Based on the promo, I think it's safe to say Robin Williams' appearance will be much larger than Bill Pullman's cop-out cameo appearance from last week.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Williams
- Thread starter The Nth Doctor
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Based on the promo, I think it's safe to say Robin Williams' appearance will be much larger than Bill Pullman's cop-out cameo appearance from last week.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
Excellent episode, one of the best of the season.
As oppose to last week's episode with Bill Pullman's "blink and you'll miss him" appearance, this episode was all about Robin Williams. His character, Merritt Rook, reminded me of a cross between Walter Finch and Patch Adams, both devious and anti-authority, but with a twisted intelligence.
Two scenes in particular stood out to me: the arraignment, where Rook nonchalantly moves through the proceedings that leave both Novak and Petrovsky stumbling, and the final scene in the studio where Rook puts Stabler through a rigorous mental exercise. For the briefest of moments, I thought he actually wired up Benson, but after the second or third scream, I began to figure it was a prerecording. From there I figured the studio wasn't really wired up, so I was genuinely shocked when he blew up the place. Best of all, he actually got away in the end! Now how many times does that happen in any of the Law & Orders (other than Nicole Wallace), where the perpetrator evades capture after being in custody?
Excellent episode, one of the best of the season.
As oppose to last week's episode with Bill Pullman's "blink and you'll miss him" appearance, this episode was all about Robin Williams. His character, Merritt Rook, reminded me of a cross between Walter Finch and Patch Adams, both devious and anti-authority, but with a twisted intelligence.
Two scenes in particular stood out to me: the arraignment, where Rook nonchalantly moves through the proceedings that leave both Novak and Petrovsky stumbling, and the final scene in the studio where Rook puts Stabler through a rigorous mental exercise. For the briefest of moments, I thought he actually wired up Benson, but after the second or third scream, I began to figure it was a prerecording. From there I figured the studio wasn't really wired up, so I was genuinely shocked when he blew up the place. Best of all, he actually got away in the end! Now how many times does that happen in any of the Law & Orders (other than Nicole Wallace), where the perpetrator evades capture after being in custody?
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
Also, I think Rook did get away. Notice how they had that closeup of the sculpture? He might have used it to cut through his cuffs.
My question is, why didn't Elliott and Olivia *shoot* at him? They would have had every right to do so.
And am I the only one who immediately recognized Rook's voice as that of the hotel clerk (when they were listening to Munch's call)?
Oh well. It was a pretty good episode, and of course Robin Williams is always awesome in anything he does. I am - surprise, surprise, surprise - not exactly a fan of the kind of Tyler Durden-wannabe-anarchist-bullshit kind of dialogue that Rook was spouting, though it didn't keep me from enjoying the episode.
If I were Casey, though, I would have included a little bit extra in her closing argument: it is not being a "sheep", blindly following authority, to prosecute a criminal. It's serving a public good. An absolute, universal good. Of course I'm not saying that authority is always right, or anything like that (though sometimes I do give that impression); a *healthy* amount of skepticism is always called for.
But then again, authority is not some absolute monolithic creature, like Big Brother from 1984. There are hundreds - thousands - of figures who wield authority. It's not a case of "accept all or reject all". The burger manager was a fuckin' moron for just doing whatever Rook said on the phone, true. But not all authority is like that, of course. I mean, was I being a sheep when I accepted the speeding ticket that a cop wrote me last month? Shit no. In that case I knew the authority was real, as was my crime (I was speeding, even I knew it, no use denying it) and acted accordingly (took a traffic class to get the ticket wiped out). What would the Rooks of this world have had me do? Take off in a high speed pursuit?
And when you come to think of it, all those people who were going along with the pillow fight, the flash mob at Grand Central, etc.? They were equally guilty of being 'sheep'. They did whatever Rook said. What makes the police and prosecutors sheep, and them not?
Rook's authority is no more sacred than theirs. In fact it's a lot less, since he does not have the *right*, under the law, to do any of that shit.
I think that was Mo Rocca from The Daily Show as the guy with the megaphone, BTW.
And who knew Ruben Morales (the TARU guy) was a Lieutenant? Again?
Also, I think Rook did get away. Notice how they had that closeup of the sculpture? He might have used it to cut through his cuffs.
My question is, why didn't Elliott and Olivia *shoot* at him? They would have had every right to do so.
And am I the only one who immediately recognized Rook's voice as that of the hotel clerk (when they were listening to Munch's call)?
Oh well. It was a pretty good episode, and of course Robin Williams is always awesome in anything he does. I am - surprise, surprise, surprise - not exactly a fan of the kind of Tyler Durden-wannabe-anarchist-bullshit kind of dialogue that Rook was spouting, though it didn't keep me from enjoying the episode.
If I were Casey, though, I would have included a little bit extra in her closing argument: it is not being a "sheep", blindly following authority, to prosecute a criminal. It's serving a public good. An absolute, universal good. Of course I'm not saying that authority is always right, or anything like that (though sometimes I do give that impression); a *healthy* amount of skepticism is always called for.
But then again, authority is not some absolute monolithic creature, like Big Brother from 1984. There are hundreds - thousands - of figures who wield authority. It's not a case of "accept all or reject all". The burger manager was a fuckin' moron for just doing whatever Rook said on the phone, true. But not all authority is like that, of course. I mean, was I being a sheep when I accepted the speeding ticket that a cop wrote me last month? Shit no. In that case I knew the authority was real, as was my crime (I was speeding, even I knew it, no use denying it) and acted accordingly (took a traffic class to get the ticket wiped out). What would the Rooks of this world have had me do? Take off in a high speed pursuit?
And when you come to think of it, all those people who were going along with the pillow fight, the flash mob at Grand Central, etc.? They were equally guilty of being 'sheep'. They did whatever Rook said. What makes the police and prosecutors sheep, and them not?
Rook's authority is no more sacred than theirs. In fact it's a lot less, since he does not have the *right*, under the law, to do any of that shit.I think that was Mo Rocca from The Daily Show as the guy with the megaphone, BTW.
And who knew Ruben Morales (the TARU guy) was a Lieutenant? Again?
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Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
Also, here is the headline from which this episode was ripped:
Strip search prank call scam
Also, here is the headline from which this episode was ripped:
Strip search prank call scam
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
I just figured he hid inside one of the sculptures. I was surprised Stabler and Benson just assumed he went in the water.
I guess they were feeling altruistic at the moment.
Oh, I think you're right! I should've recognized his voice since I primarily know him from Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me! on NPR.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
They were stupid for letting Rook 'tie his shoes' in the first place. They should have suspected he'd try to get away.
(And was that an iPod Shuffle playing the part of the detonator? )
As for what they should do now:
I guess they were feeling altruistic at the moment.
They were stupid for letting Rook 'tie his shoes' in the first place. They should have suspected he'd try to get away.
(And was that an iPod Shuffle playing the part of the detonator?
)As for what they should do now:
Have Rook meet up with Nicole Wallace, then have a crossover with CI. Elliott & Liv kill Rook, and Goren offs Wallace!
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Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
I loved how Rook outwitted them at every turn. Not only making his point but getting away in the bargain.
It continues a theme that has been present in Law & Order since 1990. That is arrogance and corruption in the medical field.
I loved how Rook outwitted them at every turn. Not only making his point but getting away in the bargain.
It continues a theme that has been present in Law & Order since 1990. That is arrogance and corruption in the medical field.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
Was the doctor corrupt? We never met him, so we don't know. He may have been incompetent and/or arrogant; probably more the latter than the former. Rook said that the doctor wouldn't do a C-section to get the baby out. Maybe the doc just thought Rook's wife would bleed out if they tried?
I can understand why Rook killed the doctor, though. If I lost someone I loved, who's to say what I'd do. I would hope and pray to God above that I wouldn't turn into a killer, though.
Was the doctor corrupt? We never met him, so we don't know. He may have been incompetent and/or arrogant; probably more the latter than the former. Rook said that the doctor wouldn't do a C-section to get the baby out. Maybe the doc just thought Rook's wife would bleed out if they tried?
I can understand why Rook killed the doctor, though. If I lost someone I loved, who's to say what I'd do. I would hope and pray to God above that I wouldn't turn into a killer, though.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
Ummm...you really don't need to code that. That only applies in the Trek Literature forum where the Pocket Book writers frequent. I highly doubt any of the Law & Order writers even know about this board.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
You never know who's lurking here, do you?
I suppose I'm being a "sheep" to our litigious culture by even falling for that, though. And in this case, it's not even a fear of *me* being sued, but they're afraid I might sue *them*!
You never know who's lurking here, do you?
I suppose I'm being a "sheep" to our litigious culture by even falling for that, though. And in this case, it's not even a fear of *me* being sued, but they're afraid I might sue *them*!
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
I thought Williams was great, but I also couldn't believe that they didn't take a shot at him when he was getting away.
I thought Williams was great, but I also couldn't believe that they didn't take a shot at him when he was getting away.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
One other thing...Morales' promotion to Lieutenant must have happened recently. Because if he is that rank, he outranks everyone on the show except Cragen, and in all his previous appearances, none of the detectives ever acted appropriately.
Although, nobody seems to defer to Munch, either, despite *his* rank (Sergeant). In fact didn't Stabler once say that he didn't care what rank Munch was, he'd never take orders from him anyway?
One other thing...Morales' promotion to Lieutenant must have happened recently. Because if he is that rank, he outranks everyone on the show except Cragen, and in all his previous appearances, none of the detectives ever acted appropriately.
Although, nobody seems to defer to Munch, either, despite *his* rank (Sergeant). In fact didn't Stabler once say that he didn't care what rank Munch was, he'd never take orders from him anyway?
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
the doc was a drunk, and i don't really see Rook's actions as murder, all it seems he did was phone harassment, if the doc wanted to kill himself over the matter, it was the guilt of HIS murders more than the calls (he could have blocked them, changed his number, ect)
the doc was a drunk, and i don't really see Rook's actions as murder, all it seems he did was phone harassment, if the doc wanted to kill himself over the matter, it was the guilt of HIS murders more than the calls (he could have blocked them, changed his number, ect)
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
^ The doc wasn't drunk. His blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was only .04 - tipsy, maybe, but not legally drunk.
And Rook's actions drove the doc to suicide, therefore Rook is guilty of murder - he had intent (to kill), and he must logically have known what would happen as a result of his actions.
^ The doc wasn't drunk. His blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was only .04 - tipsy, maybe, but not legally drunk.
And Rook's actions drove the doc to suicide, therefore Rook is guilty of murder - he had intent (to kill), and he must logically have known what would happen as a result of his actions.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
That is not an excuse.
A person who is upset and possibly suicidal is not in any sense of the word, obligated to change. Definitely not under the law.
Somebody who capitalizes on a person's unstable nature, and engages in a protracted and malicious program of harassment designed to make the person kill themselves, is guilty of murder. You can't say that the doctor was too weak to stand up to the harassment, because no one is required to be strong.
That is not an excuse.
A person who is upset and possibly suicidal is not in any sense of the word, obligated to change. Definitely not under the law.
Somebody who capitalizes on a person's unstable nature, and engages in a protracted and malicious program of harassment designed to make the person kill themselves, is guilty of murder. You can't say that the doctor was too weak to stand up to the harassment, because no one is required to be strong.
Re: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Authority" - guest Robin Will
Was that Pete from 30 Rock as the Burger manager?
Was that Pete from 30 Rock as the Burger manager?
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