For God and Country
Directed By: Ed Sherin
Written By: Michael S. Chernuchin and Jorge Zamacona
In the second part of the show's Crossover with Law & Order, Bayliss and Pembleton still want to find the person who maneuvered Brian Egan (Kevin Geer) into bombing a Baltimore church five years before, and with the help of Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt), manage to track down Alexander Rausch (J. K. Simmons), a former government agent who was also responsible for killing Egan's wife.
This episode contains examples of:
- Back Story: Apparently, Briscoe had a brief affair with one of Munch's ex-wives, Gwen. Munch does not take this well.
- Crossover: This episode is a sequel to Law & Order episode "Charm City". This episode includes Law & Order regulars Briscoe, Curtis and Kincaid, as well as the Egan family from "Charm City".
- Downer Ending: Judge Andahl rules in favor of Kincaid, so Rausch will get tried in New York City and not the church bombing. Not only that, but Rausch dies of a heart attack at the train station before he can be transported to New York, so Pembleton won't get to Make an Example of Them.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Munch gets very drunk after finding out about Briscoe having an affair with his ex-wife to the point he can barely remember the picture of Rausch, with a seaplane, at the Egan's house.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Egan is very upset when he finds out Rausch has killed his wife, and begs Briscoe and Curtis to rescue Kenny before he meets the same fate.
- Flashback: There are a number of brief flashbacks to the church bombing that Pembleton was the primary on.
- Hollywood Heart Attack: Averted - though Rausch does collapse in the train station, he's shown asking for water throughout his interrogation and when he's standing at the train station, and the doctor shown treating him in jail mentions he had a myocardial infarction, which is a heart attack, though the one he had earlier might have been a quiet version.
- It's Personal: Pembleton is haunted by seeing the face of a young girl when her mother was found dead in the church bombing five years earlier, so he's on a crusade with this case.
- Make an Example of Them: Discussed - Pembleton tells Rausch he intends to parade him around in the media to make it clear what will happen to any other white supremacist who tries to do what he did to other African-Americans. Unfortunately, as seen in Downer Ending, it doesn't work out that way.
- No, You: When Rausch wonders why Pembleton is fighting so hard for an institution (democratic government) which Rausch feels is an anachronism, Pembleton points to Rausch and responds, "No, you're the anachronism."
- Sequel Episode: This episode is a sequel to Law & Order episode "Charm City".
- Villain Respect: Despite how racist Rausch is, he does develop a grudging respect towards Pembleton.
