Navy Blues

Episode aired Oct 15, 1997
TV-14
45m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

362

YOUR RATING

Crime Drama Mystery Thriller

A female Navy pilot kills an enlisted man over their affair. However, McCoy suspects that the military may be impeding the D.A. office's investigation because she is a valuable asset and a p... Read allA female Navy pilot kills an enlisted man over their affair. However, McCoy suspects that the military may be impeding the D.A. office's investigation because she is a valuable asset and a positive female role model.A female Navy pilot kills an enlisted man over their affair. However, McCoy suspects that the military may be impeding the D.A. office's investigation because she is a valuable asset and a positive female role model.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

362

YOUR RATING

4User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

User reviews4

Featured review

7/10

Death in the navy

"Navy Blues" is another 'Law and Order' episode where the concept isn't anything original but still has enough to make one interested in seeing it. Personally do prefer the episodes that tackle more difficult and controversial topics that are still to this day hardly outdated, or at least ones that are more so, but again if a fan of 'Law and Order' or wanting to see all the episodes there is no reason really to avoid Season 8's third episode "Navy Blues".

While still an interesting and well done episode, "Navy Blues" was also slightly disappointing. Other episodes have more tension, emotion and surprises and other episodes also do better at doing something fresh with a premise that is hardly new. "Navy Blues" still has intrigue and does get better in the second half when the legal side of the case kicks in and raises some interesting questions concerning how to judge the case and the issues that come with it.

Am going to start with what could have been done better. The policing scenes intrigue enough but there is not much new done with a story and setting that is nothing innovative. Much has been done before but in a tauter way, the policing scenes have some sparkling character interaction and exchanges but are fairly routine and nothing surprises all that much.

Do agree that more could have been done to resolve the no fraternisation policy that dominates the episode and what the legal argument centres around. That started off interesting but lacks resolution.

However, "Navy Blues" is well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse. The writing is taut and very thought provoking in the legal scenes, the questions raised fascinating and making one think long and hard after.

The story does pick up a lot in the second half, where it becomes more complex and twisty than it initially seems and tightens in pace. Not many shocks or tension but enough attention grabs and intrigues thanks to McCoy's ways of getting to the truth and his manner in the courtroom. The acting is great from all the regulars and Kate Walsh makes one uncertain as to whether she's guilty or innocent, actually was not entirely sure myself.

Concluding, quite good but not great. 7/10.

Trivia
This episode appears to be based on the 1997 sex scandal involving the U.S. Air Force and Lt. Kelly Flinn. On May 20, 1997, following an adulterous affair with a civilian soccer coach at Minot Air Force Base who was married to a female enlisted subordinate in her chain of command, Flinn was charged by the military with conduct unbecoming an officer, disobeying a lawful order (in writing, to stay away from the married man), making a false official statement in which she lied under oath to Air Force investigators, falsely telling them she had ended the affair, and fraternization (for an additional affair that she had with an enlisted man). Flinn's case, due in part to her high visibility in Air Force recruitment advertisements, drew national attention, eventually creating a media circus. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Ronald Fogleman, testified at a congressional hearing that, "In the end, this is not an issue of adultery. This is an issue about an officer, entrusted to fly nuclear weapons, who lied." The media, however, largely treated the case as though Flinn were being tried by the military for the crime of adultery, and castigated the Air Force for allegedly firing her on moral grounds; a New York Times editorial on the case emphasized the adultery, rather than the actual military charges with which she was charged, and blamed the military's "antiquated adultery rules and their consistency in administering them, as well as their management training." Following the media outcry, Flinn was allowed to resign from the Air Force by Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall with a general discharge instead of facing a court-martial. She later wrote a book recounting her experiences, entitled Proud to Be: My Life, The Air Force, The Controversy.

Goofs
Despite what the Navy attorneys said, military personnel do in fact have the right to remain silent, consult an attorney, and not incriminate themselves. It is known as Article 31 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Military personnel who are detained (only commissioned officers can make arrests) by security personnel are required to have their Article 31 rights read to them, just like civilians do with the Miranda warning.

Quotes
Detective Lennie Briscoe: Where's your partner?
Officer Oliver: Lincoln Hospital. The paramedics couldn't pry the dog from his butt.
Detective Lennie Briscoe: What kind of dog?
Officer Oliver: Chihuahua.
Detective Lennie Briscoe: Let me know how they word the commendation.