The classic style police procedural drama, “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” (S.V.U.) has always had a flair for dramatics, when it comes to trying to tackle current, relevant societal issues. In this most recent episode of S.V.U. season 19 episode 13 entitled “Undiscovered Country” inspired by the media crisis of physician assisted suicide, the show tackles the idea of personal morality and morality v.s. the law.
This episode was distinct from other episodes of S.V.U. in that it did not involve a sexually oriented crime or an investigation being led by Sergeant Olivia benson, played by Mariska Hargitay. This week’s episode centered around Assistant District Attorney (A.D.A) Rafael Barba, played by former broadway star Raul Esparza, who faces an internal strife with his moral development as an attorney from seeing and representing the law once on concrete terms to believing the law should be interpreted to fit every circumstance regardless of what crimes may or may have not been committed. He struggles to accept his epiphany that the law may not always be the most ethical thing.
This episode of S.V.U. is different from the shows typical storyline in that
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The doctors suggested he “pull the plug” and “end his father’s suffering” but nevertheless he refused. Barba disliked his father as did most of those who met him. Though solicitous to his father’s suffering, he did not want to be the reason his father took his last breath. Barba soon begins to realize that his self vindication for keeping his father “alive”, has become selfish. He did not want to give up on his father but that choice kept him suffering. Until finally Barba decided to pull the plug. The episode ponders a question why would this act, pulling the plug of a person, a father, who is suffering, different from doing the same thing to a child who would have no chance of anything let alone a