Ep 17. Kam Li

Kam Li is the seventeenth episode of season one of the American crime drama television series Without A Trace. The episode, which originally aired on March 4, 2003 on CBS, was directed by John F. Showalter, written by Jan Nash and stars Anthony LaPaglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Enrique Murciano in lead roles.

The episode starts with FBI agent Jack Malone (LaPaglia) and his team being called to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a 15-year-old Chinese girl named Kam Li, who vanished after leaving her suburban Long Island home to go to school. As Malone and his team start investigating Kam Li's past, they discovered that the girl had been forced into prostitution by a group of human traffickers, who smuggled her from China to the United States.

As the investigation unfolds, Malone and his team discover that Kam Li had been working as a prostitute at a massage parlor in Chinatown, Manhattan. With the help of Kam Li's cousin Yan (played by Grace Park), who was also a victim of human trafficking, the team tracks down the culprits responsible for Kam Li's disappearance.

The episode deals with several sensitive and controversial topics, including prostitution, human trafficking, and illegal immigration. Without A Trace was praised by critics for its realistic and sensitive portrayal of these issues, which were often ignored or overlooked by mainstream media at the time.

What sets Kam Li apart from other episodes of Without A Trace is its uncompromising depiction of the harsh realities of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The episode does not shy away from showing the brutal and dehumanizing treatment that these victims endure, nor does it sugarcoat the long-term psychological damage that they often suffer as a result of their ordeal.

At the same time, Kam Li also explores the complex relationship between race, gender, and sexuality. The episode contrasts Kam Li's traditional Chinese upbringing with the culture shock that she experienced when she moved to the United States, where she became exposed to the seedy underbelly of the sex industry.

Despite its heavy subject matter, Kam Li is not a preachy or didactic episode. Instead, it is a compelling and emotionally charged story that highlights the strengths and limitations of the human spirit in the face of adversity. As such, it remains one of the most powerful and memorable episodes of Without A Trace, and a testament to the show's ability to tackle complicated and sensitive issues with grace and sensitivity.