Law & Order “Impossible Dream” Recap, Review, Discussion

Law & Order “Impossible Dream” was nicely paced, no-nonsense,  ripped-from-the-headlines story. It was inspired by the Elisabeth Holmes/Theranos case (the Theranos’ blood tests that were supposed to be revolutionary but turned out to be inaccurate).  The episode featured the Law & Order cold open that we all know and love: someone literally stumbling on a dead body.   The investigation is  a little too quick and too easy here, which signals that they’re going to catch the perp quickly and the legal issue may dominate the episode.   There were no fireworks with Bernard and Cosgrove this week – a good sign,

The legal dilemma in this episode occurs when Nina Ellis,  business partner to murder victim Kyle Morrison, changes her not guilty plea to a battered woman defense.  For a moment there, I thought an episode of Law & Order SVU was going to break out, especially when the “Me Too” movement seemed to be a sticking point with Maroun.  Price was correct in saying that he can’t cater to movements; his job is enforcing the law.   Price’s problem, however, is his method of jury selection could have been a disaster, with  him wanting to avoid confirmation bias, focusing on women, the less educated,  the poor, and skeptics.   When the plea deal change, this messed with his entire jury plan.  

Price went to Jack McCoy twice in this episode for his advice and in both cases Jack helped Price to find his way. 

It seemed obvious the minute Nina  brought up her broken arm that she made a grave error.  Had Price not kept the pressure on her, she may not have slipped up by  mentioning it. It proved to be her undoing. 

A side note: Nolan Price eats sautéed crickets.  No thanks!

Here is the recap: 

A couple walking in the park stumble on a dead body.  It’s Kyle Morrison,  the COO of Hythena, shot twice in the chest. Detectives  Bernard and Cosgrove, along with guidance from Lt. Dixon, go through the usual  questioning of those connected with Morrison, which include Morrison’s business partner, Nina Ellis, and the company CTE, Derek Seaver.  Seaver had been fired because  he said in an email that the company’s cancer test technology didn’t work, but now  he has an NDA and he won’t talk.    The detectives find that people have died from cancer that, because of the test showing too many false negatives, they didn’t know they had until it was too late.  

The detectives hear that someone threw a 9mm Glock into a sewer which they match to the weapon that murdered Kyle Morrison.  Someone called in the tipoff, and the car ditching the gun matches Seaver’s and the location is close to Seaver’s home.  He denies it, and he eventually talks and says  he didn’t get fired, he quit because the screening tests don’t work; they’re bogus, and only 50% accurate.  He adds that Nina Ellis fabricated the results and he told Kyle Morrison this,  and Kyle was going to postpone the IPO and pull the product.  Seaver points the finger at Nina.   She’s quickly arrested when they find blood - Kyle’s DNA - on an article of clothing. 

Dixon tries to convince Price and Maroun to charge Nina with murder based on what the detectives discovered. When Price balks, Dixon wants to get word out about the inaccurate cancer tests and plans to arrest Nina and whether Price decides to charge Nina with murder. she says “that’s on you.”   The detectives arrest Nina, much to her surprise.  

The judge sets bail at $5 million.  Kyle’s dad is livid about this and pressures Price to make Nina pay for the murder of his son.  Of course Nina denies everything and says the IPO is moving forward. Later, Price and the defense attorney are in the judge’s chambers discussing the witnesses covering the “flawed” tests but it’s ruled he can’t use those witnesses because the trial is about murder, not bad test results. 

Price is now concerned with picking the best jury, wanting ones that aren’t susceptible to manipulation – wanting women, less educated, poor. He wants to avoid confirmation bias – he wants skeptics. 

During the trial,  Price brings up the inaccurate cancer tests and that Nina refused to pull the tests as Kyle requested and killed him instead.   He makes Nina out to be someone who nothing will get in her way, calling her a cold-blooded killer. 

Price and Maroun are surprised when Nina changes her plea to a battered woman defense, and the only way out was to kill him.  They speak with Jack and  who thinks she is just going to lie; lying is in vogue and acceptable part of society.  He tells them to let Nina tell her story and then pick her apart and expose the lies. 

Back at trial, Nina outlines the abuse, including rape, crying on the stand.  Later, Price and Maroun discuss that some jurors seemed to buy her story.  Maroun disagrees with Price wanting to pick apart Nina’s assertions; she’s not sure Nina is lying. Maroun mentions the “Me Too” movement and Price says their job is not to cater to movements.  She worries they didn’t screen the jury for this and there were some jurors who had those issues in their history.

Kyle’s father is livid that Price wants to make a deal, and when Price discusses this with Jack, Price decides he must go ahead and prosecute Nina with no deal. 

On the stand,  Price brings up the testing inaccuracies and customer complaints. Nina tries to BS her way out of it, but Price continues to hammer on the business and the company valuation.  She blames the trial for loss of business, and mentions that she spent time in the hospital as Kyle broke her arm.

Afterward, Price and Maroun argue the case and Nina being a liar about her abuse.  They decide to check into the broken arm.   Bernard and Cosgrove check this out and Nina did come in with a broken arm – and the detectives ask to see the video footage from that day. 

At a later date, Nina’s equestrian coach is on the stand and it is revealed that, during a polo coaching session,  Nina fell off a horse and broke her arm, and was taken to the hospital. Nina could not have ridden the horse with a broken arm, and Kyle was nowhere to be found at the time of the accident or at the hospital.

The jury verdict – guilty of murder in the first degree.  Nina tells her lawyer they got it wrong as they take her away.  Kyle’s father is thankful. 

Outside the courthouse,  Price notes to Maroun that there are no protesters. He says that’s good; it shows the movement is real and people saw through Nina’s lies.  Maroun says it’s tricky; the mantra is “the victim’s truth is the only truth.”  Price says that is as long as the victim is actually telling the truth.   As they walk away from the courthouse we fade to black.