Law & Order (TV Series) Prince of Darkness (1992) User Reviews

Leave no witnesses

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 1 August 2016]

Chris Noth and Paul Sorvino catch a heartbreaker of a case. A Colombian national and his wife gunned down in a fancy restaurant with their child looking on. As it turns out the man was heavily involved in the drug trade and was no solid citizen. Still, in front of his child?

The doer was also heavily involved in that trade and this group believes in leaving no witnesses. He is also a well known contract assassin for the Colombian cartel.

One truly shocking event happens courtesy of Michael Margolis one strung out druggie who will really frighten you with what you see. Sad for him he did this thing under police surveillance.

There's not much left for Michael Moriarty and Richard Brooks to prosecute when this is all over.

Mark Margolis

[chaufeur · 9/10 · 17 April 2022]

Mark Margolis gives great performances, and people do not know how good he is. I have watched him over several decades, and he always does a great job. This episode is just one example.

Shots Have Been Fired.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 19 December 2010]

A nice middle-class Colombian family is having a birthday party in a proper restaurant when -- rat-a-tat-tat -- the pretty mother and the affectionate father are wiped out, leaving their young daughter sobbing.

Well, the father, though young, handsome, and familial, was not only from Colombia but worked for a travel agency that booked flights back and forth. That suggests drugs, and Serreta and Logan discover that Daddy was, in fact, mixed up in smuggling and had murdered a rival and been killed by the organization in return.

There is a tense and exciting scene in which the Colombian who executed the hit in the restaurant is captured in the courtyard of a fancy hotel, but the story turns on the ability of the police to link him to the sale of an unusual automatic weapon. In setting up the sting operation, Seretta gets shot twice. In keeping with the usual tempo of the series, the incident isn't lingered over for its sentiment. Serreta never gasps out, "Mikey, I'm going fast, but I want you to know I've always been deeply in love with you." Actually, Seretta recovers but leaves the series. Paul Sorvino only says that he felt his fortunes lay elsewhere, I suppose meaning he wanted to go back to Hollywood. Well -- New York is a tough town.

Darkness in blood

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 15 July 2020]

It is hard not to feel excited before sitting down to watch "Prince of Darkness" for the first time. That was my feeling on first watch, and with it having one of Season 3's most interesting concepts part of me knew that it would be at least a very good episode. Have often seen it deemed as one of the standouts of the early seasons and it is hard to resist such a sinister sounding episode title, the episode title of the season to grab me the most even.

"Prince of Darkness" didn't disappoint me on first viewing. On re-watches, it is one of those episodes that got better with each viewing and it more than lived up to the very high expectations set by the concept and title and exceeded them. It is one of the standouts of Season 3, in its top 3 episodes, as well as the darkest and most tense (worthy of being season finale level). And a early season episode standout, a prime example as to why it is a shame that the early seasons aren't aired enough.

Can't find anything to fault really with "Prince of Darkness". It looks professional and the camerawork is neither overblown or static. The standout being at the beginning, which was quite unsettlingly (in a good way) shot. The music has a haunting and not too melodramatic presence, while being used relatively sparingly.

The acting is great, shining especially in the exchanges between Michael Moriarty, Richard Brooks and Steven Hill (also three at the top of their game). Paul Sorvino, in his last major/lead appearance (his last ever being a brief cameo in the next episode) of 'Law and Order', comes into his own here, while Carlos Sanz and Mark Margolis make the skin crawl.

Dialogue is taut yet also flows freely, one hanging on to every word without being confused or talked down to. Schiff has some brilliant lines here. It is the story where "Prince of Darkness" most stands out. It is Season 3's darkest episode and one of the darkest episodes full stop of 'Law and Order'. There is a real sense of suspenseful dread throughout, especially in the final portions, and it is full of unpredictable turns. For instance as soon as one thinks that the case is done and dusted, it is revealed that there is more to it and there is a particularly shocking change of events that leaves one floored. There is even a horrifying heart in the mouth moment where the viewer's reactions mirror exactly what the characters in question are thinking and feeling.

In summary, wonderful episode and one of the season's best, as well as an early season standout. 10/10.

Mark Margolis guest stars

[safenoe · 9/10 · 18 September 2023]

Gilbert M. Shilton directs this episode that features the late Mark Margolis, who pretty much steals this episode. Anyway, here Cerreta is shot in the line of duty and it was quite unexpected for sure. Anyway, Prince of Darkness takes you through the deadly deeds of the Columbian drug trade with defenestration at the end thrown in for good measure.

What happened to the young daughter at the end? I would hope that there can be a sequel to Prince of Darkness so I can find out because of my curiosity.

I'm enjoying catching up on the old season of Law and Order, along with Father Brown and Magnum, P. I..