Law & Order (TV Series) The Reaper's Helper (1990) User Reviews

"It only hurts when I prosecute"

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 20 July 2019]

When it comes to the 'Law and Order' franchise, this to me will always be the best. At its best during the Briscoe years. Just really admire the compelling cases some of which based on sensitive real-life cases, the way the detectives and lawyers work in getting a result with a generally equal balance, the raising of moral dilemmas and the difficult subjects and themes raised and explored.

Three episodes in and, although even better was to come, the quality is of a very good standard. The previous two episodes "Prescription for Death" (especially this) and "Subtarranean Homeboy Blues" were very well done and crafted, great even in the former and that was only the first episode, so "The Reaper's Helper", with a more difficult and sensitive case and subject (especially at the time) than the previous two had a lot to live up to. And it succeeds, even if at this point and understandably so, not many shows settle immediately straightaway, 'Law and Order' was yet to properly find its feet.

Characterisation is not quite as meaty as what came after, although Stone is already quite a juicy character, and the pacing became tighter and tauter. The chemistry was nicely done though, if not completely gelled, and it is admirable to see the tone established well.

A good job is done with the subject and the moral dilemmas raised from it, it is not an easy watch and definitely makes one feel uncomfortable but is handled with sincerity and pathos without being preachy or biased. It's not trivialised either. The story is absorbing and makes one think hard and somewhat angry, well some kinds of emotions. The dialogue is intelligently written and provokes thought, treating the case with respect and seriously without being dreary. Regarding how talking about AIDS in "The Reaper's Helper", it didn't feel out of date and worth talking about.

Visually, the gritty tone of the episode is matched by the slick photography and New York is both beautiful and unforgiving. The music is neither placed and composed with a heavy hand, and the main theme is one that does stick in the head (likewise with the opening voice over). George Dzundza and Chris Noth have enough of the hard-boiled edge needed for their roles, even if their chemistry has yet to gel fully, and Michael Moriaty's authority and dryness adds hugely to his juicy part. Peter Frechette is memorable in his role.

Overall, very good. 8/10

Law & Order handles tough subjects with adept skill

[sixshooter500 · 9/10 · 5 May 2020]

This episode has some of the same veins of a previous episode, mainly dealing with controversial issues that might make homicide justifiable in some circles, but this episode deals with the subject matter, adeptly. It doesn't hide what it's about, and it's not afraid to make you question how it should go.

Stone's difficulty in trying to go forward both exemplifies his acting talent, and showcases the writing skill that went into this. A topic like this in 1990 with a series effort, not turn into a caricature or stereotype is very welcome.

9/10

The past is a grotesque animal

[logosen · 8/10 · 25 May 2009]

This is a great piece of television. In three quarters of an hour "The Reaper's Helper" deals with casual homophobia, AIDS and euthanasia whilst remaining drama, not painful disquisition. What is close to painful is the unsettling nature of certain assumptions shared by the characters. After a point, when it becomes known that the episode's victim had AIDS, everyone shares the idea that killing sufferers is reasonable and unobjectionable. This came to me as quite a shock, but I think my experience of the rest of the episode was enhanced by my discomfort.

Nineteen-ninety and New York are so far from me in time and space that the episode has a science fictional quality to it. "An underground sect, rejected and ignored, with a terrifying mysterious disease only recently given a name, makes an unwelcome excursion into the public eye when the death of an infected sectator involves the law of the majority. There is no sorrow for the death, but from the parents, who are also embarrassed. The public at large hope the deaths will continue, and are angered greatly by the thought that their own laws might provide an obstacle." Arising from this repugnancy is compelling television, no criminal intention units of special victims or any of that nonsense.

This was a new show I was not watching, or this episode would have been hard to watch.

[sawznhamrs-1 · 10/10 · 4 March 2022]

I met my partner Doyle Good Friday 1989 and we enjoyed 8 months of pure happiness (untainted with the burden of HIV) before we both tested for HIV. I had tested several times and was always negative and Doyle had never tested. I had no suspicion that he was HIV+ but I just thought we should since we were beginning our lives together. He was newly out compared to me. I had volunteered for AIDS Services of Austin (TX) and was very knowledgeable about the subject. In those days, you had to wait a week or so for results. I'll never forget the news of his result and the tears he shed saying that he did not want to die. Almost immediately, I said to him, We can't just give up now! But my reaction was delayed somewhat and I soon went into panic and emotional overload. Unlike some of the guys in this episode, he really wanted to live. Before it was all over though, we saw and experienced what was only touched upon here so that we fully understood the desire to end it all. By June of 1994 Doyle had the appearance of a concentration camp victim, having gone from a robust young man of 28 in his six-foot tall frame at 180 pounds to a mere 90 pounds of remains before he died at age 33. This episode captures some of what that experience was like for so many young men at the time. I am really grateful for people who took on this subject at that time. The writers, actors and director had a strong part in educating the audience. I celebrate their humanity. Oh, and I really loved Chris Noth's character's comment about the department having a test to see if an applicant was gay by how they blinked. I really got a kick out of seeing the actor demonstrate this!

Realistic for 1990

[johnbthomasiii80 · 9/10 · 22 September 2023]

As someone who lived and managed to avoid infection through the AIDS plague that was the 1980s and 1990's, this was a very real portrayal of what many of us were thinking about. AZT was a lousy treatment and caused it's own set of problems, but it is all there was at the time. I personally vowed that I would kill myself if I got AIDS. I knew many men and young men just out of their teens who died horrible and painful deaths as a result of getting AIDS.

Things might be different now but then there were few options. I had family but they would have disavowed me and they had already disowned me for being gay.

Very honest and real portrayal.

Controversial and confronting

[safenoe · 8/10 · 6 February 2023]

The Reaper's Helper from season 1 of Law & Order, was very controversial for the time, dealing with AIDS and mercy killings and gay relationships in New York at a time when one could talk about these major societal and public health issues post-Reagan.

Here Bobby, big Bobby, is violently murdered, and it turns out he was gay, and to quote Seinfeld, not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm not kidding, one of the characters in this episode looks like Jerry Seinfeld, really.

Anyway, Steven Gilborn plays the judge, and he was famous for playing Mr Collins in one of the most famous episodes of The Wonder Years ever, which debuted a few months before The Reaper's Helper.

Homosexual and AIDS in 1990s / Mercy killing / Assisted suicide

[itsjustnotes · 8/10 · 6 July 2023]

This episode was aired on October 1990.

• In the cultural zeitgeist of early 1990s, the conversation around homosexuality and sexual minorities had evolved into a prominent discourse, thanks to over two decades of fervent activism for gay rights. This shift in societal attitudes was reflected in various spheres, including the world of DC Comics, which introduced openly gay superheroes. While the 90s saw a resurgence of neo-conservatism from the Reagan era, cities like New York and San Francisco remained bastions of progressive and avant-garde culture. Mainstream theaters and museums were abuzz with performances and exhibitions exploring these themes, and several notable companies began to recognize and advocate for the rights of sexual minorities.

• However, the 80s brought with them the devastating AIDS epidemic, which, despite being a public health crisis, was largely disregarded and even stigmatized by the federal government. This neglect allowed the disease to spread unchecked, fueling a growing societal prejudice and panic dubbed the "gay plague." Concurrently, the radical actions of AIDS activist groups, such as ACT UP, and their high-profile protests like "Stop the Church" in 1989, amplified the clash between homophobic and anti-homophobic sentiments.

• By the close of 1990, even with the passage of two AIDS-related bills by Congress and the FDA's approval of AZT, the battle against AIDS progressed at a snail's pace. The disease was still perceived as an incurable scourge, claiming over 30,000 lives that year in the US alone, with a total death toll surpassing 120,000. In this grim environment, AIDS patients were left to wither, facing eviction, denial of emergency care, and social isolation. Some, in their despair, even abandoned hope. It is against this somber backdrop that this episode of Law & Order was crafted. The narrative revolves around a gay AIDS patient, desperate for death but lacking the courage to end his life, and another gay AIDS patient who assists him.

• The episode delves into the complex issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide, primarily focusing on who holds the power to press the "death button." The crux of the narrative is not the long-term desire of the deceased or the unbearable pain of the disease, but rather who ultimately triggers the act leading to death.

• The episode is reportedly inspired by the real-life events surrounding Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a figure notorious in the 90s for his support of euthanasia and his role in assisting hundreds of terminally ill patients in committing suicide. However, the earliest known cases associated with "Dr. Death" date back to June 1990, suggesting that the connection between these events and the episode's script may not be direct.

• In the narrative, Prosecutor Stone prioritizes the societal implications of such issues over empathy for the accused. For him, this case is not about securing a victory (he might even intentionally lose), but about sparking a discussion on the legitimacy of euthanasia and assisted suicide under the media spotlight. His stance is encapsulated in the question, "What gives you the right to decide how I should live the rest of my life?"-a perspective that aligns with his Catholic background.

Gay angel of death

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 20 October 2017]

Watching this show now from the new millenia and the advances in treatment of AIDs gives this Law And Order episode a certain air of unreality.

A closeted gay man is found shot to death in his apartment with the place completely trashed. Bullet to the back of the head so it isn't a suicide at least in the classic sense.

The investigation leads to Peter Frechette who apparently has started a new business, assisting fellow gay men who want to commit suicide. He's traced by George Dzundza and Chris Noth to cases in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

I well remember these years and did see first hand what AIDs did to many friends. Some I suspect did take the out of suicide with methods that could never be proved.

The issues raised are real and genuine yet for me a weakness in the story telling is the fact that a certain point in the story the related cases in California were just dropped. I suspect there would be more than passing interest in Michael Moriarty's prosecution from the related jurisdiction.

At least AIDs is not an automatic death sentence any more.

The Gay's Reaper

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 14 September 2022]

When a man is found dead with one bullet on the head in his apartment, Detectives Greevy and Logan investigate the case that is apparently a burglary with murder case. Soon they learn that the victim is Bobby Holland, a correct man and former athlete in high-school. But then they also find that Bobby was gay and his case was similar to two other cases. Checking the agendas of the victims, the detectives find a common name, Jack Curry. They arrest Jack that admits shooting Bobby that wanted to commit suicide since he had AIDS and asked Jack to help him. Now Stone has a problem with the gay's movements that are pressing him to let Jack Curry be free.

"The Reaper's Helper" is a polemic episode of "Law & Order". The practice of euthanasia is allowed in many countries, but the right to help someone to commit suicide because has a serious disease and not enough courage to end the own life is more complex. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "A Última Salvação" ("The Last Salvation")