MovieChat Forums > Law & Order (1990) Discussion > This show should never have been put on ...

This show should never have been put on the air.

posted 9 years ago by artguylarry
15 replies | jump to latest

I hate this show. And not because it's poorly acted or poorly cast. This show has had the best of the best.

I hate it because excessive force is justified here. Guilty until proven innocent every single time. THIS is exactly why US citizens have such distrust for our own law enforcement. And this is why so often it is rightful to have that distrust. They take down whomever they can as quickly as they can starting with whomever is in closest proximity to the crime. Families, bystanders, business owners, it doesn't matter. Any scapegoat will do, as long as they can pay themselves on the back for taking them down so quickly.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] darkavenger77 9 years ago

I hate it because excessive force is justified here. Guilty until proven innocent every single time.

It appears we have been watching two different shows. The actions you describe would be more accurate on Hawaii Five-0 (2010) where the rights of suspects are routinely violated. I've never seen anyone on Law & Order (1990) handcuff someone to a chair and beat them. On this show, attorneys were routinely shown in interrogation rooms. I'll admit they were incompetent since no competent attorney allows their client to speak to police, however I'm sure that was done for dramatic effect.

IMO the problem with US law enforcement is that the newer officers are a product of our declining society. Officers are not genetically fabricated in a test tube, they come from the communities where they work. This began some time ago and was IMO exemplified by a president in the 90's that proved you could grossly lack morality/honesty and retain your job.

Found an IMDB troll? Remember:
The best thing you can do is report + ignore them.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] myndchanger 9 years ago

dark, I agree with some of what you say but it started in the 80's by a president that lacked honesty/ethics and any morality that wasn't attached to sex.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] jennielucas 9 years ago

The episode Endurance exemplifies this innocent til proven guilty. Jack sees with fresh eyes, and the case ends quite differently than one would expect.

Taking positions on health care management *does* get to me. Any form of alternative treatment, or refusal of treatment, is ridiculed and criminalised. I simply delete them from my DVD and move on to something complex and fascinating. Plenty of those episodes available!!

[–] Walls Of Jericho 9 years ago

Spoken like someone who's not watched a minute.

[–] jennielucas 8 years ago

I have every episode on tape and DVD, with frequent re-viewing.

[–] webmiss88 9 years ago

If you don't like it, then don't watch it. See how easy that is!?

[–] jennielucas 8 years ago

Second Opinion, the one where the teens starved their baby to death, and the Casey Anthony ripped from the event headlines episodes all dealt with choices. And those choices being ridiculed because they're not "mainstream". Choosing your own treatment for cancer, that aggressive La Leche counselor refusing to give the teen parents the choice of bottle-feeding, and finally, the woman (always women's choices. Interesting) who chose not to vaccinate her child. We're out here, bucking the system. Having babies at home, refusing vaccinations for religious reasons, choosing not to suffer through chemo. We're out here and thriving.

[–] Xeliou66 8 years ago

You are a proven religious nut. I bet you like Trump.

[–] kenburke0627 8 years ago

They show it the way it is, warts and all.

THE LAW IS THE LAW!!!

[–] Helena727 8 years ago

THE LAW IS THE LAW!!!

Using BOLD CAPS doesn't make it carved in stone.

Laws change constantly, just as society changes constantly. Laws change because society changes. And laws vary greatly from nation to nation; for example, the US is the only industrialized nation in the world that still imposes the death sentence, that lagged behind on gay marriage, that lacks a single-payer (= cheaper and more efficient) healthcare system, and that refuses to adopt the metric system (which is used by 95% of the world) ...

"All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people."

[–] Xeliou66 8 years ago

This show is great because it shows the way the justice system works, both the good and the bad parts of it. It provides a realistic depiction of how both law enforcement and prosecutors handle their cases. It shows that it isn't really a matter of all good or all evil, their are both good and bad parts to the way the justice system works.

[–] Helena727 8 years ago

artguylarry, I agree that such behavior is why so many Americans distrust their own law-enf agencies. And I agree that it's not the way to go, so I'm not justifying it. But, I am reminding you of the context: Violent crime was at an all-time high when this show came on the air, and I think people were hungry for quick fixes.

Sadly, the real solution -- social justice and an equitable (NOT LEVEL BUT FAIR) version of capitalism -- takes so long to implement that it never *has* been implemented, and society gets worse, and angry people elect crackpots who promise quick/easy fixes that ultimately do more harm than good.

"All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people."