Written by John Edward Betancourt LAW & ORDER -- "Greater Good" Episode 24010 -- Pictured: (l-r) Maura Tierney as Lieutenant Jessica Brady, Mekhi Phifer as Lyman Ross -- (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2410 of ‘Law & Order’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
The nature of justice and its outright definition is something that is fiercely under debate right now and understandably so. Because the public simply do not believe that justice for all applies at the moment. After all, there are people out there now, making decisions that are causing great harm to others, and no one is doing anything to stop that. Yet, everyday citizens are put away for the simplest things, and sometimes… they are arrested for taking justice into their own hands because the police and others won’t help them in the slightest. All of which has us pondering deeply on those key concepts, along with what has to change to ensure justice is ‘for all’ as outlined in our very pledge. Well, it just so happens that Law & Order on NBC, pondered upon the answer to that question by way of a case in ‘Greater Good’ that brought that crossroads to the forefront of our heroes’ lives. For one regular night, a well-known and beloved mogul in New York City was gunned down in cold blood, and there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for it because of his standing. But soon, the investigation into his death revealed some dark truths about this man. In that, he did a ton of good for the community and others and used that for cover so he could conduct dark acts without anyone being the wiser. The kind that involved sexual trafficking and other disgusting acts, and well, when the father of one of those abused by this man got wind of what was happening, Lyman Ross took matters into his own hands and committed this murder. Which… brought about that very debate. Because in the eyes of the NYPD and the DA’s office, Ross was at fault here. For he killed a man, and our laws very clearly state that murder is a crime that harbors the highest penalties possible. But at the same time, he gunned down a disgusting human being. One who used power and money to influence acts just as illegal and just as atrocious. So, in the eyes of others… was Ross not just leveling the playing field? Because it was indeed an eye for an eye, and that left our heroes reeling. Because that same line of thinking came forth from an undercover cop named Vanessa, who almost torpedoed the case through perjury to save Ross… and well… while Ross was found guilty, courtesy of Shaw’s counter testimony, there was no joy or resolution to be found in this tale, and rightfully so. For this was… a no-win scenario. Because no good can come from murder, but no good can come from letting a monster persist and live… and clearly, the team didn’t exactly feel great about putting a vigilante hero away, but they also understood the oath they took and well… all of this speaks to why the debate currently exists in our world. Because justice has been perverted and men akin to the villain here get to commit crimes in our world and never once face consequences. Because we value the almighty dollar, and profits, and shareholders, and standing, over human life, and that’s why Vanessa is such an important character in this story. Since she is the one who takes the time to speak to actual long-term solutions regarding this debate and the conundrum that officers like Shaw face. In that, we need major reforms of the laws of the land. Wherein we hold to account the CEOs that let people die in the name of a profit, where we listen to those who have been hurt by the powerful so that we can uncover whether or not the person in question is a model citizen or hiding behind a mask. Because no one should be above the law, and the same goes for companies. and until we hold to that and demand that change, injustice will continue. Which makes this a poignant and thoughtful tale, one that truly does raise some good points and exposes some real flaws in the system. Which this show does well, and often, and this one will stay with us for some time, thanks to its timely commentary, and it will be interesting to see what other lessons about our world lie ahead as our heroes continue the good and endless fight against the evils of the world. Until next time. Watch ‘Law & Order’
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