Ep 8. Poison Ivy

The show Law & Order premiered on September 13th, 1990, and quickly became one of the most popular crime dramas on television. The first season of the show featured many memorable episodes, one of which was titled "Poison Ivy." This episode was the eighth in the season, and it originally aired on November 8th, 1990.

In this episode, the story begins with a young woman named Jodie Gaines (played by Tracy Pollan) lying ill in a hospital bed. Her father, Dr. Roger Gaines (played by David Cochrane), is also at the hospital, anxiously waiting to hear if his daughter will recover. The doctors tell him that Jodie's symptoms are consistent with poisoning and that they need to do more tests to determine the exact cause.

Meanwhile, Detectives Greevey (George Dzundza) and Logan (Chris Noth) are called to the scene of a burglary at the home of a wealthy couple named the Lindleys. The Lindleys' housekeeper, Rosa Hernandez (played by Miriam Colon), has been tied up and robbed of a valuable pearl necklace. While they are investigating the crime scene, Greevey and Logan notice that there are small cuts on the hands of the culprit. This leads them to suspect that the thief may have been trying to get his hands on some poisonous plants that the Lindleys have in their garden.

The detectives then go to the botanical garden where the Lindleys purchased the plants to try and find out who might have recently bought the same plants. They discover that Jodie Gaines had bought some of these same plants just a few days before falling ill. When they go to interview her, they find out that she had been dating a man named Eddie Newman (played by Peter Berg), who had been staying with her in her apartment for the past few weeks.

Eddie Newman seems like an unlikely suspect at first, but when the detectives go to visit his last known address, they find out that he and his girlfriend, Leslie Harlan (played by Kathryn Meisle), had been involved in a similar poisoning incident several months before. This leads them to suspect that Eddie Newman is a serial poisoner who preys on young women.

As the detectives continue to investigate, they are lead on a complicated trail of clues that involves several more victims and a tangled web of deceit and betrayal. Through the expert testimony of Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (played by Carolyn McCormick), the prosecutor, Ben Stone (played by Michael Moriarty), is able to build a strong case against Eddie Newman. However, as the trial progresses, the defense attorney, Harold Jensen (played by Ron Rifkin), puts up a fight, and it's uncertain if the prosecution will be able to secure a conviction.

Overall, "Poison Ivy" is an engrossing episode of Law & Order that showcases some of the best elements of the show. Fans of the series will appreciate the intricate plot, the intense performances, and the suspenseful courtroom drama. It's an excellent example of why Law & Order has remained so popular for so long, and it's definitely worth a watch for anyone who loves crime dramas.