One of the biggest appeals of 'Law and Order' has been the topics it addresses and issues that come with the topics addressed. Also with how they are explored, the execution more often than not was hardly sugar coated or trivialised and was often pull no punches in quality. The Season 13 premiere "American Jahid" is one of the most daring ones of the later seasons and one of the boldest of the season, though could easily have been heavy handed and too much of a political statement if done wrong.
This turned out to be a truly marvellous premiere to Season 13 and one of the season's best. Am not surprised that it is very popular whenever 'Law and Order' repeats. A difficult subject is handled uncompromisingly but also without falling into any of the traps that can come with tackling it (like some episodes that tackled similar issues did). But it is a marvellous episode of 'Law and Order' on its own terms, and the few things that were recurring problems in Seasons 12-15 were not problems here.
Everything works here. As usual, the production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough while also taut.
Moreover, the script challenges enough without being too much of a challenge in terms of understanding what's going on. It is not routine in the policing scenes and is very thought provoking and uncompromising when it comes to court. The writing is taut and doesn't get one sided or preachy, like it can easily do with this sort of subject. Nor does it become too much of a political statement, something that again could have been an issue.
Really loved and was suitably unsettled by its uncompromising approach to subject with no sugar coating, while still being tasteful and any characters that could have been stereotyped are more complex than that. The cross examination between Southerlyn and the perpetrator was the surprising dramatic highlight, was very surprised by its tension.
Acting all round is excellent. Will Horneff gives the chills and this is one of the very few times where Southerlyn has actually had personality and served point and where Elisabeth Rohm wasn't wooden. Sam Waterston, Jesse L. Martin and Jerry Orbach can't be faulted.
In conclusion, one of Season 13's best. 10/10.