Legislation & Order – Enemy of the State– Evaluation: Collateral Harm

Enemy of the State, the newest episode of Legislation & Order, revisits the tragedy of 9/11 by the lens of latest sensibilities. The present masterfully balances a crucial examination of post-9/11 counter-terrorism measures with an exploration of moral boundaries. General, it was a worthy return after the present’s winter hiatus.

Raymond Clark (Jevon Donaldson), a younger man, is pushed into an oncoming subway practice. His mom described Raymond, a washed-out police recruit, as “lost.” Detectives Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Vincent Riley (Reid Scott) rapidly monitor down Luke Bragg (Josh Hooks), a dudebro with whom Raymond invested all his cash to discover ways to be an alpha male. Bragg’s strategies didn’t impress Clark, so he outed him as a fraud. A child making an attempt to show Bragg as a charlatan, nevertheless, was not a motive for Bragg to kill him

The subway murder escalates into an act of terrorism when detectives visit the residence of Raymond’s oldest friend, Noah Turan (Carlin James). At Turan’s home, the police uncover undeniable evidence that he murdered his friend. Additionally, they discover his plans to bomb the Brooklyn Public Library during a visit by Chinese nationals. Shaw and Riley apprehend Noah just in time. Unbeknownst to Noah, his suicide mission was fabricated. In dismay, Noah requests a plea deal. He negotiates a reduced sentence for his friend’s murder in exchange for the name of the man who radicalized him. This man turns out to be an arrogant FBI agent, Joshua Haddad (Haaz Sleiman), who manipulated Noah’s anger towards the US for permitting severe human rights violations by the Chinese government, including the separation of Muslim children from their parents, sexual violence against women, sterilization of men, and what many argue constitutes low-key genocide.

“Enemy of the State” — LAW & ORDER, Pictured: (l-r) Reid Scott as Detective Vincent Riley, Maura Tierney as Lieutenant Jessica Brady, Mehcad Brooks as Detective Jalen Shaw. Picture by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC @ 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Noah confessed to the DA that he didn’t intend to kill Raymond; nevertheless, when he referred to as Joshua to report that Raymond had seen the bomb-making supplies, Joshua instructed him to “deal with the problem.” In Noah’s thoughts, this meant silencing Raymond, as he believed he could be taking the lives of probably lots of of individuals the following day with the bomb he thought Joshua taught him to construct. Government DA Nolan Worth (Hugh Dancy) proceeded to prosecute the strategies and requirements of the ‘Lure and Lure’ counter-terrorism program in court docket, significantly specializing in how Haddad executed it. Worth argued that Raymond’s homicide wouldn’t have occurred had Haddad not manipulated, threatened, and gaslit Noah into committing the act. Haddad’s protection relied on his exemplary file, stating that out of the 216 people he approached, solely Noah dedicated a homicide, thereby being solely accountable.

“Enemy of the State — LAW & ORDER, Pictured: (l-r) Alimi Ballard as Atty. Ron Delahunt, Haaz Sleiman as Joshua Haddad. Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC @ 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

At this point, Price is on the precipice of losing his case of manslaughter against Haddad until he finds that DA Nicholas Baxter (Tony Goldwyn) wrote the ‘Lure and Trap’ guidelines. Baxter explains, “My job was to make strategies and requirements authorized.” Price expects Baxter to testify. Baxter clearly does not want to, rationalizing, “Now that I am District Legal professional, I do not want the world to know what we did after 9/11 to maintain this metropolis protected. Issues look totally different right this moment.” Price clapped back, “I’ll sleep realizing I am preventing like hell for justice. Inform me within the morning the place you stand.” The next day, DA Baxter testified that the FBI agent “went far past the authorized boundary of his mission,” and Haddad was discovered responsible of manslaughter.

“Enemy of the State” — LAW & ORDER, Pictured: (l-r) Hugh Dancy as A.D.A. Nolan Price, Tony Goldwyn as District Attorney Nicholas Baxter. Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC @ 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

After the courtroom showdown, Price and Baxter have a conversation that underscores their ongoing rivalry. Each man vies for moral superiority within the DA’s office. Baxter compliments Price on his closing argument and acknowledges that, despite his personal dislike for the aggressive tactics of the “Lure and Lure” program, it has certainly saved lives. An outdated saying matches this scene completely: “If you’re explaining, you’re not winning.” Since Baxter is the one explaining, the ethical benefit clearly goes to Worth.

General, Enemy of the State delivers a gripping and thought-provoking narrative, forcing us to confront the tough realities of the 20-plus-year struggle on terror. It emphatically challenges us to query whether or not the tragic destiny of Raymond Clark, an harmless taken as collateral injury on American soil, can ever be justified—even within the pursuit of stopping terror overseas. What did you consider this episode? Did you end up empathizing with Agent Haddad in any respect? 

General Ranking:

9/10

Lynette Jones