‘Law & Order’ Recap: ‘Bad Apple’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

LAW & ORDER -- "Bad Apple" Episode 24008 -- Pictured: (l-r) Fredric Lehne as Captain Greg Stockwell, Maura Tierney as Lt. Jessica Brady, Reid Scott as Det. Vincent Riley, Mehcad Brooks as Det. Jalen Shaw -- (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

​Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2408 of ‘Law & Order’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular conundrum we all hope to avoid in the workplace, is being the person that has to decide whether or not to speak up about something unethical or illegal happening around us. In part because, no one wants to deal with that and the drama it entails, we just want to go to work and do a good job to feed our families and our passions. But also… because… it’s a hard call to make. For while we know the right thing is the way to go, it also causes harm and chaos and can make life difficult until the drama passes, and we don’t want to deal with that. But dread or no, that moment will likely come, and we should err on the side of what’s right for reasons that are outlined in the fall finale of Law & Order on NBC.

For ‘Bad Apple’ saw quite the case come into everyone’s lap. In that, a good cop named Harrison was found dead one fine morning in the city and that of course, rattled the NYPD and forced Lieutenant Brady to take point on this case. Because this deceased cop was from her former precinct and she felt compelled to bring justice to the fallen and for a time, it seemed as though this would be an easy one to solve. For Harrison was recently involved in a big drug raid and since he helped chase the kingpin off, he would be target number one for revenge, so everyone needed to find the kingpin. Which they did through a citywide manhunt and in the process, recovered the murder weapon. Making this one an open and shut matter.

But Brady had concerns. Because something in her gut told her this was wrong, especially since Harrison was known to be a whistle blower and well, she began to wonder if something greater was at work. Something that involved Detective Miles Brandt, the deceased’s shady partner. So, she carefully set up a trap, one that worked to a tee and put him on trial, but that… did not go as smoothly as expected. For the brotherhood built in Brady’s old unit wanted no part of the truth, and even the captain, who knew all about the ugliness that happened here, had little interest in opening up that can of worms. He just wanted to coast to retirement and forget that Brandt was a dirty cop that took money from busts and felt the need to exact revenge upon his partner for doing the right thing by speaking up.

Which put Brady in that difficult place. Because she… had heard about the illegal things that Brandt did from Harrison as well, and also made a point to sweep that under the rug, as per the brotherhood expected, and that left her wondering… what she could do to finally set things right and bring about justice for the fallen. So… she took the stand, and she made it clear that Brandt was a dirty cop and committed the ultimate crime and that was enough to get a conviction and put that scumbag behind bars. But alas, there was a price to pay, because Brady did let this slide for far too long and that brought Internal Affairs into her office with questions. The kind that might bring her great trouble when the show returns in 2025.
But what mattered more, is that Brady did the right thing, and she truly made a point to teach us… why we have to do the right thing when this conundrum arrives. So that we don’t cover anything up and find ourselves regretting doing things right, and to not embolden the wrong people to keep going and escalate. And regardless of the consequences, we will feel good about choosing the right side, and that made for a powerful episode. One that finally showcased Brady and her past, and what she stands for after keeping her in the dark for most of this new season, and this set the stage for more potential change in the office. Since we don’t know if she will survive this mess and if she can lead a team well since the Blue Wall tends to hold grudges. But while we wait to see, we can revel in a smart and engaging tale, and a quality fall finale to a show that continues to impress after all these years. Until next time.

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