User Reviews

The morning after marrying his trophy wife (fourty years younger than him), a businessman of Jewish Iranian descent died in his bed. Forensics stated he didn't die of natural causes, he was actually smothered by a pillow. The prime suspect was his charming new bride (Marjan Neshat), but she went horse riding at the time of the murder. Then Briscoe and Green tried to follow the business pattern: recently he faced losses after many "fat cows" years, so his son might have looked forward to take his place; anyway DNA samples on the pillow led to his daughter, a meek middle aged woman who took her mother place in the household after she passed away twenty years before. She hates the new bride and she held a grudge against her father because he didn't allow her to adopt a Chinese child for patriarchal reason (she was unable to mothering a child on her own). The trial is interesting, don't miss it.

This episode focused on cultural differences. Immigrants, especially the older generation, find it hard to deal with first world culture. Adopting a child is somewhat natural, but for them "blood" it's the only thing that counts.

The idea for "Caviar Emptor" sounded very interesting with some serious and controversial issues raised. Ones that were big back then and are still relevant. Part of me had no doubt that it would be done well here, as 'Law and Order's' unyielding and gritty approach to topical issues was always one of its selling points. A number of them were explored more than once over the years, but not in a way that felt too repetitive.

"Caviar Emptor" does a very good job with its content, which is not near as over-complicated, culturally insensitive or as heavy handed as it could have been in the wrong hands. Instead it's intelligent and uncompromising, but the offensive factor is very low on the scale and it was very interesting what the episode had to say about the cultural issues explored. It is a very good episode if falling a little short of being outstanding.

And it would have been if the slightly too ordinary first quarter or so was as good as the legal scenes.

Plus if Elisabeth Rohm could have at least injected some life to Southerlyn.

However, there are many truly great components. As usual, the production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough while also taut. The acting was near-uniformly excellent, Sam Waterston dominating the riveting legal portions.

Moreover, the script challenges enough without being too much of a challenge in terms of understanding what's going on. It is taut and intelligent throughout. The story is always engrossing and tight in pace, with enough surprising twists and turns to be satisfied by. The cultural differences angle was done with tact but also doesn't sugar-coat. Briscoe and Green's chemistry is never short of grit and entertainment value.

Overall, not incredible but very, very good with great elemets. 8/10.

A rich Persian-Jewish businessman is smothered to death with a pillow the day after he marries a 24 year old friend of his daughter. The new bride tries to stop an autopsy, but on the slenderest of technicalities fails.

The deceased had a big apartment with his son and daughter and her husband all lived under one roof. The deceased who imported and sold caviar for a living was one strict tyrannical old world type. Any one of these folks would have had a convincing motive.

In the end one of them sacrifices for another. Quite a display of loyalty.