The Cranking Widgets Blog

As some of you may already know, I’m a big fan of Law & Order. It’s by far the most Tivo’d show at my house, hands down. I’ve been known to plow through 4-6 episodes on a lazy Saturday night – I’m not joking about this, I’m a fan.

So, as any avid fan would tell you, there are a handful of things that tend to happen pretty regularly on the show. And while I’m a little old to be doing shots (got that out of my system awhile back), I would imagine it would be quite entertaining to watch a group of people play the game I’ll be describing in a second.

Basically, the rules go something like this: Whenever any of the following things happen on the show, a drink is taken. Sure, I could have certain events be worth more shots than others, but frankly I’m too tired to think about it that much

Here’s the list of “drink triggers” (note that these apply to the original Law & Order, not the spin-offs):

• The Defense serves Jack or Cute Assistant DA with a Motion to Suppress – Expect this to happen anytime the prosecution’s case relies heavily on a confession or questionable search. You can expect 1 of these every 2-3 episodes.
• The Defense serves Jack or Cute Assistant DA with a Motion to Dismiss – Another very common one. Honestly, I’m a little shocked if I don’t see this one at least once per episode. These usually follow the granting of a Motion to Suppress (which generally cripples their case until Jack mastermind’s a so-crazy-it-just-might-work counter-attack).
• The Phrase “End-Run” is Used by Either Side – Particularly common among the defense, this one usually flies out whenever Jack tries to apply some virtually inapplicable statute to the case at hand. For example, “Mr. McCoy is clearly attempting an end-run around the 4th Amendment!”.
• “The Search/Confession is Out!” – Yelled by a judge, usually following the granting of a Motion to Suppress. Note that these never really matter and Jack almost always outsmarts the seemingly clever defense attorney.
• Somebody Moves for an “Immediate Mistrial“ – This is something you’ll see when an unwitting witness manages to blurt something out in open court that wasn’t supposed to be said and has somehow tainted the jury. You’ll almost always hear this as the judge and attorneys are briskly marching into the judge’s chambers and the judge is angrily removing his/her black robe. (Bonus drink of the judge says the words “I’m inclined to agree…” during the above exchange)
• Jack is ordered by the sitting DA to “Cut a Deal!“ – Whenever the prosecution’s case is somewhat shaky, the District Attorney will often tell Jack to attempt a plea bargain. This directive often follows a heated disagreement between the two – this was a terribly common occurrence during Adam Schiff’s term as DA. Jack reluctantly complies, but usually the offer is ridiculous and the defendant refuses. Then Jack gives him an ass-whooping of epic proportions in court.
• Either Attorney Says “Withdrawn!“ – Usually preceded immediately by a very inflammatory remark. For example, Jack might say to a witness “You do realize you’re terribly ugly and your mother is a dudeWITHDRAWN.” Also, expect a subdued sense of shock throughout the courtroom as the offending attorney strolls confidently back to his seat.

Have a fantastic weekend, everybody!

Technorati Tags: games, drinking, law and order, jack mccoy, television