Shaw Returns: Mehcad Brooks’ Basketball Connection in Law & Order

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As a dedicated film enthusiast, beware that the events of “Law & Order” Season 24’s Episode 18, titled “Inherent Bias,” unfold in the episode ahead. You can stream it the next day with a Peacock subscription.

In the last two episodes of “Law & Order” Season 24, Detective Jalen Shaw was absent. However, in the recent episode titled “Inherent Bias,” he made a significant return to the series. Despite their strong partnership, Detectives Jalen Shaw and Vince Riley had contrasting perspectives about a suspect they were pursuing. This is typical for this era of the show and hinted at a potential inconclusive ending. Interestingly, the week’s victim was a renowned basketball player, and the first half of the episode delved into the world of basketball.

It brought back memories of when Mehcad Brooks appeared as a guest star on Law & Order: SVU around fifteen years ago, portraying an athlete in the field. Let’s start with that, though!

Shaw’s Role In “Inherent Bias”

During the “Inherent Bias” trial, Jalen chose to keep his doubts private rather than openly challenging Riley’s assertion that they saw Darius Cain, a Black man with a controversial background, allegedly throwing a weapon into the river. Although Shaw wasn’t completely sure if the object was indeed a gun, he wasn’t as convinced as Riley from the beginning that it had been a firearm. He trusted Darius when he said he tossed a hard drive instead of a gun.

Introduce a witness who often discusses technology incorrectly identifying people of color, which brought out a personal aspect of Shaw, as Mehcad Brooks put it, his “own racial trauma.” In fact, Brooks shared with CinemBlend that Shaw aims to alter the system that disproportionately penalizes Black Americans more severely than others. Given this context, it’s no surprise that Shaw was reluctant to make quick judgments against Darius, considering he himself is trapped within a flawed system relying on circumstantial evidence.

As a cinema devotee, I found myself taking sides in the debate between Maroun and Price. Maroun seemed to back Shaw’s theory about the mysterious hard drive, while Price appeared certain that Darius was the guilty party. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of discomfort when Shaw started explaining how Riley might have unintentionally been biased in mistaking the hard drive for a gun. The two detectives presented contrasting testimonies; Nolan seemed to lean towards Riley’s perspective, while the defense team emphasized Shaw’s insights.

Overall, it was satisfying to see Mehcad Brooks return in this episode. Reuniting Riley with Jesse Metcalfe’s Sergeant Danny DeLuca wouldn’t have had the same impact, and I found myself longing for Shaw after a few episodes without him. Moreover, despite the difficulty of watching Hugh Dancy’s Price attack Shaw on the stand, their performances were exceptional.

Mehcad Brooks’ Episode Of Law & Order: SVU

Admittedly, the similarities between the character Shaw in “Inherent Bias” and Mehcad Brooks’ appearance on Law & Order: SVU aren’t particularly profound; they share a common opening theme (“DUN DUN”) and both have the actor who played Jalen Shaw from Supergirl. However, when Shaw resurfaced this week as the murder suspect in a basketball superstar’s case, I instantly thought of Brooks’ role in the Law & Order series prior to his casting as Jalen Shaw.

In the second episode of Season 13, Mehcad Brooks made his debut on Law & Order: SVU, marking the first appearance after Christopher Meloni’s departure from the series as Detective Stabler. This was also the introduction of Danny Pino as Detective Amaro. Titled “Personal Fouls,” this episode featured Mehcad Brooks portraying a troubled basketball star, Prince, who grappled with the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his coach.

After witnessing a young man at risk of being abused by a trusted coach, Prince found the courage to speak up about his own past abuse, setting aside his own feelings of embarrassment to inspire others to do the same. The show featuring this story is now streaming on Peacock and it’s definitely worth watching, especially for those curious about how Brooks’ portrayal of Shaw differs from his earlier performance as Prince in 2011.

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As a fervent fan of both Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU, I’m eagerly waiting to find out how prominently Mehcad Brooks will be involved in the upcoming crossover episode. From what I’ve seen in the previews for this two-part event, it’s a given that we’ll get to see Mariska Hargitay crossing over for a grisly murder case connected to an old Special Victims Unit case. Don’t miss out on the action – NBC airs Law & Order at 8 p.m. ET this coming Thursday, April 17, followed by SVU at 9 p.m. ET, marking the start of this exciting crossover event!

In another part of the same series, a compact crossover is being developed too. Actress Mariska Hargitay will make an appearance as a guest star in the early episodes of Season 5 on Law & Order: Organized Crime. You can watch all three shows streaming live now on Peacock.

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2025-04-11 05:07