Two personal injury attorneys go on trial, accused of masterminding an insurance fraud scam involving staged rear-end automobile accidents.Two personal injury attorneys go on trial, accused of masterminding an insurance fraud scam involving staged rear-end automobile accidents.Two personal injury attorneys go on trial, accused of masterminding an insurance fraud scam involving staged rear-end automobile accidents.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on the 1996 "sudden stop" car accidents conspiracy in Chicago, Illinois.
- GoofsIntentionally causing minor vehicle collisions (fender benders) doesn't constitute creating a situation that causes a grave risk of death, so charging those involved with depraved indifference homicide (second degree murder) in this case would not be appropriate as ADA Carmichael suggests. However staging minor vehicle collisions does show a reckless disregard for the safety and well-being of the passengers in the cars involved in the staged "accidents", the appropriate charge for an accidental death caused by an action that constitutes reckless endangerment is manslaughter in the second degree.
- Quotes
ME Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: It could definitely be from an auto accident. Cause of death was a dissecting aneurysm of the aorta, caused by severe blunt force trauma.
Detective Ed Green: If it was so severe, why wasn't he more beat up?
ME Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: Oh, I've seen cases with no exterior bruising. It's a deceleration injury.
Detective Lennie Briscoe: As in motor vehicle deceleration.
ME Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: As in whiplash. He's thrown forward, then he gets pulled back by the seat restraints. This extreme jerking motion can cause traumatic injury to the aorta.
"Whiplash's" subject matter is no exception to this. This is a relevant subject that wasn't covered enough up to this point of 'Law and Order's' run and it is scary to see how truly unscrupulous people can be and doing so when thinking they are above the law. "Whiplash" does very well with it and for Season 11 it is very well done. Not a top 5 episode of the season, but in the better half of what was the first variable season of 'Law and Order'.
Did think that the first quarter was intriguing enough if not much to write home about, other than the chemistry between Briscoe and Green (as well as those two characters), with a seen it all before vibe.
Also thought that the last five minutes were a little over-crowded and rushed, a common problem in Season 11 and not unheard of either in the previous seasons.
However, a lot is truly great. Jerry Orbach (Briscoe is a very popular character in the franchise for very good reason) and Jesse L. Martin are never less than great leads and Sam Waterston shows his usual authority and ruthlessness in the second half. Matthew J. Burg and Christopher Patrick Mullen make unscrupulous very chilling, it is shocking at how much they got away with before caught and agreed it is amazing that it took this long. While the story starts off on the predictable side, it is riveting once it comes to trial. T no longer becomes too simple, surprises more and lots happens in terms of events and twists without being too complicated.
Furthermore, the dialogue is thought-provoking and has a pull no punches grit without being heavy-handed. It is shot with the right amount of intimacy without being claustrophobic and that the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time has been great too. Nice use of locations too. The music doesn't get over-scored or overwrought, even in the more dramatic revelation moments. The direction doesn't try to do too much and is understated but never flat or unsure.
On the whole, very nicely done once it gets going. 8/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- May 5, 2022