Law & Order 07x05, “Corruption”

If I had a time machine, I wouldn’t change a lot about this show. One change I know I’d make? I’d give these two more scenes together.

McCoy: People v. Willick, I overstepped back then. One day, you’ll thank me for yanking your leash, Mike. Sometimes I wish someone had been there to yank mine.

Law & Order 19x04, “Falling”

McCoy: You wanna tell me what this is?
Cutter: I’m guessing you already know.
McCoy: No operation. No hormone therapy. You’ve attached an illegal stipulation to a plea. You violated Mrs. Talbot’s rights. The judge will repudiate this document.
Cutter: I can sell him on it.
McCoy: I’m repudiating it! You’ve gone completely off the reservation here!
Cutter: Just imitating the master. People v. Willick? The Munchhausen-by-proxy case? Did you forget you made enforced sterilization a condition of a plea for a woman who killed her babies?
McCoy: I remember! I also remember the judge reaming me out for it. He was right!
Cutter: You followed your instincts, I’m following mine! It’s what we both get paid for!
McCoy: You get paid to follow orders. The court didn’t buy the argument the Talbots are assaulting their daughter. It’s time to turn the page, Mike!
Cutter: I have an executed plea agreement. I’m moving forward. You want to take the case away, that’s your call.

Law & Order 19x04, “Falling”

In 1973, Tennessee Williams’s play The Glass Menagerie was adapted into a made-for-TV movie. I hated the play when I read it for a class. I did not hate this movie, however, because of these two gentlemen pictured above.

Your eyes do not deceive you: Jack McCoy and Ben Stone coexisted on the small screen. Sort of. Sam Waterston played Tom Wingfield, while Michael Moriarty played Jim O’Connor. Both were nominated for Emmys, and Moriarty won his. I thought they were both extraordinary, even though Sam’s accent had me in stitches throughout the film.

My fellow Law & Order buffs ought to find it within themselves to see this movie and see these guys in their youth (both about 32 years old) playing men completely different from those we’ve become used to seeing in the courtroom. Do yourself the favor. It’s available on Netflix Instant and well worth the hour and a half, regardless of your opinion of the play.

McCoy: I’m surprised, though.
Cutter: About what?
McCoy: Given a chance to keep his job, I thought he’d hold on with both hands. What did you say to him yesterday?
Cutter: I, uh, I told him that I had this list of his latest assignations with prostitutes.
McCoy: [seeing the paper is blank] I’m not sure I approve.
Cutter: “Not sure”? I thought you wanted to win this election.

Law & Order 19x22, “The Drowned and the Saved”

Prostitute: Ain’t no question about it, that’s my stuff in there. You’re buying me lunch, right?
Rubirosa: Uh, yeah. Sure.
McCoy: Is there any particular reason why this office is flying gay prostitutes in from all over the country?
Cutter: It’s the Cody Larson trial.
McCoy: He’s entitled to a jury of his peers. That’s fellow citizens, not fellow hustlers.

Law & Order 19x06, “Sweetie”

Judge Bradley: Mr. McCoy.
McCoy: Permission to approach. I’ve just been made aware of the substance of the plea agreement in this matter.
Judge Bradley: Then you know it attempts to impose a questionable stipulation.
McCoy: My office doesn’t sanction that stipulation and will remove it. I’d like to apologize to the court and Mrs. Talbot for this error in judgement.
Judge Bradley: With the removal of the stipulation, the court has no objection to the plea agreement. We may proceed with the allocution.

Law & Order 19x04, “Falling”

Cutter: Jonah Applebaum is the Boxcar Basher?
McCoy: You just put an insane serial killer back on the street.
Rubirosa: He doesn’t know that we know that. We could still pick him up.
McCoy: You damn well better. This could be Willie Horton all over again.
Cutter: Willie Horton? You’re not worried about the election, are you?
McCoy: I’m worried about everything. About him killing someone else. About the way this office is run. A serial killer, in our hands, and then released. Am I being too picky?

Law & Order 19x21, “Skate or Die”

Not gonna lie: I love it when Jack gets to lay the smack down. I love it a lot.

Who deserves an Emmy nod more: Sam Waterston or Sam Waterston’s eyebrows?

McCoy: Ward’s no fool. Step out in front of a jury with what you’ve got now, you’ll have your heads handed to you.
Cutter: She can push for a speedy trial all she wants. I can stonewall her.
McCoy: And at the end of the day, you’ve still got the bigger problem: a very sympathetic defendant whose family was decimated by the full force of the U.S. government.
Rubirosa: David and his sister lost their parents. Ward won’t let the jury forget that.
Cutter: They’ll be too focused on our overwhelming evidence against David.
McCoy: So why am I feeling underwhelmed?

Law & Order 19x16, “Take-Out”