Episode Report Card Kim: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Pilot
By Kim | Season 1 | Episode 1 | Aired on 09.27.2003
Riley calls the lab to find out the DNA test results. Yeah, remember his whole rape/murder trial? I'm thinking this episode has about three subplots too many. From Riley's conversation, you can tell that the DNA was a match for Sam. Riley is distracted by the sound of a football game on a television in a bar he's walking past. He stops and says into his phone, "There is one exception, isn't there?" I turn to my husband and say (as I'm sure many of you at home did), "Identical twins." My husband, who was totally not paying attention, was not impressed by my reasoning skills.
Riley goes to see Larry, claiming he has some documents for Larry to look over. Riley pretends to make small talk about football and basically traps Larry into saying some things about last week's football game (which Larry claimed to have watched with Sam) that aren't true. Riley says that the DNA was a perfect match for both Larry and Sam, since they're identical twins and all, but he figures Larry already knew that. Larry says he always said that Sam was innocent. Riley says Larry never mentioned that he was guilty, and that he set up his own brother. Larry is sick of taking care of his brother, as he's been doing for the past twenty years, knowing it will never end. Riley asks why the victim deserved to die. Larry doesn't have an answer for that. Riley advises him to turn himself in. Larry says that Riley has no proof, so Riley opens his coat to reveal that he's wearing a wire. Ooh, sneaky. Would that be admissible? Isn't that like entrapment or something? Larry takes off running, but the cops are already there with guns drawn.
Kathy and Jack walk through the halls in the clinic. Kathy says that Jack's clients have been waiting for an hour. Jack stops and talks to Nwamaka. Remember her? That character we haven't seen since, like, the second act? Another sign of too many subplots. Anyway, Jack congratulates her on the good news about the case. Nwamaka informs him that Chinyere has decided to go back to Nigeria. Jack does a triple take. Well, he doesn't, but he should have. Instead, he walks into his office and tells Chinyere he doesn't understand, because now she can bring her whole family over and they will all be protected. Chinyere says that now she can go back and fight for the women of her country. Jack says she can't fight for anyone if she's dead. Chinyere asks whether he believes in destiny. Wouldn't it be funny if Jack was just like, "No, and also, you're crazy." Jack says he supposes he does. Chinyere gives Jack some Magical Negro business about sacrificing your own comfort for the greater good. Because all characters only exist to either make Jack look better, or to make him realize that he has to do the right thing. Jack asks about her daughter, and Nwamaka says she's taking care of her. The music swells yet again.