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On the topic of suspension of disbelief. Crime shows and attorneys.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 7:39 pm
Posted on 5/20/24 at 7:39 pm
The Santa thread had me thinking of other tropes that are common to make a lot of shows work.
One of those is that almost all cop shows seem to rely on suspects never having lawyers present except in episodes where it’s somehow part of the plot.
Most of these crimes are solved by interrogating people and pressuring them to confess some critical piece of information that cracks the case. Of course if they have an attorney present as is their right and keep their mouth shut, its not nearly as interesting.
One of those is that almost all cop shows seem to rely on suspects never having lawyers present except in episodes where it’s somehow part of the plot.
Most of these crimes are solved by interrogating people and pressuring them to confess some critical piece of information that cracks the case. Of course if they have an attorney present as is their right and keep their mouth shut, its not nearly as interesting.
7
Posted on 5/20/24 at 7:55 pm to jlovel7
shite UK law shows flip this on its head, due to their different rules. There are almost always lawyers present but the lawyers encourage the person to talk 
Posted on 5/20/24 at 8:04 pm to jlovel7
And how cops interview people at their places of work (mechanic, bartender, etc) and the people seem barely bothered and continue to work while answering questions as if it happens every day
Posted on 5/20/24 at 8:31 pm to Eighteen
quote:I've pointed this out before. IRL the vast majority of people are intimidated by cops & hesitant to speak around them.
And how cops interview people at their places of work (mechanic, bartender, etc) and the people seem barely bothered and continue to work while answering questions as if it happens every day
The smartass witness is a holdover from Dragnet. The various Dick Wolf shows (Law & Order SUV etc), which are basically just Dragnet woked up, are in love w/this format. Witnesses will bake wedding cakes, work on car engines, conduct brain surgery operations while talking to the cops, as the camera shakes like a spazz w/DTs.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 8:46 pm to jlovel7
Lawyer shows are utterly unrealistic but if they were realistic, nobody would watch them. Nothing is exciting about billing hours, watching a defendant plead the 5th, watching a victim refuse to testify. Now, the back room handshake deals between lawyers and defense counsel/DAs can have amusing moments but nothing TV-worthy.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 8:25 am to biglego
quote:
Lawyer shows are utterly unrealistic but if they were realistic, nobody would watch them. Nothing is exciting about billing hours, watching a defendant plead the 5th, watching a victim refuse to testify. Now, the back room handshake deals between lawyers and defense counsel/DAs can have amusing moments but nothing TV-worthy.
I had a teacher in HS that was a former lawyer and he would go on and on about how much "surprise evidence" pissed him off. YOU CAN'T JUST HOLD BACK A PIECE OF EVIDENCE AND PRESENT IT AT THE PRECISE MOMENT YOU NEED IT IN A TRIAL!!!
Posted on 5/21/24 at 9:29 am to jlovel7
If I'm innocent, my defense attorney is Perry Mason.
If I'm guilty, it's this guy:
If I'm guilty, it's this guy:
Posted on 5/21/24 at 9:33 am to jlovel7
There are a lot of people who think they can talk their way out of a situation or think asking for a lawyer is some sort of admission if guilt. Some also think talking is a sign of cooperation that they will get credit for.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 9:44 am to biglego
quote:
Lawyer shows are utterly unrealistic but if they were realistic, nobody would watch them.
Well we all love a lawyer testifying while questioning a witness.... That's drama.
I mean, just watch And Justice For All.
But, to be fair, the country was riveted by the OJ trial..... What was that, 6-7 months....You could do a lawyer series that's slow like "The Killing" and add in procedure, it might work. A Civil Action worked and that's about as close to real life as you're gonna get in lawyer movies.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 10:09 am to Eighteen
quote:
And how cops interview people at their places of work (mechanic, bartender, etc) and the people seem barely bothered and continue to work while answering questions as if it happens every day
"And the best thing about Law and Order is that it's like the same episode every single time. Like it's the same thing again and again to the point where you see the same types of characters on every Law and Order; they'll bust out the same types of people on different episodes. Some of my personal favorites there is: Guy Who While Being Questioned By Homicide Detectives Will Not Stop Unloading Crates. Doesn't matter to this guy! Double rape and murder? Nah, he's gotta unload that van! The detectives they'll show up with all these serious questions, and this guy is just like, "Tony Ramirez? Yeah, I remember him. Used to work here Tuesdays." It's like, dude, people have died! How often are you questioned by homicide detectives?" - John Mulaney
Posted on 5/21/24 at 10:27 am to jlovel7
quote:
Most of these crimes are solved by interrogating people and pressuring them to confess some critical piece of information that cracks the case. Of course if they have an attorney present as is their right and keep their mouth shut, its not nearly as interesting.
Did you watch Matlock?
Pretty much every episode hinged on Matlock getting a witness to confess, while on the stand, to the crime his client was accused of.
Like somehow the crime of MURDER was better to confess to - while in the courtroom with no plea bargain or anything - than PERJURY.
Nitpicking crime dramas for their lack of realism is the same as nitpicking hacking in movies/TV. A lot of the real life version would be boring AS frick.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 10:28 am to facher08
after watching 100's of "First 48" episodes, the OP would be wrong. a lot do lawyer up (usually teen punks who know the drill and the cops have more than enough to convict but just want to hear something from the perp), but you'd be amazed how many don't. just love to talk themselves deeper into a hole and eventually confess.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 10:33 am to Jmcc64
quote:
after watching 100's of "First 48" episodes, the OP would be wrong. a lot do lawyer up (usually teen punks who know the drill and the cops have more than enough to convict but just want to hear something from the perp), but you'd be amazed how many don't. just love to talk themselves deeper into a hole and eventually confess.
I don't remember the name of the channel/series, but there was one I recall seeing that was basically a camera filming a room in a police station. The folks being recorded had no idea that the police could just do that and would, often, confess to the crime to a family member or friend while being recorded.
Might have been staged, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was real.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 10:47 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:Every damn time.
Well we all love a lawyer testifying while questioning a witness
Posted on 5/21/24 at 12:46 pm to jlovel7
This is Rizzoli and Isles, Castle, and Major Crimes to a T. My mom watches them but Castle is the one we like most. At least Castle adds more humor and it isn't so serious all the time.
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