‘Law & Order’s Latest Episode Just Raised the Bar for the Long-Running Procedural

Over its 24-season run, the flagship Dick WolfseriesLaw & Orderhas mastered the procedural formula of intertwining intricate legal cases with police investigations. While the detectives and district attorneys on the show have always approached cases with a sense of humanity and empathy, the series truly shines when it layers those cases with the personal lives and struggles of its beloved characters. The most recent episode, "The Hardest Thing", is a great example of this, as ADA Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) is navigating a case surrounding assisted suicide while also confronting the harsh reality of his father's health condition — making it one of the season's strongest episodes so far.