Anybody who has read any of my other reviews for for example individual episodes of the 'Law and Order' shows, am slowly working my way through writing reviews for all the episodes of 'Law and Order and 'Special Victims Unit' with a long way to go, will know already how much admiration there is from me for anything that tackles difficult and controversial themes and issues. The topic here did sound interesting and quite brave.
"The Undiscovered Country" was a good episode on first watch and one rewatch on it is still good. Not quite one of Season 19's very best, but nowhere near close to being one of the worst. Of the first half of the season it's to me one of the better episodes, with more good things than not so good. With the good things being many and at best really quite excellent. Was really worried about how the topic in "The Undiscovered Country" would be handled, luckily it's handled very well here. As a farewell to one of the show's best characters in a long time, it is a little wanting. As an episode on its own terms, it fared well.
Not everything worked. Was not a fan of how Barba's exit was handled, though there have been worse regular exits in the franchise (Serena Southerlyn, Chester Lake) where he does something that goes against what he stands for and something he would never contemplate let alone do.
Didn't buy that the father was treated far too leniently. Phillip Winchester makes a pretty bland first impression and generally Stone didn't do it for me as a character.
However, a lot is good. Raul Esparza is amazing and proof that Barba will be sorely missed as a character. The rest of the acting is also great (Winchester being the one exception), it was great to see Peter Jacobson again playing the sort of role he did so well. Abigail Hawk's guest turn is very moving. The trial scenes are very absorbing, where there is intrigue and tension. Never does it feel rushed or dull.
Really appreciated that the handling of one of the season's toughest topics was tactful yet pull no punches in a way reminiscent of old school 'Special Victims Unit'. The episode is intelligently written throughout, but especially in the trial scenes. The production values as ever have slickness and grit, with an intimacy without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when it's used but does so without being intrusive, some of it is quite haunting too. The direction is also understated but the tension never slips.
Overall, would have liked a better exit to Barba himself but as an episode overall there is a lot to recommend. 7/10.