Have always found a lot to like about all three of the three best known and popular 'Law and Order' shows (the original 'Law and Order', 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent', the others are more variable). Although 'Special Victims Unit', great in the earlier seasons but less consistent in the latter ones, has topped the original as the longest-running of the franchise in terms of seasons, my personal favourite is the original, if more the Briscoe years and before.
While not a great episode or one of the best episodes of Season 16, also not quite one of the worst in a season where there were no real misfires, the season's twelfth episode "Family Friend" is well done and has a lot to like. Not an easy topic to explore and not unfamiliar territory for the franchise, but executed with enough tension and thoughtfulness and it doesn't sugar coat the subject (though other episodes fare better at the uncompromising approach).
"Family Friend" isn't perfect. The first half isn't as good as the second, with it not doing an awful lot new with content that is not as much different as has been seen in other episodes. While Fontana and Green work well together and both Dennis Farina and Jesse L. Martin are fine, this is the kind of premise that would have worked better and been grittier and more entertaining with Briscoe and Green or Briscoe and Curtis.
More tension wouldn't have gone amiss perhaps.
There is not an awful lot wrong though with "Family Friend". The production values are still fully professional, the slickness and subtly gritty style still remaining. The music is sparingly used and is haunting and thankfully non-overwrought. The direction shows some nice tension in the legal scenes. The script is lean and thought probing, coming off best in McCoy's dialogue and when discussing the case's moral dilemmas.
Did find the legal scenes more compelling and intricate, without it being over-complicated. It is a delicate subject for McCoy and it is handled tactfully if not quite uncompromisingly in the episode. The acting all round is very good, Sam Waterston particularly.
In conclusion, not great but well done. 7/10.