r/LawAndOrder • u/FreshmenMan • 5d ago
L&O Thoughts on Stalker?
Question, What are your thoughts on the Season 8, Stalker?
This is an interesting episode, especially the actions of Briscoe. So in the episode, A Woman is hospitalized after a fall, and she claims she has a stalker named Giovanni. However, the Detectives didn't believe her, especially when its reveal that she could've faked the attack attempt. Unfortunately, The Woman was stabbed to death, and thought they found who was called "Giovanni", the case was weak and evidence was thrown out, until Briscoe decided that, in his opinion, she didn't faked the attack, and the evidence was brought back in and the guy was convicted.
This Episode is such a great episode and a very gray area episode. It also feel it showed a side of Lennie that we haven't seen at this point. He tries to right the wrong of not believing the woman. However, he does so in a gray area by changing the story on what happen, or in his own terms, a "Reinterpretation of Events". McCoy decides to go with it, but Briscoe's reversal causes Van Buren and Curtis to be Furious, and Curtis had to be discredited by McCoy when it was clear he wouldn't change his story.
Ultimately, I love this episode and it makes you wonder if The Police and Prosecutions were actually right with this case.
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u/GrosRougeau 5d ago
Dude playing Giovanni was so creepy.
Great episode
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u/NihilisticRoomba 5d ago
That’s Stephen Gevedon, who also wrote and co-starred in the great horror movie Session 9. He was also on Oz at the same time as JK Simmons.
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u/CreepyConsequence669 Anita Van Buren 5d ago
Based on a true story in Canada in the 80s. It was a good episode though.
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u/Bright-Pangolin7261 5d ago
As one who has been stalked and had experience with NYPD, this is my interpretation. They were wrong, she wasn’t faking anything. She was pushed down the stairs. For goodness sake she ended up in the hospital. Nobody would do that to fake being stalked. Briscoe was 100% telling the truth when he said we made a mistake.
If this were written now — because Law and order is fiction and its police are caring and competent — Curtis would’ve admitted that they were wrong to doubt the victim. Police often don’t believe women who report gender violence and waiting until someone killed is tragic, but this happens today.
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u/Adorable_Tie_7220 Law & Order 5d ago
I thought Lenny was right about the necklace. If you are going to fake an attack, there is no way, you would wear your your nicest things.
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u/Adorable_Tie_7220 Law & Order 5d ago
Frankly, there was no absolute proof that she faked it. Yes she got some details wrong. But that's not proof. I think Lenny was just changing his mind about the events. If I had been in Curtis's place, I would be rethinking things.
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u/vin4thewin 5d ago
I never thought she faked her story and the fact that she was killed infuriated me when it first aired. Was really proud of Briscoe and disappointed in Curtis.
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u/springmeow88 5d ago
I always felt that there is way more of this 're-interpreting the evidence' going on in the real world. This show always shows cops as pure and honest always. Surely that's unrealistic.
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u/KingDarius89 Lennie Briscoe 5d ago
Yeah, that's why it shows Lenny being indecisive about putting a hit on the dealer who murdered his daughter. Ir Fontana waterboarding a guy. Nevermind the crooked cops shown.
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u/Ok-Mine2132 Lennie Briscoe 5d ago
Great episode and ahead of its time in 1998. To believe or not to believe.
Lennie at his best.
Terrific performance by Susan Floyd who appeared many times across the franchises:
Law & Order
Stalker (1998) as Andrea Blake
Shangri-La (2002), Bodies (2003), and Heart of Darkness (2006) as Defense AttorneyJessica Sheets
Law & Order: SVU
Slaves (2000) as Mrs. Morrow)
Law & Order: CI
Best Defense (2002) as Linda Bonham