Television Review: Baby, It's You (Law & Order, S8X06, 1997)

Baby, It’s You (S08E06)

Airdate: 12 November 1997

Written by: Jorge Zamacona
Directed by: Edwin Sherin

Running Time: 46 minutes

Law & Order, the industrial-sized US television juggernaut, has a history of occasionally pulling lesser shows and different franchises into its orbit through crossovers. One such instance was with Homicide: Life on the Street, a police procedural that stood out for its gritty realism and complex character development. In November 1997, the original Law & Order and Homicide had their third crossover in the form of a two-part episode titled Baby, It’s You. The first part aired as part of Law & Order, setting the stage for a dramatic collaboration between the two series.

The script, written by Jorge Zamacona, adheres to the well-established Law & Order tradition of being heavily inspired by recent, highly publicised real events. In this case, the episode draws parallels with the killing of JonBenét Ramsey, the child beauty queen whose murder occurred less than a year before the episode's premiere and remained unsolved to this day. The fictionalised version of Ramsey is significantly older, but her fate is equally as tragic. Brittany Janaway, portrayed by Rachel Layne Sacrey, is a 14-year-old fashion model who meets her untimely demise in the office of her father, the wealthy physician Dr. Steven Janaway, played by Tom Tammi. The circumstances surrounding her death are highly suspicious. Dr. Janaway fails to call for medical assistance and instead claims that he attempted to treat her himself. The case takes a darker turn when the autopsy reveals that Brittany died from septic shock, caused by an untreated vaginal infection resulting from a vicious rape. Detectives Briscoe and Curtis are tasked with eliminating possible suspects and are compelled to seek the help of the Baltimore City Police, as the Janaways hail from Baltimore and still own a house there, where the rape likely occurred. The Janaways, through their unscrupulous attorney Leslie Drake, played by Dan Hedaya, attempt to shift the blame away from themselves by exploiting the media circus and offering a substantial reward for the capture of the rapist. This move strains police resources significantly. Briscoe and Curtis are joined by Baltimore City detectives Munch and Falsone, and together they manage to apprehend a potential suspect—Johnny Ramirez, portrayed by Sam Valle. Ramirez is a young man who had been stalking Brittany and followed her to Baltimore. He alleges that Brittany was molested by someone else, and the detectives, aided by the expert opinion of forensic psychiatrist Dr. Emil Skoda, believe his story. The episode concludes on a cliffhanger, leaving the resolution to be revealed in the subsequent episode of Homicide: Life on the Street.

Baby, It's You is a routine, by-the-book episode of Law & Order that doesn't deviate much from the successful formula of police procedural and courtroom drama. However, due to the episode being a two-parter, the courtroom drama is removed and compensated by the clashes between Executive ADA McCoy and Leslie Drake's antics. This shift in focus allows for a more intense investigation phase, highlighting the detectives' efforts to unravel the complex web of deceit and misdirection.

In the previous two-part crossover episodes, Charm City and For God and Country, Baltimore PD's Munch had interacted with his New York colleagues, and this dynamic is repeated here. Munch once again has an issue with Briscoe, stemming from Briscoe's past relationship with Munch's ex-wife. On the other hand, Curtis finds common ground with Falsone over their shared experiences as parents. Munch, as expected, reappears in the second part of the crossover. Interestingly, Richard Belzer, who plays Munch, also portrayed a non-canonical version of the character in Unusual Suspects, an episode of The X-Files that aired just two days after the conclusion of the two-parter. This feat set a record for an actor playing the same character in three different shows within a week, adding an intriguing layer to Belzer's performance.

The episode is solid in its execution, but the frustrating lack of plot resolution and the necessity to watch the second part to fully understand the outcome make it less recommendable on its own. Viewers might find themselves comparing the two series unfavourably, as the cliffhanger leaves many questions unanswered. This approach, while effective in creating intrigue, can also be seen as a missed opportunity to provide a more satisfying standalone experience. The collaboration between Law & Order and Homicide: Life on the Street is a testament to the strengths of both series, but the need to watch the subsequent episode to gain closure might deter some viewers.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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