Gothamist: Law & Order Takes on the Food World

Doug

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 12:17:50 -0500

I really enjoyed Trial by Jury. Although the characters themselves didn't immediately grab me, I thought the defendants first conversation with his defense attorney really heightened the tension throughout. (It was so shocking it made me want his conviction that much more.) I was saddened and more than a little distracted that Jerry looked so ill, but since his role was so small I did allow myself to get past it. Although I did weep a little on the inside. I appreciated the scene with Branch and McCoy. It's like L&O porn to have them thrown into a scene together. (If only they had Serena to beat up on, it would have been the trifecta.) All in all, I thought the structure of the show was significantly different enough from the original that it could clearly stand apart. And the format lends itself well to great guest spots. (I really like the prospect of the top-billed guest star being the defense attorney instead of the defendant.) However, I'm going to have to invest in TiVo, because the time slot stinks. And, I got a real strong feeling that the target demo is female. I hope they keep it even enough to keep this male viewer interested. What did everyone else think?

Jorge

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 11:23:57 -0500

I think the Falls Foundation bit is based on the National Arts Club scandal- where the director of the National Arts Club on Grammercy Park was taking heat for letting little (African-American) kids into the park and the neighbors were complaining, and his twin brother ended up getting busted for tax evasion or something like that.

callavere

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 10:35:23 -0500

Come on, Jen! Tell us what you think of Trial by Jury! Have you watched it yet?

Jen

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 23:29:33 -0500

I love how ME Rodgers was eating a banana next to the cadaver. Also, the actor who played Bourdain-with-lip-gloss is Scott Bryce, who I loved on As the World Turns when I was 10 years old.

gerrard00

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 19:17:36 -0500

Best line of the show? "you doublemint freaks!" Almost Lenny worthy...I may be warming up to the new guy.

Moushkah

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 17:24:37 -0500

Wild ride on L&O last night. Loved the set up with the weird twin brothers who ran the Falls Foundation. Creepy. Cudos to the great casting in this episode. Also the actress who was the "tainted" juror, Susan Wands, hadn't seen her before - that was one rocket fueled character. She's amazing - where'd she come from?

Dirk

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 16:59:07 -0500

This was one of the better L&O of recent memory. Looks like things are finally picking up. My favorite scene was when Wendy Malick was talking to Annie Parisse about rough sex. The look on Parisse's face was priceless. I can't wait to see the new L&O... just to see Jerry one last time...

Michael Dietsch

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 15:15:52 -0500

I have a friend who works at Food Network; he says L&O filmed the kitchen stuff there and used the Food tech crew as extras. He also says that, yes, that was Rachael's kitchen set.

larry dvm

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 15:14:42 -0500

We watched it in open-mouthed bewilderment. Ripped from the headlines? More like Dick put the whole Post through a shredder! In the opening, we thought the private park beside the "Falls Foundation" might turn out to a thinly disguised Ford Foundation (the show used to film in front of our landmark building all the time when I worked there), which is beside the gated Tudor Square. Unlike the "Falls Foundation," the Ford Foundation is actually a foundation--an endowed tax-exempt organization that gives money in the form of grants to charitable organizations. The term foundation gets misused all the time, particularly by well-meaning but inexperienced people entering the nonprofit sector. All these celebrity "foundations" that raise money are foundations in name only. They are, in fact, public charities. For more complete and detailed information, visit the Foundation Center's site.

don

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 14:52:47 -0500

I looked up the actor playing the celeb chef. Turns out he's a big soap star, which explains why he was so good at those long smoldering stares. I thought he was wearing too much lip gloss, though.

coco

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 14:49:55 -0500

I watched it and thought it fantastic, too. Did you notice the familiar kitchen set when they arrested the perp? It was none other than Rachael Ray's kitchen from 30-Minute Meals. I'm certain, b/c I'd know that oven anywhere.