guessing the more complex it gets. The character writing and interaction are near-on point and the conflict has genuine tension.

While not caring for Carmichael's character writing, Angie Harmon still plays her very well and has settled likewise. Melnik is a great character with a lot of passionate energy. A big selling point with "Punk" is the exceptional performance of Cara Buono, who has a complex unsettling presence and makes her character feel real.

Concluding, very good. 8/10.

I've never warmed to Abby Carmichael as assistant DA, but she's utterly unbearable here. Her smug self-certainty and complete lack of empathy come to a head in this story of a woman, previously convicted by Carmichael of drug offenses, who has been a victim of repeated rape by prison guards. There's a revelation at the end of the episode that is supposed to put a new spin on Carmichael's attitude, but it's too brief and superficial. The overall feeling is one of frustration and anger, despite the terrific performance by Cara Buono.

At first, in this episode the story seems contrived. A corrections officer is murdered in the community and a female inmate is accused of arranging the murder from inside a prison. The inmate claims that the corrections officer was raping her But the murder is not the main element that drives the story. The assistant DA, Harmon, who is female, is hostile toward the defendant and does not conceal her hostility. The question is: why is this assistant DA so hostile toward this one defendant? No one understands it. Out of all the cases this assistant DA has handled, why is the so focused on this one defendant? This mystery transform a rather unoriginal plot into something that creates interest. Soon, attention shifts away from the defendant to the assistant DA as she continues to fume over what she claims is one of the lowest human beings on the planet. Although the defendant has a checkered past, her rap sheet does not seem to suggest a record that is especially egregious. That means nothing to the assistant DA who is absolutely determined to get a murder conviction, even though the defendant was allegedly being raped. To find out why the assistant DA was so hostile, watch the episode. It contains one of Angie Harmpn's stronger performances.