L&O was often a commentary on real life events, people, topics in their wheelhouse. When it was carried out effectively the results really stood out and when it wasn't they had the habit of missing by a mile. 'The Brotherhood' is one of the latter. Supposed to be a powerful piece on prison gangs and their scary reach, but the delivery is botched leaving one to feel any sweeping message they were going for is lost. You can piece together the intent, but the end result is weak.
An ex-con recently released from prison is found with a bullet in his brain and after a few conversations, Det. Fontana (Farina) & Green (Martin) learn he had history with corrections guard John Worley (Gary Basaraba). Evidence supports the theory that he killed him because of a beef with 'The Brotherhood' gang who was using their reach to harass him & his family on the outside. At trial his defense is one of fear that the man was going to do something leaving McCoy (Waterston) & Southerlyn (Rohm) to note there was no immediate threat and what he did amounts to premediated murder.
You get a bunch of faces to fill out roles. Daniel von Bargen is head of the prison guards, Candice Bergen the judge overseeing the trial and Giancarlo Esposito as the defense attorney. However none of them are memorable. The episode goes down in predictable fashion showing how awful the gang is. The head boogeyman for a leader with threats, threats and more veiled threats.
You're supposed to sympathize with Worley and what he did because of some scary sentiment. A reveal in the last 30 secs doubles down on viewer manipulation as to say 'look he was right all along'. I went into 'The Brotherhood' hoping for a decent episode and was highly disappointed.
An ex-con recently released from prison is found with a bullet in his brain and after a few conversations, Det. Fontana (Farina) & Green (Martin) learn he had history with corrections guard John Worley (Gary Basaraba). Evidence supports the theory that he killed him because of a beef with 'The Brotherhood' gang who was using their reach to harass him & his family on the outside. At trial his defense is one of fear that the man was going to do something leaving McCoy (Waterston) & Southerlyn (Rohm) to note there was no immediate threat and what he did amounts to premediated murder.
You get a bunch of faces to fill out roles. Daniel von Bargen is head of the prison guards, Candice Bergen the judge overseeing the trial and Giancarlo Esposito as the defense attorney. However none of them are memorable. The episode goes down in predictable fashion showing how awful the gang is. The head boogeyman for a leader with threats, threats and more veiled threats.
You're supposed to sympathize with Worley and what he did because of some scary sentiment. A reveal in the last 30 secs doubles down on viewer manipulation as to say 'look he was right all along'. I went into 'The Brotherhood' hoping for a decent episode and was highly disappointed.