WARNING! SPOILERS ahead for Law & Order season 24, episode 18, "Inherent Bias."A character who has been missing for several episodes returned just in time for an intense case in Law & Order season 24, episode 18, titled "Inherent Bias." The procedural is using cast rotation to save money, which means that key characters are missing from various episodes. Thus, one of the detectives is said to be "out sick" during the last few episodes of Law & Order, forcing his partner to work with other random detectives for the day. This is unfortunate, as this character has been involved in many of Law & Order's best episodes.

That said, both main detectives are present during "Inherent Bias." The case of the week revolves around the shocking murder of a WNBA player. Like many episodes in Law & Order season 24, this murder touches on thorny legal issues, including the role that racial bias plays in the arrest and trial of a Black man for the killing. Ironically, ADA Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) accuses Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) of racial bias during the hearing because Shaw expresses doubt during the investigation and says he wished he didn't have to arrest this suspect.

Shaw Finally Returned In Law & Order Season 24, Episode 18 (And It Was Right On Time)

The Sensitive Issues Portrayed Wouldn't Have Worked With A Replacement Character

Shaw comes back to work after a two-week absence in "Inherent Bias," allowing Law & Order to explore a difficult topic that would not have been possible to handle without him. In many respects, the case is not much different from a standard Law & Order case; it follows the usual pattern of the police eliminating suspects until they identify and arrest the correct person and the DA's office dealing with obstacles to successful prosecution. However, given that the episode touches on racial bias in policing, it wouldn't have made as much sense without Shaw's return.

Shaw has been one of the lead detectives for several years, so the story would not have worked as well with a temporary character that the audience didn't have an attachment to. Additionally, Shaw has a complicated relationship with his job because of his awareness of racial bias in law enforcement and his previous attempt to sue the department after some white patrol officers mistook him for a suspect. This history makes Price's accusations hit harder and sets the story up for an ambiguous ending, during which it's unclear whether the defendant is guilty, despite a jury determining that he is.

Why Shaw Was Missing In The Last Several Law & Order Season 24 Episodes

Mehcad Brooks May Have Been Filming Another Project

The on-screen explanation for Shaw's absence is that he was ill, but the show never explains what disease he's dealing with or whether it's serious. It was likely supposed to be something like the flu or COVID-19, since he took a few weeks to recover and then was fine. However, it's unclear why the procedural needed to write out an important member of the Law & Order season 24 cast for several episodes. The most likely reason for Brooks' absence is the cast rotation policy, which would require Brooks to skip a few episodes during the season.

Regardless of the reason, Shaw returned in one of his most powerful stories, so his absence was handled perfectly.

Law & Order might also have had to accommodate Brooks' absence for another project. The actor has two projects: an episode of And Just Like That... and a part in Mortal Kombat II. Although both are now complete, it's unclear when they were filmed, so their schedules might have conflicted with Brooks' role as Jalen Shaw. Regardless of the reason, Shaw returns in one of his most powerful stories, so his absence is handled perfectly.

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