While investigating a fertility doctor for a separate case of fraud, McCoy and Kincaid discover evidence that he may be inseminating his patients with his own sperm.While investigating a fertility doctor for a separate case of fraud, McCoy and Kincaid discover evidence that he may be inseminating his patients with his own sperm.While investigating a fertility doctor for a separate case of fraud, McCoy and Kincaid discover evidence that he may be inseminating his patients with his own sperm.
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- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on the 1992 Dr. Cecil Jacobson case. Jacobson operated a fertility clinic in Virginia, and in March of 1992 was sentenced to five years in prison after it was learned that he inseminated seventy-five of his female patients with his own sperm. Jacobson had led the women to believe they were being inseminated with the sperm of anonymous donors who shared many physical characteristics with their own husbands. He also led many of his patients to believe they had become pregnant and miscarried when in fact they had never actually been pregnant.
- GoofsThe plotline of this episode involves a fertility doctor named Gilbert, but for some reason, the name was changed from Gilbert to "Delbert" at some point. In syndication, the doctor's name is clearly dubbed, and the location card for the doctor's office changed to Delbert. However, in some versions, the original audio is used but the location card reads Delbert.
- Quotes
Lennie Briscoe: I wonder which mommy's gonna teach him to smoke and drink.
Mike Logan: And shave.
Lennie Briscoe: Well, it's the '90s. Everybody's allowed to gross and disgusting, not just you.
- ConnectionsReferences Deliverance (1972)
Featured review
Reproduction of death
While not an original concept for the 'Law and Order' franchise, the concept did sound interesting and while there are subjects that are more hard-hitting and relevant today the one here is hardly out of date. All the previous Season 5 episodes ranged from just above average to superb and of the original 'Law and Order', 'Special Victims Unit' (which has grown on me overtime though it's not been the same for a while) and 'Criminal Intent' (a great show in its early seasons) the original is actually my personal favourite, especially the earlier seasons.
"Seed" is not one of the best episodes of Season 5 and far from being one of the best of the show overall. It is interesting and engaging, with a lot of good things and the subject at least is not wasted, if rather predictable and not always making as much sense as it ought to have done. Although it doesn't waste the subject or story at all, far from it, there was a better and more surprising episode in there somewhere in "Seed" that wasn't quite there.
There are a lot of good things here in "Seed". As usual for 'Law and Order' and its spin offs, 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 without being leaden, while never being particularly inspired.
The writing has enough moments where it provokes thought and is intriguing. The moral dilemmas of the situation, the limited subpoena stuff with Kincaid and the layered take on human nature being particularly striking. The story does have moments of tension and the conflict is believable enough in the latter stages. The ending is a unique one and a first for the show. The subject is not an easy one to pull off, but it is not near as sleazy as it could have been. One really does effectively get the creeps watching it, but there is enough tact to stop it from falling into smut. The perpetrator is wonderfully elusive, very creepy the more you find out about them and fascinating, and the acting all round is great. David Margulies is quite unsettling.
More could have been done with the story however, which interested and engaged enough but doesn't have enough distinction and the legal case is very flimsy when it comes to the evidence. There are not many surprises or originality here, other than the very end, with not much new done with familiar territory. It could have done with a little more urgency on occasion, so it is slightly bland on occasion.
Do agree sadly that the final twist can be seen coming from some way off, although it's actually plausible at least.
Overall, another not great but worth watching episode. 7/10
"Seed" is not one of the best episodes of Season 5 and far from being one of the best of the show overall. It is interesting and engaging, with a lot of good things and the subject at least is not wasted, if rather predictable and not always making as much sense as it ought to have done. Although it doesn't waste the subject or story at all, far from it, there was a better and more surprising episode in there somewhere in "Seed" that wasn't quite there.
There are a lot of good things here in "Seed". As usual for 'Law and Order' and its spin offs, 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 without being leaden, while never being particularly inspired.
The writing has enough moments where it provokes thought and is intriguing. The moral dilemmas of the situation, the limited subpoena stuff with Kincaid and the layered take on human nature being particularly striking. The story does have moments of tension and the conflict is believable enough in the latter stages. The ending is a unique one and a first for the show. The subject is not an easy one to pull off, but it is not near as sleazy as it could have been. One really does effectively get the creeps watching it, but there is enough tact to stop it from falling into smut. The perpetrator is wonderfully elusive, very creepy the more you find out about them and fascinating, and the acting all round is great. David Margulies is quite unsettling.
More could have been done with the story however, which interested and engaged enough but doesn't have enough distinction and the legal case is very flimsy when it comes to the evidence. There are not many surprises or originality here, other than the very end, with not much new done with familiar territory. It could have done with a little more urgency on occasion, so it is slightly bland on occasion.
Do agree sadly that the final twist can be seen coming from some way off, although it's actually plausible at least.
Overall, another not great but worth watching episode. 7/10
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Dec 16, 2020
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