Of the 'Law and Order' franchise, my personal favourite of the shows is the original 'Law and Order'. Particularly the early seasons, not sure whether it's a popular opinion as the first six seasons are not aired very much on re-runs in my country. The franchise always excelled when it came on exploring tough and still relevant topics and doing so in a way that does not hold back while not generally getting heavy-handed. The early seasons of the original 'Law and Order' and the early ones of 'Special Victims Unit' were particularly good at this.
"Kids" may not be one of my favourite episodes of 'Law and Order' or even of Season 4. It is another very good, if not quite outstanding (the best elements of it are though), outing for the show, with a tough and relatable subject that will hit home to any parent that has ever had this dilemma or similar. It also boasts a few classic scenes and while the episode is overall very good two thirds of it are actually more than that.
What stops "Kids" from getting a higher rating? There is not an awful lot wrong actually, but it is agreed that the early portions of the episode are a bit ordinary and doesn't have much that makes it stand out.
It, the episode that is, really does pick up and gets into gear once Briscoe and Parker are together and after that there is not really anything to criticise. As usual for 'Law and Order' and its spin offs, the production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting.
The writing is exceptional in "Kids", well certainly for two thirds of it when things gain momentum properly. The standout is Stone's closing argument, which is one of his most powerful and one of the show's greatest in my view. Briscoe's dialogue when with Parker is suitably hard-boiled, his response to Parker asking him "what if it was one of your kids" is particularly telling and is just one of the quotes to sum up what the moral dilemmas of the subject is. The story is gripping once it gets going, shining in the chemistry between Briscoe and Parker and towards the end. The tone is uncompromising while not being preachy or one-sided, both easy to do with this topic, and the questions raised and moral dilemmas are interesting. Also found it incredibly moving and it is one of those cases that makes one both sad and angry.
All the performances are strong across the board, with Jerry Orbach (in one of his best performances of the season), Michael Moriarty (especially at the end) and Robert Hogan (nuanced and harrowing) being superb.
In a nutshell, very good with an ordinary first quarter or so but riveting for the rest of it. 8/10