Customer Reviews

Excellent Show Finding Its Stride - By: Sam, 20 Aug 2005
I was a little concerned about buying "Law & Order S2" as I wondered if it might've aged poorly, etc, but I needn't have been concerned. Spoilers ahead.

George Dzunda wasn't happy about being away from his family filmingin New York, so his character, Det. Greevey, is killedin the opening scene of Season 2 [a very cruel scene for the character, forced to his kneesin the rain while his wife watches from the house, then shot], which paves the way for Paul Sorvino's entrance as Det. Cerreta, new partner to Mike Logan.

They guys have an excellent & enviable rapport & seem to genuinely like one another, it's a reminder how stiff & somewhat stale the show has become of late, there are little moments of brevity & friendship between the two cops of a kind that have been absent from the shows latter-day. Sorvino is an excellent addition to the cast, warmth & intelligence but able to turn on the menace when need be.

During one of the highlight episodes from this set, "Heaven", 53 people have died after a social club was torched & emotions are running high -- during an interrorgation scene Sorvino barely says a word, just looks at the suspect & takes a step towards him -- I swear, it's one of the most chilling moments, & reminds you what a great actor the man is. He & Chris Noth work well off one another & the transition into their partnership is handled well, a few friendship-forming disagreements, etc.

Any worries about the quality of the show back then are immediately dispelled, the image & sound are perfect [if not a little better than the over-saturated lighting of the current series, actually] & the writing snaps along with more wit & sophistication than most shows ever muster, yet which Law & Order specialises in.

There isn't a bad episodein the series, each quickly becomes gripping. The only "negative" really is ADA Robinette's awful wedge haircut, although the character stands well as the introspective, moral right hand of Ben Stone's lead ADA, himself a touch more human, fallible & wry than Sam Waterstone's current DA Jack McCoy, who comes across somewhat humourless & even fascisticin comparison.

Don't worry about buying this DVD from the shows early days, it's better than ever & you won't regret it -- this is superb, intelligent television at its best.