Law & Order’s season 24 premiere missed an opportunity for an additional emotional gut punch around an iconic original character. Thebest episodes ofLaw & Orderover the past 24 years have focused on cases that hold personal meaning for the cops or prosecutors. These stories often feature the characters making errors in judgment that could seriously hurt the case or their career because of their emotions. It is often challenging for the show to present cases like these becauseLaw & Orderhas always focused more on the plot than on the characters' personal lives.
The 24th season premiere featured one such story, which had an impact on one member of theLaw & Ordercast. The murder of a Brooklyn district attorney became personal for Maroun (Odeyla Halevi) when she learned that the woman had been beaten and killed by her fiancee. Maroun struggled to remain calm despite the case triggering her own trauma over her sister’s death. However,Law & Ordermissed a potential plot twist that would have made this story even more impactful for Maroun.
A Plot Twist Would Have Tempted Her To Look The Other Way On A Murder
Price and Maroun suffered a setback in their case when the man they were prosecuting for the murder of his fiancee was found hanging from the ceiling in his home. This was ruled a suicide, but it might have been more impactful if the man had been murdered, especially considering the reaction of the victim’s sister, Sarah. Sarah was upset that her sister would not get justice and told Maroun that she was “full of rage.” Thus,it would have been logical for her to have killed her sister’s murderer and made it look like he did it to himself.
It would have been even more emotional for Maroun if she learned Sarah had killed her sister’s killer, as she would have felt the murder was justified and fought not to prosecute Sarah.
Sarah’s words spurred Maroun’s determination to find a way to get justice, as Sarah insisted Maroun didn’t know her pain and wouldn’t let her tell her about her own trauma. This led to a painful quest on Maroun’s part to prosecute the defendant’s friend as a co-conspirator, and it was difficult for her to accept that there wasn’t enough evidence to proceed. However, it would have been even more emotional for Maroun if she learned Sarah had killed her sister’s killer, as she would have felt the murder was justified and fought not to prosecute Sarah.
How Maroun’s Personal Tragedy Can Still Affect Her Story In Law & Order Season 24
Maroun’s Trauma Response Could Continue
Despite missing this plot twist, Maroun narrowly avoided destroying her career because of her trauma. She almost refused to listen to Price when he told her that she would be disbarred if she spoke to a witness represented by counsel, andLaw & Ordercould build on this incident throughout season 24.Maroun might face consequences on the job for her unprofessional behavior, especially since she spoke disrespectfully to Baxterbefore storming out of his office. This could force her to face the impact of her trauma.
Conversely,Law & Ordercould put more cases in Maroun’s path that remind her of her sister’s death to make it harder for her to avoid facing her trauma. If Maroun continues to find it challenging to remain objective, that would fit thenew story toneLaw & Orderseason 24has embraced. It also would force Maroun to confront her trauma in new ways, especially if her continued employment is on the line. This would make for a compelling conflict as the season continues.
Law & Order
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Law & Order is a procedural crime drama series that premiered in 1990, featuring New York City police detectives and prosecutors as they investigate and prosecute serious crimes. The show is known for its two-part approach, dividing between the crime-solving efforts of the detectives and the legal proceedings in court.
