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“Dun-Dun.”

After not hearing this recognizable sound at the beginning of episode one of The Menendez Murders, I knew something was off.

Law and Order has been on-air since 1990 and is the third longest prime time series which has recently lead to a special series known as True Crime. After seeing advertisements for the Menendez Murders on the train and on commercials, I decided to finish all my homework before 10:00 and get comfy on the couch for the series premiere.  These advertisements were themselves strange, as they promoted Edie Falco, who is playing Leslie Abramson, Erik and Lyle’s defense attorney.  Considering the series is about the motive and mindset of these murderers, it seems odd to focus on their legal representative. Perhaps this was a creative attempt at making the viewer question the responsibility of a lawyer; however, it places the brothers in the shadows of their own case.

The first shots of the episode showed the gruesome murder of José and ‘Kitty’ Menendez in the living room of their luxurious home.  This opening is very typical for a crime show; however, very atypical for Law and Order.  Usually Law and Order begins without jumping right into the crime by, perhaps, giving us a few moments of the couple watching TV before they are murdered. However, this was nothing of the sort, and had no effect on drawing the viewer in. It seems the writer, René Balcer, was relying on the audience’s familiarity with the crime case in order for the show to be compelling, but this is just unacceptable.  I was bored.

The color scheme was as Matt Zoller Seitz describes, a “blue-gray palette characteristic of clichèd…TV crime thrillers.”  This scheme would be acceptable for the use of flashbacks; however, even these shots were dull.  Perhaps the most disappointing scene was a moment of biblical significance.  After the parents were killed, The Ten Commandments was playing on the television in the background.  I thought this was a clever and subtle implication at the religious severity of the brothers’ actions, until the camera zoomed in on the movie, leaving nothing up to speculation.  Lastly, I realized one of the only things I was concerned about was whether anyone would feed the brothers’ ferrets, who were briefly discovered by detectives.

As much as I disliked this episode, it would be inaccurate to go on a tirade.  I thought it did justice to other Law and Order series by having the setting serve as an integral part of the story.  Usually, Law and Order lists specific streets and locations in the five boroughs and incorporates their cultural communities into the story.  Although this episode takes place in Beverly Hills, the directors still focused on the dynamics of the city in relation to wealth.  Also, I thought it was clever to have the Menendez brothers’ case paralleled with that of another acquitted young man, who was being tried for the murder of his abusive parent.  Although this was a creative comparison, it made me wonder whether the audience is supposed to think the deceased parents were somehow responsible for their own death.  Were the parents somehow abusive? This does not seem the case, as the only ‘wrong doings’ of the parents were their mother’s battle with depression and their father’s concern for his sons’ work ethics.

Perhaps, I should wait until episode two to judge the series and the character of the parents, but the first episode certainly does not compel me to watch again next Wednesday.  Until then, I would suggest watching Law and Order: SVU, which has recently returned and never disappoints.

-Stephanie Montalti