210 replies to this topic

[Eris Rising]

Perhaps my favorite television prosecuter of all time. No one does righteous anger and outrage like the bearer of the brows. Sure, over the past few years he seems to be less of a crusader and more of a cranky old man, but that goes with the territory when you're with a series for so damn long. So let's hear it for the assistant-screwing, ethically-challenged son of a large-handed Chicago cop!

[clear]

I just wanted to point out how funny it is that he looks just like Sam the Eagle from the Muppets. Same big beak, same gigantic eyebrows. Well, they look alike if Sam Waterston was blue and in muppet form.

Edited by clear, Mar 9, 2005 @ 6:02 PM.

[Eris Rising]

My God, you're right. Or like the love child of Sam and Statler from the balcony.

[clear]

Does anyone think his alcoholism will eventually be a plot point? I've noticed they've kind of let that fall by the wayside lately, as they make McCoy a more conventional flawless hero.

Edited by clear, Mar 9, 2005 @ 6:04 PM.

[Eris Rising]

I hope not. They've already used that as a major character aspect for two different characters on the show (Florek and Briscoe), and a third time would be a bit more twelve-step than I really feel like dealing with. I prefer McCoy's drinking as a reflection of his working-class background, the single-malt scotch he drinks as being an aspect of his justifiable pride in his success, and his main flaws as being an overwhelmeing ego combined with a feckless amorality.

[Sing1118]

Just saw "Fluency". Jack's Movie Corner, hee.

[Curare]

I caught Darwinian last night and I have to say I hate how gun ho Jack was going after the rich lady. Yeah, what she did was fucked up but it wasn't murder. D.A.'s have to be tenacious and all that but not at the price of putting people away who are not guilty.

[bergh]

Speaking of gung ho, does anyone else find that Jack McKoy is generally less dynamic than before? I like the reruns from the mid-90s where Jack is alive and enthusiastic about his job and keeps pushing for justice. Now I find (especially those episodes with Rohm) that he is much more mellow and looks a bit bored. I find he has a different dynamic with the new ADA though. Love Sam Waterston.

[MSat]

I wonder if Sam Waterston is having some kind of health problems. He just looks very drawn and tired lately. His voice even sounds different, like he's got a bad head cold or something. He is getting up there in years. If something happens to him (similar to the Lennie Briscoe thing) I think that would be the end of the show.

[Camanda]

He is getting up there in years.

He's younger than Jerry Orbach by five years, and when Steven Hill left the show, he was older than Sam is now (78 versus 64). I personally haven't noticed anything going on with the man, and I sure hope nothing's going on, because he is the only reason I watch that show now. I remember when he first showed up, though, he sounded different at that time than he did even a year or two later.

[kippee1]

His voice even sounds different, like he's got a bad head cold or something.

I just think that gravelly voice is sexy.

I hope I'm not just being shallow and that nothing is wrong with Sam.


As far as his looking drawn, he probably hasn't recovered from the 3 and a half years of Rohm.

[candynecklace]

Sam Waterston is a killer actor-the guy can express more emotion with those brows than a lot of other actors can with their whole body.

Jack McCoy-a hotly arrogant, sexy hard ass. Love, love, love him! Did I say I love him?

I think he starting to liven up again now that the albatross that was around his neck for 3 plus years is gone-thank heaven.

[animal dreams]

Jack McCoy is my old-enough-to-be-my-grandpa TV boyfriend. Love him!

[MSat]

I caught that L&O-Homicide crossover episode last night and I have to say, Jack and Munch hanging out together was highly entertaining.

ANother part of this crossover episode had me scratching my head, though: there's a scene in a bar when one of the Homicid cops is talking to Jack about what kind of man would molest his own daughter. Jack tells him a story about how he was on vacation with his family once, and saw a pretty young girl with her back turned to him, talking to some guys. He was checking the girl out, when she turned around and it was his own daughter.

When did Jack get a family-- including a daughter?

Edited by MSat, Aug 10, 2005 @ 7:08 PM.

[Doug325]

When did Jack get a family-- including a daughter?

Not sure exactly. Remeber that Jack has had affairs with four of his assistants, one of whom he married. There was Claire Kincaide, Sally Bell, Diana Hawthorne and an unnamed woman. I presume that the unnamed woman was the one he married and had the kid with

[MSat]

I never knew he was getting it on with Claire. I always thought he had a thing for Jamie, but not Claire.

[MSat]

I wonder why the show keeps bringing in new actors to play the District Attorney instead of giving Jack McCoy the DA seat. Someone IRL, with Jack's years of seniority and win record would no doubt run for DA and in a largely liberal city like New York City, would most likely win and maybe even become a folk hero like Ed Koch or something. Is it because the writers really like him in the courtroom scenes?

I think it would be an awesome storyline if Jack got elected as D.A. Maybe show him out on the campaign trail, while still advising ADA's on the higher profile cases. Then they could bring in a new male ADA. I love Waterston AND Jack, but he's been arguing cases for years, and it would be cool to see how the character changes/grows in a position of higher authority. Plus, how would Jack behave on the other side of the desk, advising the ADAs to take a deal? And what would happen if the press caught wind of some of his interoffice affairs while he is out on the campaign trail? There are a lot of possibilities with this storyline, and it might jazz up the show a little bit.

[clear]

That would be interesting. Although I wouldn't want to see him campaigning. That isn't what the show's about. And like now, the affairs are fine as subtext, throwaway details or very occasionally part of the plot and characterisation. Not subjects of long, drawn-out story arcs that become Clinton/Lewisky light.

It would also ahake up the dynamic of "sexy grizzled mentor"/"eager hot protege" which has been pretty much everything since season 5. They changed it up with Jamie - had her be older and more experienced - but it's mostly been fresh faces clashing with McCoy and learning what's what.

[MSat]

Exactly-- and quite frankly, its getting a little stale. Not to mention, a guy as driven as Jack wouldn't stay in the same job for more than a decade, at least not without planning for something bigger in the years ahead. He's definitely got a political streak in him, more so than his predecessor, ADA Stone.

[Camanda]

I can't picture Jack as the DA. He seems more into actually being in the courtroom. He's a good lawyer, to be sure, but he's done some things in the past that might not be viewed well by the public in a candidate (his run-in with the disciplinary committee, for example), and the opposition is obviously going to bring it up. Whatever spin they put on it, it wouldn't be a good one.

On this side of reality, the actor playing the DA gets far less screen time than the actors playing the EADA and the ADA. I can't imagine Waterston wanting less screen time, and I'll be mad if he does because he's the best part of the show now (for me, anyway).

[candynecklace]

On this side of reality, the actor playing the DA gets far less screen time than the actors playing the EADA and the ADA. I can't imagine Waterston wanting less screen time, and I'll be mad if he does because he's the best part of the show now (for me, anyway).

Exactly what I was going to say.

I haven't seen anything about it, but I think it's safe to assume he's on board for another season, at least. Would anyone here quit watching if he leaves?

[Kris223]

For me, it would depend on who they got to replace him.

[kippee1]

I haven't seen anything about it, but I think it's safe to assume he's on board for another season, at least. Would anyone here quit watching if he leaves?

I'd probably stop watching. No Jack, no kippee!

[spacemonkeys]

Interesting that people have brought up the Jack as DA concept here, because I was just coming to complain about the "Jack can never be DA!" anvils they've been throwing around this season. Maybe it's just that it was more subtle in the past, but in the premiere (I think) Arthur said it outright. And I was all "Wuh? Since when does Jack even want to be DA?" I think the only reason they'd do it would be if Sam Waterston wanted to do less work but still get an easy paycheck, because to me, character-wise, it makes no sense, since he's always been downright disdainful of his bosses even when he liked them as a person (at least I think he liked Adam).

[clear]

Jack's said repeatedly he's not interested in politics, so I doubt they'll ever really go down that road.

[diskette11]

Jack's said repeatedly he's not interested in politics, so I doubt they'll ever really go down that road.

Unless they want to keep SW on board and he wishes - at some point - to have an easier gig. After all, he´s been portraying the same character for years and years. However, I agree. It would be completely out of character for Jack McCoy to suddenly want to run for D.A. However, when did such a thing ever stop the writers?

[AggiePride]

Does anyone else find it strange that Jack all of a sudden is averse to stretching the law to 'get the bad guy'? All of a sudden, he is concerned about 'doing the right thing". Did Serena possess his body over the summer break?

[kippee1]

Did Serena possess his body over the summer break?

That beautiful body wouldn't be much use to Serena, you know, since she's a lesbian.

In all seriousness though, the writers must be new and didn't do their homework.