Law & Order Season 22 Episode 11 Review: Second Chance
With Law & Order Season 22 Episode 11, “Second Chance” the show proves once again that the focus needs to remain on the DA side of things to stay interesting. Everything about this episode is lackluster until the trial and Maroun’s past are introduced.
In fact, Cosgrove and Shaw’s side of the episode is so forgettable it is barely worth mentioning. The only thing we get from their half is sympathy for the victim as a man trying to better his life after prison.
If I am being honest, this is probably one of the weakest episodes of the show to date. While the back half is interesting it’s still not interesting enough to make the audience care about the case overall.
The Case of Another White Rich Boy
In 2023 to have a man of color killed senselessly by a “pristine” white teenager using a “pot made me do it” defense is not only unoriginal it’s disappointing. Viewers deserve more creativity and effort than that.
While we aren’t usually supposed to feel any sympathy for the defendant in the first place “Second Chance” takes that to another level. There is nothing sympathetic or redeeming about this boy.
Law & Order has so many opportunities to rewrite the narrative and help viewers to envision a better reality, but instead, it chooses these stories. Maybe I am in the minority here but I don’t want yet another story of a young white man using his family money to avoid taking responsibility for a heinous crime.
What is even sadder about this case is the defense makes the victim out to be this monster all because he went to prison on a marijuana possession charge. Then to have Price and Maroun fail to really hammer home to the jury that the victim is actually an upstanding citizen makes everything ten times worse.
Were the writers sleeping when they wrote this episode? It truly is the sloppiest writing I have ever seen from this series.
Maroun’s Past Isn’t Enough
Learning more about Maroun’s sister works wonders to make her the most interesting character on this show. Maroun has always been an emotionally charged EADA, but this case in particular really gets under her skin — as it should.
Unfortunately, Law & Order decides that Maroun’s sister’s murder is fodder for her co-worker to raise concerns about her being too angry at the defendant. That particular conversation irks me for the same reason the show choosing this storyline in the first place does.
Price is a white man telling Maroun that he agrees with the defendant’s guidance counselor who called her an angry woman. Not only is it disappointing for Price to take this stance it’s even more disappointing considering Maroun is a woman of color.
While it is great that Maroun and Price have a relationship where they can have these deeper, more connected conversations, Price should have approached his concerns in a different way. He could have started the conversation with words like “too emotionally invested” or “letting your sister’s death dictate this case”, but instead he goes with agreeing that she’s “too angry.”
Maroun deserves to be supported better by those around her. She should never have to concede or apologize for seeking justice in a case that has racially motivated optics.
Do better Law & Order.
Stray Thoughts
- Now that we’ve met Maroun’s mother can we learn more about the other characters?
- I want to care about Cosgrove and Shaw’s stories, but the writers have failed to give me a reason at all this season.
What did you think of this episode of Law & Order? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
Law & Order airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Mads Misasi
Mads is a part-time entertainment journalist and full-time marketing content creator. They love any and all TV Dramas with a few sitcoms mixed in. Join in the fun talking about TV by following them on Twitter: @dorothynyc89.
3 comments
I agree with you about this episode, and like many of the episodes this season, I end up bored by the storylines or irritated by Price.
Side note: on the police side, the Lieutenant seems to always look to Cosgrove to validate what she should do as if she isn’t his superior. Which is the same dynamic Maroun has with Price, even though they have the same title.
This episode in particular, I looked forward to Maroun taking the lead because she was so passionate, but when she got a chance to “question” the defendant and really have an opportunity to make her point she only made statements, asked no questions, and then sat next to Price in pity. That was truly disappointing. The daughter of the victim should have been the lawyer because she made better points.
And throughout Price kept saying “I wish we knew what made him do it” so I’m expecting this bombshell reason and he had a psychotic reaction to marijuana? I was thinking how did he get assessed so quickly to even have that as a defense? Like, did he kill the man, go home, and then ask for a psychiatrist? I didn’t get why that part was not challenged.
And then, in the end the ADA’s just walk away like they did something great.
Overall, they need to add more dynamic storylines and maybe shake up the cast of characters. Have some kind of running story from episode to episode
(not the part where Cosgrove and Shaw reluctantly have to chase a suspect) to keep things engaging. I think why the other Law and Orders franchises work is because there are so many different people in and out of an episode and they all are different so it’s suspenseful to see who is the suspect, what’s their background, and the cops and lawyers mission to actually get justice.
Anyway, I enjoyed your review, as always.
I was so pissed at episode 11 that I am refusing to watch anymore of that trash. They had done a disservice to the legacy of the Law &Order franchise. I am deeply offended by this tone deaf borderline pro-kyle Rittenhouse episode I am ashamed to say I watched. Never again!
Really appreciated your review. This episode was hot garbage. I mean, at one point someone (the guidance counselor, I think) asks Haroun why she’s trying to ruin the defendant’s life. As if he hasn’t brutally killed someone and several other lives. Honestly, wtf?
It was so disappointing to see the writers lean into the idea that Haroun was simply “too angry” to effectively prosecute the alleged killer, who they didn’t even bother attempting to hold responsible, but instead leave unchallenged, the defenses efforts to paint him as a virtual angel. And they blew off the victim’s family as if their pain and concerns were an afterthought.
It’s almost like the show runner has internalized all the review bombing the revived Law & Order has received and now buys into the idea that the franchise is too “woke.”
Hugely disappointing episode.
Comments are closed.