"Entrapment" has a very gutsy topic, 'Law and Order' and the entire 'Law and Order' franchise were no strangers to challenging subjects but not many at this point had topics that took a lot of guts to tackle at this time and not many episodes make the FBI as bad as they do here. Have said many times about having a lot of admiration for how 'Law and Order' and franchise approached the subjects they tackled, back in times where it would have been easy to shy away in fear of offending but that's actually not the case a lot of the time.
Season 7 started off so strongly with the first seven episodes, with "I. D." and "Corruption" being especially good (brilliantly actually), so it was a shame that the previous episode "Family Business" was its first disappointment. "Entrapment" disappointed for me too. It is far from a terrible episodes, none of 'Law and Order's' episodes were at this stage, but it is like "Family Business". With it being a case of a good first half and an underwhelming second.
There are plenty of good things here. The photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone. The episode is sympathetically yet uncompromisingly directed.
As indicated above, "Entrapment" starts off well. The policing intrigues and the rapport between Briscoe and Curtis (a lot more settled than it was in Season 6) is snappy with Briscoe's one-liners amusing. The interaction in the legal scenes provokes thought too and the whole entrapment thing does have some tension. The performances are strong in lead and supporting, then again one doesn't expect anything less from the regulars and Michelle Hurd is a standout.
Did feel however that "Entrapment" doesn't fare as well in the second half. Although the truth was not surprising at first, the more that is revealed it did for me get on the over-complicated side to the point of being confusingly muddled, including a major goof regarding a witness that was not easy to swallow.
While there are moments of tension, "Entrapment" actually could have done more with the subject matter and not being as careful, even when the truth becomes, or intends to be, intense the tension could have been more. Don't know why it didn't, 'Law and Order' have dealt with far more difficult topics and didn't hold back doing so. Also didn't find many of the supporting characters that interesting and it went too far on making the FBI look bad, they are far from immune from mistakes but portraying them as incompetent is not going to bode well with some.
In conclusion, uneven with good points and not so good. 6/10.
Season 7 started off so strongly with the first seven episodes, with "I. D." and "Corruption" being especially good (brilliantly actually), so it was a shame that the previous episode "Family Business" was its first disappointment. "Entrapment" disappointed for me too. It is far from a terrible episodes, none of 'Law and Order's' episodes were at this stage, but it is like "Family Business". With it being a case of a good first half and an underwhelming second.
There are plenty of good things here. The photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone. The episode is sympathetically yet uncompromisingly directed.
As indicated above, "Entrapment" starts off well. The policing intrigues and the rapport between Briscoe and Curtis (a lot more settled than it was in Season 6) is snappy with Briscoe's one-liners amusing. The interaction in the legal scenes provokes thought too and the whole entrapment thing does have some tension. The performances are strong in lead and supporting, then again one doesn't expect anything less from the regulars and Michelle Hurd is a standout.
Did feel however that "Entrapment" doesn't fare as well in the second half. Although the truth was not surprising at first, the more that is revealed it did for me get on the over-complicated side to the point of being confusingly muddled, including a major goof regarding a witness that was not easy to swallow.
While there are moments of tension, "Entrapment" actually could have done more with the subject matter and not being as careful, even when the truth becomes, or intends to be, intense the tension could have been more. Don't know why it didn't, 'Law and Order' have dealt with far more difficult topics and didn't hold back doing so. Also didn't find many of the supporting characters that interesting and it went too far on making the FBI look bad, they are far from immune from mistakes but portraying them as incompetent is not going to bode well with some.
In conclusion, uneven with good points and not so good. 6/10.
