'Law and Order' was a brilliant show in its prime and overall is actually my favourite of the 'Law and Order' franchise and out of it, 'Special Victims Unit' (the longest running) and 'Criminal Intent'. Despite not feeling the same post-Briscoe. Season 10 was a solid season on the whole, with many great episodes and only about two or three disappointments. On first watch, "High and Low" struck me as a very good episode if not quite a great one.
"High and Low" still is very, very good in my view, with plenty of what makes 'Law and Order' so good when on form and its best aspects are so incredibly well executed. It falls a little short of greatness, with it being a case of starting off a bit on the ordinary side but became near-classic 'Law and Order' level by the end, but "High and Low" was so nearly there. There are better episodes of the season and 'Law and Order' overall, but it is a long way from being one of the worst.
There is a lot that is great. The production values are as professional as usual, and this aspect did come on a lot overtime with a sharper and slicker look growing with each season. The music is haunting while not intrusive or overused. The direction is sympathetic without being too low key. The script is intelligently written and taut, with a take no prisoners approach to the material. Briscoe's one-liners are always fun and the exchanges in the legal scenes are very thought-provoking.
While the story execution wasn't perfect in my view, it does benefit from a riveting second half and one of the best written and acted cross examinations of the season. Fascinating to watch that. The characters are all written, with Peter Van Wagner's character being chillingly weaselly, though how he managed to be in the profession with that attitude does require some disbelief suspension. All the regulars are excellent, but there are quite a number of episodes of 'Law and Order' where the guest stars make an even bigger impression, and Adrienne Shelley, Bob Dishy, Fay Ann Lee and especially Peter Van Wagner all deliver.
Not a perfect episode by all means, with a slightly too ordinary first portion where surprises and tension were not much.
As well as a too hastily wrapped up ending.
Concluding though, very good. 8/10.