About the Show “Law and Order”
The first episode of the TV show “Law and Order”, called “Prescription for Death”, was firstly aired on September 13, 1990. The case took place in a hospital, when one doctor, being drunk on his duty, prescribed the wrong drugs to a young girl that led to her sudden death. It was necessary to investigate the case and define a true reason of her death. The investigation disclosed many other mistakes made by the same doctor and his unfair impact on the work of the whole system.
In the chosen episode, a number of stages of the criminal court trial process were depicted: crime was reported and observed, the investigation was organized, evidence was gathered, an arrest was made, pre-trial motions were observed, a trial took place, and a sentence was announced (Schubert 279). Each stage was briefly still clearly explained. About 30 spectators attended the trial and demonstrated different emotions and reactions to the development of the case. The battle took place between the truth and the necessity to lie to hide the weaknesses of one respected doctor. The cooperation between police and courts proves the possibility to give clear details of the case and show how such issues like discrimination, status, or background education should play an important role in medicine, where human lives are regarded. The outcomes of the episode have a number of lessons and show that the American criminal court trial system is not perfect, but people have all chances to change and improve it relying on personal beliefs and morals.
About the Movie “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”
The weaknesses of the court system may be observed in a variety of movies and other media sources (Rapping 54). For example, the 1966 movie “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” directed by Segio Leone is one of the movies that depict the conditions under which the courts were organized several decades ago and how unstable the legal system actually was. The emphasis on violence is one of the main themes of the movie under consideration. It helps to comprehend that the Western ideology was not perfect as it could seem to be. People had to face a number of challenges and prove their correctness by means of tortures, murders, power, and lies. The scenes of Tuco’s first trial and when the Blondie delivers Tuco in the police department, where he was accused for a number of trials may be considered as the issues that can show the weakness of the Western courts and the inability to solve the conflicts, clearly define the goals of the court system, and understand how law is perceived by a society.
When Tuco was brought to the Sheriff’s doors with his numerous attempts to prove his innocence, there were no people, who were eager to support him or, at least, analyze the case and the conditions that made him innocent. Everything was orally explained without the use of evidence and actual proofs during Tuco’s hanging trial, and people were ready to accept the truth from the Sheriff’s words only. It was not only a weak proof; it was a sign that the past court system was not correct or perfect. It required certain improvements and explanations that had to be done by people on their own, using personal experience and knowledge.
Opinion about the Media Sources
“Law and Order” episode and the movie “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” should be recommended for the others to watch as both of them learn about the courts, their peculiarities, and possible lessons. The chosen media sources are not only for entertainment. They help to realize that the court system has to and can be improved by people, who depend on it day by day.
Works Cited
Rapping, Elayne. Law and Justice as Seen on TV. New York, NY: NYU Press, 2003. Print.
Schubert, Frank. Introduction to Law and the Legal System. Stanford, CT: Cengage Learning, 2014. Print.