# Dumbest way a TV detective has solved a crime \[open spoilers\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [January 27, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482 "2025-01-27T17:14:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/81 "2025-02-02T01:58:28Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > that. Of course you can understand why characters in these shows rarely lawyer-up: you don’t get conflict and confrontation between detective and suspect when there’s a lawyer in the room. I have seen it on Blue Bloods and the regular L&O. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/82 "2025-02-02T02:19:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I have seen it on Blue Bloods and the regular L&O IIRC, they did a Law & Order episode where the interrogators eventually get a whiny eighteen-year-old to confess while cheerfully ignoring the way he keeps asking for his mom; the reason that episode managed to fill an entire hour was that — well, his mom is a lawyer, and so the court ruled that he was asking for a lawyer, and so the confession gets ruled to be inadmissible. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/83 "2025-02-02T03:30:25Z")
To be fair, there are undoubtedly a wide variety of explosive events that would kill a person without damaging their eyes. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/84 "2025-02-02T11:26:32Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > This would have made a great Mythbusters episode. If it happened in a major movie, yeah-- this was in a series, albeit starring Lucy Lawless, I don’t think has much of a US following. You have to subscribe to Acorn streaming service (totally worth it, BTW) to see it in the US, unless you cable service happens to sell each season at a time. Right now, I think only Aus and NZ can see it broadcast-- unless the BBC is buying it. It’s a great show, notwithstanding this one ending. Lawless is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/85 "2025-02-02T13:04:23Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Anyone who has ever fired a gun can see the problem there. It’s only marginally better than shooting blind. You can look at what you want to hit, and kinda try to point the gun that way, but unless you actually have the target in the gun’s sites, or you are aiming for, say, the side of a barn, you won’t hit it. I’m sure that there are some Annie Oakley types who could pull it off - the kind of people who can hit targets over their shoulder using a mirror, stuff like that. That said, if the hole was big enough and the pistol had a laser sight, any reasonable shooter could hit the target. At that range it’s just point and click. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/86 "2025-02-02T16:29:04Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > > [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > > > A little ot maybe, but… can Perry Mason take credit for all those instances when a random person stood up in court and confessed? Because it happened every other episode. It’s no wonder he had such a stellar record. > > At that: is that when the prosecution drops the charges? Because if you’re ever on trial, and I can save you by just standing up n court and confessing, it seems like I could then go on trial and have a buddy save me by standing up and confessing… The person confessing already has already been shown to have committed the crime. Perry comes up with a logical explanation as to why the person did it before they confess. They can be charged on the basis of that evidence, not the confession. And the evidence and the confession create reasonable doubt. Burger has no reason to try Mason’s clien; he can’t win. He can prosecute the one with confessed without the confession. A false confession wouldn’t have the evidence and would be prosecued as such. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/87 "2025-02-02T20:44:37Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > And the evidence and the confession create reasonable doubt. Burger has no reason to try Mason’s clien; he can’t win. He can prosecute the one with confessed without the confession. However, finding out in open court that someone else did it- by a true confession- is such a rare thing. Most of Masons cases would not be in the actual courtroom, Mason would meet with Burger and present his evidence, and Burger would drop the case. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/88 "2025-02-02T20:48:02Z")
Though Trudy is by canon left in a condition bad enough that “she faked her death” was considered possible, so “explosion left her head intact” is unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/89 "2025-02-03T08:11:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@RealityChuck](#): > > > > And the evidence and the confession create reasonable doubt. Burger has no reason to try Mason’s clien; he can’t win. He can prosecute the one with confessed without the confession. > > However, finding out in open court that someone else did it- by a true confession- is such a rare thing. Most of Masons cases would not be in the actual courtroom, Mason would meet with Burger and present his evidence, and Burger would drop the case. It’s known as “dramatic licence.” Would you prefer to see a show consisting of Mason presenting affidavits to Burger? Also, Mason doesn’t know have any basis for reasonable doubt until he hears the testimony from the various witnesses. Heathen spots the discrepancies. Would the show be improved by watching him reading dispositions? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/90 "2025-02-03T14:22:06Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Would the show be improved by watching him reading dispositions? On a case by case episode basis, no. In the aggregate, totally. Law and Order can make dramatic episodes based on evidence, dispositions, and plea arrangements. And don’t forget, people were wondering about Burger’s skill _when the show was still on the air_. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/91 "2025-02-03T14:31:15Z")
In all fairness to ‘Ham’ Burger and Lt. Tragg, the accused always had circumstantial evidence pointing to him/her. They were following the evidence that was known to them. Unlike real life (and this is based on being an ID addict), Burger always seemed to accept that Mason had smoked out the right person. From what I’ve seen on some crime docs, even after evidence shows up that exonerates a convicted or shows that there was reasonable doubt, judges and prosecutors don’t like to admit they were wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/92 "2025-02-03T14:50:58Z")
I always wanted to see Mason take the case of the person he just got to confess. He should be able to get him or her acquitted. Shouldn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/93 "2025-02-03T15:58:02Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > > [@RealityChuck](#): > > > > Would the show be improved by watching him reading dispositions? > > On a case by case episode basis, no. In the aggregate, totally. Law and Order can make dramatic episodes based on evidence, dispositions, and plea arrangements. > > And don’t forget, people were wondering about Burger’s skill _when the show was still on the air_. How do you make an aggregate unless you’re showing it each case? Would showing it in even one case be better drama than showing the confession? Better TV? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/94 "2025-02-04T02:37:01Z")
I don’t remember a specific episode. Wikipedia currently reports 512 episodes so far. But Law & Order took huge liberties in the trials. ADA Jack McCoy often brings up material that may not get in that wins his case. I guess Evidentiary hearings would take away too much time from the plot. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/95 "2025-02-04T02:41:25Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I always wanted to see Mason take the case of the person he just got to confess. He should be able to get him or her acquitted. Shouldn’t he? I’m not sure; the odds are pretty good that the followup trial will take place on a Tuesday, maybe a Wednesday… ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/96 "2025-02-04T03:01:59Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I always wanted to see Mason take the case of the person he just got to confess. He should be able to get him or her acquitted. Shouldn’t he? That might be a conflict of interest. ---
**Author:** ![Flopnoodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@Flopnoodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flopnoodle)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/97 "2025-02-08T00:15:22Z")
You can tell a transplanted cornea from the star pattern of the stitches. Sorry for the quick factor there. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/98 "2025-02-08T00:43:36Z")
They have scars upon thars? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/99 "2025-02-08T01:03:38Z")
So Monk might have subconsciously noted both the stitches and the tattoo date and thought of Trudy without knowing why. Could have been explained better. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482/100 "2025-02-08T18:16:55Z")
That does not change the fact that a cornea does not do a goddam thing for RP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-way-a-tv-detective-has-solved-a-crime-open-spoilers/1013482.md?page=6)