Law & Order (TV Series) Standoff (2000) User Reviews

Texas law in Manhattan.

[Mrpalli77 · 6/10 · 4 November 2017]

An accident occurred inside Rikers prison. An inmate was stabbed dead and another one (Otto Sanchez) was wounded in what looked like a fight ended up badly. Right away the injured prisoner was bailed out and detectives start following him: they find him inside a pizza parlor, where they're shocked in realizing he's actually an undercover officer. So investigation comes back to square one. The CCTV footage inside the joint doesn't show what really happened because the murder occurred in a blind spot: the killing was staged very carefully. Due to prints found in the murder weapon (a shank) police manages to recognize the perp, a lowlife with two murders on his record but without any motives. Someone (a correction officer) set up everything as a payback for a previous rape made by the victim.

Correction officers stay very close to the defendant, trying to cover him up as a sort of fraternity. Anyway there are too little evidence and only a not so reliable witness, maybe the sender could get away with it at trial. Or maybe not? It depends on McCoy.

One dog of a case

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 4 August 2020]

I suppose that the New YorkCounty DA's ofice had to prosecute, but this case was a dog from the start for Jack McCoy.

Two members of the Latin Kings are sabbed at Riker's Island one fatally. The investigation leads to a stone cold white supremacist type Dan Moran. But Moran says he was hired to do it by Corrections Officer Matt Mulheren who had itin for one of the victims.

When the facts become known all sympathy goes to Mulheren, especially since as defense attorney Ned Eisenberg points the Peopl's case rests solely on Moran's testimony. As for the deceased he did a monstrously terrible thing.

Some cases are DOA from the start.

Confrontation

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 2 May 2022]

"Standoff" is another 'Law and Order' episode where the concept isn't anything original but still has enough to make one interested in seeing it. Personally do prefer the episodes that tackle more difficult and controversial topics that are still to this day hardly outdated, or at least ones that are more so, but again if a fan of 'Law and Order' (show and overall franchise) or wanting to see all the episodes there is no reason really to avoid "Standoff".

A large part of me was rather disappointed in this, of the four episodes up to this point of the season "Standoff" is my easy least favourite and one of the weaker entries of Season 11. It is certainly a watchable episode and has a good deal to like, but the legal portion (which in most episodes is better than the policing) bring the story down quite significantly. And it did feel like a short running time episode stretched out to twice as long.

There are good things here in "Standoff". Production values have the usual slickness and grit and the music is unobtrusive and gives big revelations even more impact without over-emphasising. The direction is deliberate but not sluggish on the most part. The script has a lot of talk but doesn't feel rambling.

Did think too that "Standoff" starts off quite promising and the policing was intriguing. It helps too that the teaming of Briscoe and Green has settled so well since Green was introduced in Season 10 and that the two have entertaining and gritty chemistry. The performances are all great from the regulars and Matt Mulhern successfully makes his character interesting and the viewer unsure as to whether he is guilty or not.

However, "Standoff" is very predictable with very few surprises or shocks. Also found too much of it routinely paced and over-stretched. This could easily have been 25-30 minutes but is stretched to 15-20 minutes longer despite the case having very little to it.

On the whole, the case is bland and lacks tension or much emotionally investable. Worst of all is the ridiculous flimsiness of the prosecution argument, which is very thin on the ground, with a conviction being very difficult to get, and could easily have been thrown out of court on so little evidence and evidence that could be disproven easily. It is amazing actually that it actually went to court in the first place. The ending felt rushed and underdeveloped.

In conclusion, has a good number of good things but the thin case and the flimsy prosecution spoil it. 6/10.

Misconduct by detective?

[mikeos3 · 6/10 · 24 July 2021]

An inmate is stabbed in the abdomen. While being questioned by detective Green he bad mouths him with a racial slur. Green responds by torturing the inmate. Nothing is said about this by his partner Briscoe. We can assume therefore that this behaviour is approved of.

Warren Wilhelm cut gang units, corrections

[evony-jwm · 1/10 · 23 March 2021]

Also released are even violent criminals. This case is unbelievable at every turn.. no evidence, all witnesses self serving with motives to kill. Correction officers threaten DA's. Skip next when binge wstching.