# Law and Order: Jack McCoy references "Chinatown"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-jack-mccoy-references-chinatown/1010419>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\
**Created:** [November 18, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-jack-mccoy-references-chinatown/1010419 "2024-11-18T21:03:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [November 18, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-jack-mccoy-references-chinatown/1010419/1 "2024-11-18T21:03:16Z")

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Trying to remember an episode of “Law and Order” (classic) from the thinnest of clues. Jack and his associates are discussing a case (probably when Jack was DA) and something prompts Jack to do a brief impression of the daughter/sister/daughter scene from Chinatown, which was a little startling from Jack. Anyone remember that bit?

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-jack-mccoy-references-chinatown/1010419/2 "2024-11-18T21:13:02Z")

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I’m guessing it’s the episode recapped here in this blog post, “The Taxman Cometh.” They have a clip of the scene at the end of the post. It’s from 2010, season 20 episode 20.

> **[Law & Order “The Taxman Cometh” Recap & Review](https://allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com/2010/05/law-order-taxman-cometh-recap-review.html)**
>
> "All Things Law And Order" covers all the shows of the Law & Order brand: Law & Order, SVU, Criminal Intent, For The Defense, LA, UK, Trial By Jury

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**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:** [November 18, 2024, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-jack-mccoy-references-chinatown/1010419/3 "2024-11-18T21:15:42Z")

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That’s it! Thanks.

> McCoy jokingly recounts the infamous Chinatown/Faye Dunaway “she’s my sister - she’s my daughter” movie scene and they all smile.

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-jack-mccoy-references-chinatown/1010419/4 "2024-11-18T21:17:19Z")

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Season 20, episode 20, “The Taxman Cometh” based on the estate tax loophole in 2010. Jack says the lines in relation to a situation in which a lesbian woman has adopted her partner to secure legal rights before same sex marriage was legalized. An episode that is very specifically tied to the year it aired, since it no longer makes legal sense.