User Reviews

It is thirteen episodes in and although 'Law and Order' understandably had not completely settled and even better followed when things gelled more (like the pacing and some of the character writing), the general standard of the previous twelve episodes was very high. So the show was already at a promising level at this incredibly early stage. "Everybody's Favourite Bagman" and "Prisoner of Love" disappointed a little, though were still solid enough, but "Indifference" especially was outstanding.

"A Death in the Family", if not quite a 'Law and Order' classic, for me is one of Season 1's better episodes, or up to this point of it at least. It represents very well what is so great about 'Law and Order', or at least it has what makes me like the show so much and why it's my personal favourite of the franchise, even if later episodes (like the best of the Briscoe years) did it even better. Also a good representation of why the very early seasons pre-Briscoe are worth seeing and undeserving of being near-neglected, being aired nowhere near as regular as the Briscoe and post-Briscoe years.

Throughout, "A Death in the Family" is very slick in the production values while also having much class too. 'Law and Order' is a gritty show in the storylines and tone, and the photography especially is a good match for that quality. The music is only used when necessary and when it is used it does stick in the mind and not done in too heavy a manner. Both the main theme and opening voice over linger in the memory. It is directed with a confident and sympathetic edge.

Writing continues to become tauter, up to this point of Season 1 and 'Law and Order' in general even "A Death in the Family" is one of the most tautly written episodes. Stone's dialogue is so juicy, especially in the latter stages, and the line quoted in this review summary courtesy of Logan is quite the gem. The climactic moments really stand out in the writing and in the tension and intrigue stakes. The story, with echoes of the Larry Davis case, is one of the season's twistiest, with more than enough twists and turns to satisfy and a vast majority of them do keep one guessing. It is always absorbing, some of pretty hard-hitting too without being too sordid, and the higher body count in a short space of time for this point of the show with the detectives on the scene for not one but both of them is an interest point.

Meatier character writing would follow much later on, especially in the supporting roles, but the characters are still interesting enough, especially Stone. A character that the writers clearly had fun with. The acting carries "A Death in the Family" very well indeed, do agree that some of Michael Moriarty's finest acting is in the climactic moments, particularly when presenting the closing argument.

Did think though perhaps that the truth about the deceased could have been revealed a little later, especially for something as shocking as here.

Overall though, excellent. 9/10

In an unusual twist to the Law And Order standard pattern, Detectives Logan and Greeney were on the scene of not one but two homicides. First a man lands on the roof of their car during a surveillance of a drug dealer. Then while Chris Noth and George Dzundza check out the apartment where the recently deceased fell from, two uniform cops go to the roof in pursuit of the fleeing subject of the surveillance. Shots ring out and Logan and Greeney find one of the uniform officers dying of a gunshot wound and the partner Wendy Makkena just numb in a state of shock.

Every person on the NYPD is out after the drug dealer that was being watched who is now labeled a cop killer. Still during the course of the investigation a lot of unpleasant facts about the deceased are found out.

One of Michael Moriarty's finest pieces of acting comes in the final scene where ADA Ben Stone is before the Grand Jury presenting the facts. I only wish it had gone on a bit longer.

This episode had lots of twists and turn that came to a surprising conclusion.

Excellent performance from Wendy Makkena, who played Officer Nicki Sandoval and of course. Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone. Makkena also did a 3 episode stint on NYPD that was pretty good too.

While seeking out the criminal Brutus Walker in his building, Sgt. Greevey and Det. Logan see a man falling from the building on a police car. They talk to a witness that has just seen Walker throwing the man through the window of her apartment, when they hear gun shot on the roof. They run and find police officer Pete Rennick dead on the roof and his partner Nicki Sandoval in shock. Walker becomes the prime suspect, but Sandoval provides confuse information. Their further investigation show that Rennick apparently was a dirty cop. When Stone and Robinette assume the investigation, they learn the truth about the case of the cop killer.

"A Death in the Family" is an episode of "Law & Order" with a case of police crime. This time, the theme does not have any polemic. The plot has a good, but predictable twist when the identity of the killer is disclosed. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Uma Morte em Família" ("A Death in Family")