'Law and Order' is a personal favourite, find a lot of the cases compelling and admire its tackling of challenging subjects and the moral dillemmas of them and of the characters. Season 1 was not the best season and had an understandable slightly finding its feet feel, but it was a solid season that shouldn't be forgotten or dismissed. Easy to do when the episodes from the Briscoe years and post-Briscoe are aired far more, haven't seen any episode from pre-Season 6 in a while.
Although not one of the season's (with the previous episodes being a very high standard, the weakest "Everybody's Favourite Bagman" which had the feel of a pilot as actually initially intended still being pretty good), or show's, very best episodes, "Life Choice" is still very, very good. Actually one of the better ones of this first half of the season. Up to this point of the first season and 'Law and Order', "Life Choice" deals with one of the more challenging, perhaps the most challenging, subjects in abortion. Other Season 1 episodes, of the previous ones, to deal with a heavy and difficult subject are "The Reaper's Helper", with AIDS, and "Out of the Half-Light", with racially-motivated rape.
Back to talking about "Life Choice". Abortion is a very sensitive and controversial subject, and it is handled with tact but with enough force as well. Much more so than the Season 1 episode of 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' "The Third Horseman", which also deals with it. Find this episode more balanced, less heavy-handed and it is less obvious what the writers' stance is on the subject (though that 'Criminal Intent' episode was still intriguing with some great things).
Perhaps it could have gone into a little more depth, or at least a little more with the more fanatical elements of the subject and how religion plays a part, though that would have posed a challenge with a danger of taking sides.
However, "Life Choice" is an episode that raises an issue still current and always worth talking about, it is very thought-provoking and is very likely to spark a debate afterwards. Didn't feel that it took sides or was one-sided, which is apparent in the polar opposites divide between Greevey and Logan, where one can understand where both are coming from. Especially if unsure or neutral about it.
When it comes to individual scenes, the highlight for me was Stone's prosecution-examining of Rose. The episode is slickly photographed throughout, a perfect match for the gritty tone, and New York looks both striking and atmosphere-filled. The music is only used when necessary and when it is used it does stick in the mind and not done so ham-handedly. Both the main theme and opening voice over are memorable. It is directed with a confident and sympathetic edge.
Michael Moriarty and Caroline Kava are particularly fine of the strong cast.
Overall, very, very good. 9/10
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