A baby is found frozen to death in a hospital emergency room. The case leads to accusations that the landlord of the building the baby and her mother lived in hired people to turn off the he... Read allA baby is found frozen to death in a hospital emergency room. The case leads to accusations that the landlord of the building the baby and her mother lived in hired people to turn off the heat and harass tenants to get them to move out.A baby is found frozen to death in a hospital emergency room. The case leads to accusations that the landlord of the building the baby and her mother lived in hired people to turn off the heat and harass tenants to get them to move out.
Photos
- Jackie Ward
- (as Idina Harris)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on two separate cases/incidents:
- The 1990 Brittany Eichelberger case. Eichelberger was a 3-year-old girl who in 1990 over the Christmas period was found nearly dead in a snowdrift. She eventually recovered and was released from the hospital.
- The main character of Iris Corman appears to be based on Leona Helmsley--a.k.a. "The Queen of Mean"--a notorious New York City property owner who committed tax evasion in 1982.
- GoofsA boom mic is briefly visible above Detective Logan's head about at about 17 minutes, while the detectives are talking to the babysitter.
- Quotes
Mike Logan: [after shouting Turner's name and - still incensed over the dead baby - seeing him raise a hammer threateningly] : Go ahead. Give me an excuse!
Joseph Turner: [not wishing to be killed in self-defense, wisely drops the hammer] Heh! No way!
Mike Logan: [cuffs him] You just got nailed.
- ConnectionsRemade as Law & Order: UK: Care (2009)
"Cradle to Grave" is not just one Season 2's best episodes, it's also one of the most emotionally powerful along with "Asylum" and "God Bless the Child". And quite possibly one of the best episodes ever for anything to deal with this challenging but still relevant, and worth addressing always, subject. Am not an expert when it comes to rent control, but one doesn't have to be and "Cradle to Grave" does a great job at making this interesting and accessible.
As usual for 'Law and Order', the production values are solid, not too drab or confined which is great for such an intimate approach. The music never feels too constant or too loud, while the direction allows one to take in everything going on, and there is as usual a lot to take in while never being pedestrian. As always for the show, "Cradle to Grave" is talk-heavy, but it doesn't feel overly so and the writing intrigues and doesn't ramble.
The story makes one feel a wide range of emotions and is both gutsy and heart-breaking, it is hard not to relate here and one doesn't have to been in the situation to be heart-broken. Bringing a pulling no punches approach to sensitive material, which one of the show's main strengths when on form. What it has to say about rent control and such educates and is handled accessibly but not simplistically. It is also done in a non-biased way, even when one hates the responsible.
Paul Sorvino and Chris Noth succeed in bringing edge to thoughtfully written material, while Michael Moriarty and Richard Brooks (the latter having one of the episode's meatier and most satisfying moments) deliver their juicy dialogue with intensity. Karen Lynn Gorney quite frighteningly portrays one of the most hatable female supporting characters, maybe supporting characters full stop, of the season.
Overall, a truly powerful, tear-jerking and wonderful episode that one of the early seasons' must sees. If anybody has just gotten into 'Law and Order' and the franchise and has only seen Season 7 onwards, "Cradle to Grave" is proof that the earlier seasons should not in any way be neglected. 10/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 16, 2020