December 30, 2003
12.19 Slaughter
A young animal rights activist killed by somone connected to the meat industry (12.19). There's lots of indirect conversation about food. Since the murder happened down in the seedy part of the meat packing district, Briscoe makes a crack about how the suspect is a transvestite "with a taste for sausage." In the teaser, a pizzeria father and son discuss indigestion caused by pizza, suggesting thematically that old food is less tolerable to new generation. This appears to apply to the young activist, who found animal-based food distasteful. His dorm room was wallpapered with "Go Vegan" posters.
Eventually, the trail of clues leads to a fast food chain called "Big Bill's." There's an unintentionally funny scene in which Diane Wiest and McCoy keep saying "Big Bill's." The episode presents another case of Jack prosecuting corporations for crimes commonly considered blue-collar. He is reluctant at first, but left-leaning Wiest encourages him, reminding him of previous prosecutions against gun manufacturers, HMOs, and drug companies. The name of the episode refers both to the homicide of the young man and the meat-processing that is at the center of a case stemming from the homicide.
Posted by adm at December 30, 2003 09:37 PM