"Formerly Famous" left a generally positive impression on me on first watch, while not blowing me away. Benefitting primarily from the main guest turn and the climax, but hurt a little by that there is too much familiar ground and not enough surprises which made the story feel too predictable and ordinary. My overall feelings on Season 12 up to this point were like this episode, generally positive while not being blown away which is not too bad a position to be in.
On recent re-watch, my feelings are pretty much the same, well almost. There is a lot to like about "Formerly Famous", with the standout things on first watch being the main reasons to view it (as well as 'Law and Order' completest sake). At the same time, it did feel like something was missing and that more could have been done with the premise perhaps. There is also an aspect that was consistently a problem even when first getting into the show that fared even worse re-watching all the episodes over-time.
As said, a lot is great. The photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The script is thought-provoking and doesn't ramble. Briscoe always delights with his one liners, as does the gritty exchanges between him and Green.
Enough of the story compels, especially later on. It's not overly simple while being easy enough to follow. The legal portion does intrigue. Most of the regulars are excellent, Sam Waterston is full of ruthless authority and his tactics in getting to the truth continue to be ingenius. There are two particularly good things. Gary Busey gives a terrific guest turn that has the right amount of intensity that makes one unsure of how he is involved. The climax also stands out and is a tautly written and quite powerful scene, that is the most tense the episode get.
Having said all of that, "Formerly Famous" did have room for improvement. It still comes over as derivative but on recent re-watch my main problem with the story was not not enough surprises (the extent of the truth regarding the victim was the only thing that surprised), but more that it tries to cram in too much and that it revolves around too many characters which made it feel on the rushed side at times. The motive could have gone into more depth, and is not the easiest to swallow on first glance.
Southerlyn still leaves me completely cold and adds very little here, Elisabeth Rohm is still robotic.
In summary, not great but worth watching which has been the general standard up to this point of Season 12. 7/10.