Law & Order –
Special Victims Unit (SVU) –
The Second Year: 2000 – 2001
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C Episodes: B-
It used to be area when a TV show had a successful
spin-off, but when you have several with almost the same title, it can be a bit
much. Like CSI and (very
belatedly) Star Trek (both reviewed elsewhere on this site), Law
& Order has had several spin offs in its name and all have been
hits. It may not be the most
challenging or innovative work in its crime drama genre, but because it has a
consistent quality and maturity, it has survived on NBC for years and finally
saw hit TV show status after years of barely getting by. The Special Victims Unit version
tries to be more dramatic and personal, and actually succeeds.
Christopher Menoli, Mariska Hargitay and Stephanie March
are joined by the more familiar B.D. Wong, Richard Belzer and even Rapper Ice-T
in a show that recalls more of the types of storylines that made shows like Baretta
or Barnaby Jones hits in that instead of the slam bang police
procedural, this show tries to get back to dealing with the characters (more
than just the victims) in a way that has been missing from the genre for
years. 21 episodes were produced for
this season and as we did not get to cover the first season, we will skip the
listing of them because the connection is too relevant to ignore. That includes crossovers between
seasons. However, it is a competent
network TV and that is sadly not always as common as it used to be. Law & Order- Special Victims
Unit reminds us that smart TV drama, no matter how standard, still beats
so-called reality TV any day of the week.
The 1.33 x 1 image is not bad, but has detail and video
black limits, though the materials used are basically clean and clear otherwise. It is done in the standard style of
non-challenging shots the series is known for; so do not expect Oz, Homicide
or even some of the old Quinn Martin productions. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has Pro Logic surrounds that are not
bad, if not spectacular, but enough to be of note. Extras include deleted scenes, pieces on co-stars Hargitay and
Meloni, a real SVU unit, a sex crimes & storyline segment and few
minor items, including previews. If you
like the show, this is as good as a DVD set is going to get.
- Nicholas Sheffo
