22.4: Pandemic Kisses and Barba Defenses

 *Blogged while listening to The Replacements' classic 80's alt rock album, Tim, because, for reasons unknown, I woke up in a mischievous, jaunty mood and thought, Hey! It's a Paul Westerberg kind of morning!

Wednesday Hype:

Duh. Who wasn't totally psyched for the return of Raúl Esparza as Rafael Barba? And, okayyy, I'll admit I was curious about the Rollisi photos.

Thursday--The #42Minutes:

The first thirty minutes breezed by in a fairly predictable first act. The squad bolts from their respective New Years Eve festivities to investigate the reported kidnapping of Nydia who had been entrusted to the care of AJ, an ACS worker. Cue alarm bells. Maybe I've watched this show for too long, but I immediately knew something was fishy when he described her running away from the house after an argument and giving chase only to end up foiled by some guys in a white box truck. It doesn't take long for AJ to be arrested and subsequently shot to death on his way to Rikers by Nydia's Wounded Warrior father Mickey. 

Bring on Barba!

At Benson's and Fin's hush-hush "request", Barba pays Carisi a visit, and, after some friendly banter, goes further than planned and names himself as Mickey's attorney. Though the circumstances align for an insanity defense, Barba boldly eschews the strategy which I initially chalked up to pure hubris, but Benson ends up seeing right through her old ally's sudden passion to free his client. Truthfully, I didn't recognize the parallels between this trial and the Baby Drew case until Benson pointed it out at the end of the #45; my dopey brain had concluded Barba was itching for something to do, and toying with Carisi while defending a man who needed to stay in rehab rather than go to prison seemed like a worthwhile venture.

A few episodes in SVU's history (think Assaulting Reality) contain scenes that make me chuckle despite the content of the show and there were a few amusing moments last night.YES I KNOW the safety kisses were Covid necessary but I still had to laugh because...AWKWARD. Barba having absolutely no respect for Carisi's space--flinging the remote control back at him, sitting on the prosecution's desk--also made for a bit of hilarity in the middle of what turned out to be a heart wrenching case. 

Checking in With: 

Kat: Not a ton of screen time for her tonight, but, with a superstar returning, someone had to lose their minutes. Sorry your date was ruined, Officer, but, once again, Welcome to SVU. 

Carisi: He's pissed and rightfully so. Benson and Fin did him wrong. I was surprised to see him at the bar with everyone else after the verdict. As he distances himself from the squad, his relationship--whatever it is--with Rollins will be tested as will his convictions. Keep the Pepto around, Sonny. Bravo on the cross at the end, Counselor! You managed to channel both your mentor and Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men. 

Rollins: Nothing groundbreaking or shocking in the Amanda department. I do wish she and Sonny would sort out their feelings once and for all. There's something there, right? Oh, and she should remember Benson doesn't like triangles the next time she thinks about convincing Carisi his former boss is not trying to undercut him. 

Fin: Congrats, Sergeant! Even though I'm permanently annoyed, scarred, frustrated, etc. with everyone else getting some love in their lives and now Fin gets to be married (or does he?) and we didn't have time for Ed Tucker in Liv's life. Anyway, end rant. For now.

 I felt bad for him all dressed up and ready to propose, but he eventually got the job done. Speaking of jobs--at work, battle lines have been drawn. He's always kicked Carisi around like he was a nobody. How will Fin react when he needs something from the DA's office and Carisi refuses to give him, or the squad, a break? This could get ugly. Fin doesn't take much personally, but Carisi and Benson certainly do. The dynamic among these three is sure to combust at some point. 

Chief Garland: Understandably irritated at catching Barba in the precinct charming his old colleagues, Garland tells Benson and Barba to enjoy catching up before storming out of her office. I get it, Chief, I do, but I loved the scene because it captures perfectly how many new guys feel when a treasured member of an old crew returns. It was a totally WTF moment for Garland and it was perfecto. 

Benson: At first I was all "oooo, you did Sonny wrong" but then I remembered her summoning people like Bayard Ellis from time to time over the years and realized the Barba move was not surprising at all. However, Benson often operates with blinders, and she was so focused on securing decent representation for Mickey she didn't have the foresight to consider Carisi-related repercussions. Personally, she's clearly harboring a great deal of sadness, and I hope there are brighter days ahead for her. She's missing Barba, consumed with Tucker-related regret, perhaps reeling from Simon's death, and seems to be struggling to get sure footing to move on. But, she does a hell of a good job with NYE apartment decoration!

Looking ahead

While we sit around and wait for Stabler to come waltzing back into the picture...

Benson's case from the first ep is still pending. Will this turn into a major storyline or be settled off camera? How will the dynamics change now that Carisi knows the old loyalty he enjoyed with the squad has eroded? Will Barba make an appearance every once in a while? Will Noah get to watch the recorded ball drop via You Tube or have his phone privileges been revoked? Will Phoebe stick to her word and excuse Fin from herbal tea? 

So many questions, so few Thursdays from 9-10 EST. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

22.3: It's All Been a Blur

 **Blogged while sipping @Cometeer coffee and debating whether or not it's time to turn on the heat in my house. Photos inserted at work while listening to War and Treaty's latest album. Strongly recommend. 

Wednesday: The Hype

Maybe it was the week off or the fact I was lucky enough to escape to the beach for a few days, but I hadn't been sitting around counting the days until a new episode. Also, we've been busy at work planning for yet another reopening which may or may not happen, so, nothing personal, SVU. 

Thursday--The #42Minutes:

Not a ton of suspense this week. The story kept circling back to do-gooder Perry, so he was easy to peg as the culprit early on. Call me comletely wacko, but the shot of him slowly putting on his glasses sealed his guilt for me. IDK why. Maybe it reminded me of the guy in 911 right before he tried to run over Olivia with his car. This episode touched on a few important but overlooked Covid realities. Clearly, Lexi was already battling fragile mental health before the pandemic, and quarantine--its morbid side and boredom-inducing side-- intensified her struggles. The apartment was rife with tension between and among the roommates, but being cooped up together and the deadly threat of Covid exacerbated an already volatile situation. Oh, and, Brad's on thin ice with his fiancée who's upset about their wedding being postponed, but, given Brad's maturity level, the fiancée may actually be dodging a bullet. Silver linings.

I'm wondering why this episode, which was filmed first, wasn't aired first (in not being glued to entertainment news as I've been in years past, I could have easily missed something). It felt like a season opener--Benson reminding Fin to mask up after she remembered to text him details rather than hand off a piece of paper (but she was maskless and cool with getting in Lexi's face in interrogation later), Carisi is not yet as unhinged as he was in episode one, and the detail at the end about Sean being left sitting in Rikers seemed like an apt precursor to Guardians and Gladiators. 

The hit-or-miss inconsistent use of masks continues to bug me, but I suppose I'll have to get over it and appreciate there's a Season 22 at all. 

Oh, and I apologize, but I was way too amused at the nun's expression she made when she realized she was wearing a pilfered dead girl's sweater.

Checking In With:

Kat: Sweet leather jacket, Officer! Attire aside, I felt bad when Carisi shut her down after she railed against the media and the double standard imposed on Lexi. Again, an example of why this had first episode of the season vibes--Carisi beginning a slow boil and taking out his frustrations on Kat whose comment was absolutely correct if irrelevant at the moment. This could be an ongoing issue between the two of them, especially as Carisi becomes more and more susceptible to rage. 

Carisi: See above. Am I going to end up loathing this beloved character? 

Dr. Warner: She doesn't get much screen time but she (and the makeup crew) did the most with the minute or so. She's exhausted, stressed, overwhelmed, and has zero patience for Fin's questions. I've always liked the chemistry between the two of them and it was delightful to see Melinda again, even for only a moment and under these circumstances. 

Rollins: I like her more and more this season. She's no-nonsense without the sanctimony that often causes me to roll my eyes and tell her to shut the fuck up. She identified with and perhaps had some empathy for Lexi in a way, again, that showcased her skills rather than her deep south roots. And though she clearly has no sympathy for lockdown-breaking activities like Quarantine Speakeasies, she treated Lexi with a certain degree of compassion and respect which we often don't see from Rollins, especially when she's angry and annoyed. 

Fin: His best part of the night was the response to Benson's office-bugging question. Both he and Mariska Hargitay shine when they get to act out these little moments of levity. 

Benson: No, your office isn't bugged, Captain, but can you blame them for watching and listening? Everything about you is gorgeous! Captain Benson is steady, confident, and deftly directing a case that really should not have been SVU's but fell into their laps both due to professional courtesy and a department stretched thin by protests and increased incidents of violent crimes. Now everyone knows I'm a sucker for reading too much into Benson's personal life, so was her conversation with Inspector Rossi more friendly than it should have been? Is there more there or was what I saw simply mutual warmth and compassion in a time of crisis? Do we know this guy Rossi? Or were the favors Benson owed him merely a pretext to take the case? 

Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: This group was nicely written and expertly cast. Singularly and as a whole their work offered a snapshot of how Covid has disrupted the lives of twenty-somethings who are beginning to find their way in the world and how quarantine forced them each to wrestle with their worst secrets, realities, fears, uncertainties, and pain. Everyone has his or her own experience weathering and reacting to the pandemic, but zeroing in on Brad, Lexi, Maria, Sean, and Perry made me think more about how terrifying these past nine months must have been for young people newly navigating the waters of adulthood. 

That's a Wrap

Barba in 2021. 

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and auld lang syne?

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty friend!

And give me a hand o' thine!

And we'll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

Be safe, follow the rules, keep reading my Fic, and blog you next year!

22.2: A Neverending Ballad

**Blogged while at work listening to Apple Music Indie Holiday Radio 

Wednesday--The Hype:

The teaser reminded me of the episode where a boy kills the man he thinks killed his mother. I don't remember if the man did the deed or not, but Benson treats the boy to lunch and the boy sees the man get out of a car? Remember? Anyway, beyond the preview clip aired last week I didn't give #SVU much thought. I live in Georgia after all and have other things on my mind!

Thursday--The #42 Minutes 

(and the other 18 filled with Warnock, Ossoff, L&*##$, and P%*&@% ads)

Is there anything more tragic and heartbreaking than watching adults routinely failing children? At the center of the story are four grown-ups who physically and verbally abuse or enable the abuse directed at 14-year-old Will and his mother and cataloged by six-year-old Leann. From the very beginning it was clear Irena had lived a trauma-filled life and she then became complicit in Will's version. It would have been easy for the writers to delve into the past Irena alluded to in the courthouse stairwell (always a place for deep reckoning as Benson knows all too well), but to their credit, the script largely focused on the kids and the whodunit surrounding Dwight's old-school, hair-dryer-in-the-tub death. Meanwhile, in a depressingly similar story, the Ballad of Leon and Joelle reached its conclusion in a series of flashbacks and snippets from Fin's deposition which culminates in a two million dollar settlement and Fin wrestling with the reality of circumstances casting him in the mold of the kind of cop he never intended to be. 

 

It's hard to write anything negative about any show right now. After all, the actors, crew, writers, caterers, drivers--they're all risking their lives to bring us fresh doses of entertainment. But...I do have to mention one criticism. The mystery of who tossed the dryer into the water didn't matter to me. I had no problem with Dwight being dead. Not even his pregnant wife showing up in Carisi's office could sway me. Call me insensitive, cruel, whatever...the world is better without Dwights among us. Around the mid-episode mark my interest waned. I sensed Pippa was going to save Will and expected Irena to crack one way or the other. 

What I did not expect was the lawyer shushing Benson. Holy shit. If looks could kill...

Checking in With:

Kat--She impressively cajoled information from Leann and becoming more confident and perhaps a bit restless in her role as newbie. Though Benson had her reasons for sending Rollins along on the call, I wonder how long before Kat demands to be trusted like the others. As long as the writers are intent on weaving in threads to past cases, I'm cool with Kat being sometimes used as the vehicle to get us back there. Two-for-two on #SVU heartbreak reminders. RIP Dodds. 

Rollins--For the second week in a row, not much for Rollins to do other than remain her no-nonsense, cynical self. Of course she was the one to confront Dwight outside of the hospital but what a relief that the encounter was not yet another opportunity to remind us Rollins is from the backwards South. 

Carisi--His behavior continues to set off alarm bells. He's going to have to really work on his bedside manner if he wants to excel in this ADA role. He stalks around, frustrated and angry, snapping and shouting, and generally acting like a petulant child. His heart's in the right place, but it's difficult for anyone to tell. I couldn't believe how harshly he spoke to Will! He was such an asshole that it was surprising Will ended up spilling the truth to him. Then again, Will was accustomed to being berated by adults.  

Fin--I feel for our man. He's in crisis and it's one I'm sure many officers of color are battling and have battled throughout their careers. Even though Fin has doggedly tried not to become one of those cops, he's still human like everyone else and has to make split-second, life-or-death decisions that sometimes end in the worst possible ways, and not even rekindling romance with Phoebe can erase that reality. 

Benson--It must have been extremely difficult for her to refrain from shaking Irena and in a polite-but-not-nice way asking "what the fuck is wrong with you?" In addition to having impeccable hair, the Captain deftly handled the case as we would expect from a veteran of her caliber. Groan-inducing though was her encouraging Fin to remember the job isn't everything. All this does for me is conjure images of Tucker leaving her apartment and telling her to take care of herself. She's really good at giving that advice but terrible at taking it. Unless, of course, the other Ed(gar) is waiting in the wings somewhere and we don't know about it yet. Ugh. I'm still #Tuckson heartbroken. 

That's a Wrap

Nothing in this ends well for Andre (who will forever remember a police officer killed his Dad), Will (can he survive a year with his father and a stepmother who would rather him not exist?), and Leann (headed into the foster system?). The cycle continues. 

It was nice to see Pippa again (ah, the memories of Collateral Damages). I hope this isn't the last we see of her. What's up with her scumbag husband? Shouldn't his sentence be about over? Oh, and is it just me or did the actors playing Will and Leann almost too closely resemble her Jordan and Leah? 

The spotty mask-wearing was slightly less annoying this time around. Other than that, Covid realities were not very noticeable except for the reminder that schools often catch instances of abuse, and many kids like Will are in grave danger and missing this safety net while in their homes. 

The next episode looks twisted and weird. Can't wait!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Be safe!

22.1: A Lot of Work To Do

**Blogged while listening to Dino Saluzzi's newest album, Albores.  

Note: It's no secret my dedication to and interest in writing this blog faded after the unnecessary #Tuckson breakup in the most awful season of television in the history of the small screen. After Tucker's tragic passing, I sat Shiva for, well, from then until now--either a testament to my unhealthy obsession with fictional characters or the expert work of the writers (let's go with the latter). I did not finish watching Season 21. But...I think I'm finally in the acceptance stage though I will forever mourn the loss of #Tuckson's potential. Okay, maybe I'm not there quite yet. Anyhow, I'm ready for the new season and extremely grateful the cast and crew were able to resume filming. Let's go!

Wednesday--The Hype:

Ripped from the headlines. Ugh. I'm going in with an open mind because I'm thrilled to have something new to watch, but I don't always dig this style. Also, as in real life, Covid on screen is going to get old fast. I realized this watching This Is Us two weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised Tuesday when the pandemic, though there, didn't dominate the entire episode. From what I've read, SVU is committed to filtering the stories through the Covid lens (among others). I suppose I should trust the writers. 

Thursday--The #42Minutes

If you haven't been paying attention to 2020, Guardians and Gladiators serves as a nice little recap of what we've been up against--Karens, Covid, cell phone footage showing questionable police tactics and outright criminal behavior, BLM, defund the police, cancelling, thirst traps, face masks, hand sanitizer, plexiglass, temperature checks, makeshift outdoor dining spaces, and, yes, the death of Ed Tucker. I mean, really, the only thing missing was the pathetic saga of the lame duck President and murder hornets. 

We were tossed into the episode in real-time with every trauma of the year on, as Garland puts it, "full boil." In the midst of this crucible, Benson makes a call that she's made hundreds of times before, only, this time, it comes back to haunt her in a major way. 

The biases characters hold are laid bare, drive the episode, and launch a season sure to be full of reckoning for the entire slate of characters. Public trust in law enforcement has eroded, yet duplicitous and diabolical predators like Joe Murphy are still out there. How long until more of them figure out how to work both the system and the unrest to their advantage? 

One nitpick—I’m not sure what the rules were/are for wearing masks but it was sporadic throughout the entire #42. Masks off in the hospital, then on once outside...I guess it was tough to strike a balance between art and safety. 

Checking in With:

Kat

She empathizes with both Eric and his mother, for she's been keeping her own truth from her family citing they have enough to deal with at the moment. One has to wonder if she's as unbothered as she sounds at her own predicament and how much more of her relationship with her family will be revealed this season. 

Rollins

My opinion of Amanda swings back and forth from loving to loathing her. No one can be so irritating one minute and so endearing the next quite like she can. The episode wasn't Rollins-centric, but we got a little hint that she's not going to have a whole lot of patience for the scrutiny to come. 

Carisi

You have to feel for this dude. He's wound tightly from the get and things don't get any better for him as the episode unfolds. How close was he to slamming the legal pad and saying "fuck it" at the grand jury? Sonny has about all he can handle and it's only episode one. I'm worried about him. But at least he can stew and brood in his own office. Not exactly Barba digs but, hey, it's a start. 

Garland

Casting Demore Barnes in this role was either impressively prescient or incredibly fortunate, because Chief Garland can do what Chief Dodds would not be able to do and that is tell the painful truth. He's able to get through to Fin which is no small feat and reinforce his loyalty to Benson while peeling away some of her blinders. We all know Benson and Fin aren't going anywhere, so Garland alluding to their job security was not so much a threat as it was a call to action. His parts in this episode were, perhaps, the most powerful and brutally honest of all. 

Fin

In the scene with Garland I thought we were headed for a why is Benson Captain and you're a newly minted Sergeant inquiry to which I was ready to respond HE DIDN'T WANT IT but now I wonder if Fin has subconsciously been relegating himself to low expectations for reasons other than he didn't want the increased responsibility and workload. He and Benson surely have a ton of mutual respect for one another, but, to what extent is their relationship going to be tested this season? 

Captain

Oh boy. Benson (HUGE PROPS TO Mariska Hargitay), looks miserable the whole freaking time. The nature of her job has allowed her to sidestep a lot of scrutiny over the course of her career and she is, by her own description, reeling at her complicity within the system not only in this case but in others. So poignant was the fact that Jayvon remembered her from a stop-and-frisk years earlier--clearly a traumatic moment in his life--yet, for Liv, it completely failed to register. And as if that weren't enough, the tough conversations don't end at home. She also has to be a parent and how does one parent right now? Noah sees her on the news and in his own childlike way calls her out and suggests she apologize which Benson tries to do (not sure that was the wisest move but her big heart often wields outsize influence on her judgment) and, predictably, Jayvon is nowhere near assuaged. Benson then, finally, comes to grips with what Garland had been saying from the start-change, this time, has to be about more than optics. 

Final Thoughts

The episode reminded me of Community Policing. Intentional or not, many of the lines seemed lifted directly from that fantastic Season 17 script. The parallels were compelling, for they revealed the core of the problem--instances of police brutality and misconduct are always followed by temporary bursts of outrage before quickly ebbing back to business as usual. Will Season 22 shift the narrative? More importantly, will 2020?

On a semi-lighter note...

Ed. Tucker. 

As soon as IAB was mentioned all the #Tuckson emotions came rushing back but thank you, writers, for doing the logical thing and acknowledging him and the funeral and letting us know he was Captain Curry's rabbi, that Benson wasn't herself at the funeral, that the mention of his wife hit her like a dagger to the heart, and the regret at letting him go is still real and raw. An unexpected and powerful scene. Well done. 

Oh, and stop leaving your clothes on the floor, Noah!

Let the work begin!

A Final #Tuckson Goodbye

The #42Minutes

Well, guys...

Ugh.

I will say, Robert John Burke knocked it out of the park on his final #SVU episode, and I must dole out kudos to the writers and producers for clearing the stage and giving the episode to Mariska and Bobby to take home. Their chemistry is unmatched and I like to think the two of them hated that it had to end this way. 

Speaking of ending this way...

SERIOUSLY?

I won't ramble like I did three years ago. 

I do wonder what the powers that be have against either RJB or the character. Warren Leight so deliberately and artfully transformed Tucker into a suitable partner for Benson, made the relationship believable, and then made us fall in love. Yet, after he left Tucker, Benson, and Noah in a good place, Eidteen & Co. fucked it up...but not so much that it couldn't be salvaged. But instead of nudging them back together, our clamoring for Tucker's return was met with his marriage to another woman and his soul crushing death. 

For what?

I've said it a million times, but I think I'm committed to the sentiment now. I'm officially sick and tired of watching Olivia Benson tortured.

I will forever mourn not just the relationship but the stories, tension, and, yes, joy that a married-to-Tucker Captain Benson could have experienced. I am not here for another season or two or three or, if the 25 rumor is accurate, four of Benson agony. And the worst part is, I don't think I'll ever be able to buy in to another love interest. Tucker was just too perfect.

Setting their last scene similar to Heartfelt Passages was not only unfair, it was borderline cheesy. As was the Paris pic which she just happened to have in her desk? Tucker, at least, got some closure from Benson admitting she was too scared to let herself love him, but I will never excuse the writers for ignoring that they were in a relationship for OVER A YEAR and never once did he check in? Not when Noah was kidnapped? Not when she was being investigated for child abuse? And he didn't ask about Noah in their not one but two closure conversations? 

I feel like someone instructed WL to wipe the slate clean of Tucker already and shut everyone up. Mission accomplished. While I will always acknowledge the show is not a soap opera and has a broader purpose, #Tuckson added an addictive element that cannot be replicated. We see so many #SVU cases in real life...and while it's always gratifying to see the squad busting a perp and relentlessly pursuing justice, it was nice, for a while, to root for Benson and Tucker's seemingly improbable love story unfolding on the periphery. 

That dance card (such a Tucker line, btw) had some room for him...OMB just needed some help to realize it.

I doubt WL wanted it to end this way, and I'm irrevocably sad Bobby Burke will no longer grace the screen as Ed Tucker. I will probably still watch the show, but with less devotion than before. And for those of you who love the fic world I've created for these characters, that will go on until I join Tucker...wherever he is. 

21.11: No Pep Talk Like a Benson Pep Talk

The #42Minutes

What begins as a type of crime SVU has explored dozens of times turns into a media circus when victim Monica Russo lashes out against the incompetent, unsympathetic, and (at the very least) unethical police officer with whom she made an initial rape complaint weeks before plastering accusatory artwork all over the west side. Once Monica is located, Benson pulls every string she has to help her, but Monica and her lawyer, prove to be challenging allies in the fight to put the invincible Merkeevious Ryan behind bars. After one of several public displays of outrage, two more of Ryan's victims come forward and, even though the judge rules their testimony inadmissible, the women do give Carisi leverage to arrest Ryan. In the courtroom, our beloved detective turned ADA gets absolutely annihilated by the more experienced and more ruthless Elana Barth, but Benson saves the day with take out and a pep talk and Carisi ends up manipulating the defense into making a serious mistake by putting Ryan on the stand...after Carisi's terrible opening performance, it was the only way to get the guilty verdict...but wouldn't it be nice if Monica's words were enough?

The Verdict

B

First of all, the episode wasn't well balanced. It took 12 minutes for the squad to locate Monica (even though we did get to see Orfeh, yay!, and I learned strippers can pay $20 for spare thongs in the locker room. Who knew?)--anyway, the pace picked up after that, but I would have liked to swap some of those seconds for more legal wrangling time.

Most problematic for me, though, was the trial. Why in the world would the DA's office leave Carisi alone at the prosecution table to argue a case against a very high profile defendant and his shrewd defense attorney who has decades of legal experience on him? This made zero sense. I kept waiting for Hadid to show up and make some comment implying she'd hung him out to dry as revenge. The variables--intense media focus, celeb client, an outburst-prone accuser, and a novice prosecutor--were a recipe for complete disaster until...until...

Barth fucks up. 

Problemo numero dos. 

I do not for one second believe former Judge Elana Barth would have been so stupid and full of hubris to put Ryan on the stand so he could hang himself. Surely she'd spent ample time with her client and knew he would be prone to shooting himself in the foot. She had already pummeled Monica enough to create reasonable doubt with the jury...everyone knew it. Barth should've been immune to Carisi's manipulation.

So, chalk up a victory for Carisi, and, most importantly, for Monica, but I'm quite sure Barth's decision opened the door for an appeal, although I doubt we'll hear anything else about this case as the season progresses. 

Rollins is suppressing whatever lingering "hostage-lite" trauma she's experiencing and, of course, has declared herself "cured" and no longer in need of therapy which we all know is miles and miles from the truth. I loved her little dig at Kat about checking with the Captain and I can't imagine she enjoyed Fin telling her to take five and then ten after he previously allowed Kat to roam unleashed around Getz. 

When Mariska Hargitay directs, we can always expect some well-timed, poignant close-ups and she didn't disappoint with this one, especially the shot of her escorting Monica into the police car after she's arrested and Carisi's strip club, what am I doing here, grimace...but, c'mon, Sonny, you've done this seedy OC thing before, dude. Maybe you'd be more comfortable with your camera-embedded specs?

And in the category of Annoying Elements I'm Thrilled Writers Omitted:

We were spared a Kat Ooooo I found some obvious detail that anyone else could have spotted but I'm the one looking so I'm awesome moment, and, I'll be damned, they found a way to include Noah without reminding us that he's now a dancer! 

I'm also happy we didn't have to sit through a snippet of the fucking Nutcracker. 

Wardrobe

Benson, you can wear that burgundy trench all day every day in each episode for all #42. Burgundy prevailed in this episode, with both Benson and Barth sporting the color and, speaking of Barth, her austere courtroom attire is spot on. 

And, of course, Benson's wearing these earrings again which I associate with Tucker because she was wearing them in the ep after Collateral Damages and even though she'd worn them in a prior season they were prominent and my romantic heart imagined he'd given them to her and...okay, I'll stop.

Quotable

"Certainly not a kids' movie..." And then Benson pushes Noah along...LOLOLOLOL...such a no-bullshit mom move. 

"It's a strip club, you'll be fine." Did I miss something? Does Fin have a penchant for patronizing strip clubs? I know this line was probably tossed in as banter among two longtime colleagues but it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. 

"I'm not pleading to anything."

"Good for you."

A Barba-esque response from ADA Carisi. OH, one more thing...why is it that Every. Single. ADA. has had some sort of an office...in Barba's and Stone's cases, quite an expansive one, but Carisi's relegated to a tiny desk in a room shared with others? A sign the DA's office is relegating SVU prosecution to a lower rung? But still...get the kid a fucking SPACE. Yet another issue I have with the whole Carisi-as-ADA concept...

"And I'm dead serious here." Oh, Carisi, green or otherwise, I love you so. He's so desperate to be good at his job...to be taken seriously...I winced in pain after Barth tore him apart, but the visit from Benson was sweet and the writers did a nice job of making the encounter fall along the lines of a mentor-mentee chat rather than something more patronizing. 

"You lied to my face." Oh, wait...that's next ep. But Tucker wouldn't lie to Liv unless it was absolutely necessary, right? RIGHT? 

RIGHT????

Is It Next Thursday, Yet?

Making us wait two weeks for the return of Tucker falls somewhere along the lines of an A Misdemeanor or a low-grade felony. The way the promo audio lined up with flashes of (still-gorgeous), smirking, smug Tucker sure makes it easy to expect a return of the villainous version of the character, though it would be wildly out of sync with how Leight wrote him and even how he was portrayed when Eidteen broke up the most perfect ship in the history of ships. 

And I'll be damned if the wife doesn't look like Barth, but after careful analysis (and I DO mean CAREFUL), I don't think it is. 

Frankly, I'm tired of speculating. Rip the Band-Aid off and get it over with. I survived Tuckson heartbreak number one, I can weather another. 

Hmmm...a box...did they recently move in? The "Just Married" sign still on their car? Whatever the circumstances, Tucker you're fine as hell. 

21.10: Relax, Carisi!

The #42Minutes

The Steve Getz case, which we knew somehow culminated with his jailhouse suicide, continues with the squad frantically trying to find Rollins' location after she's kidnapped by Frank Bucci. It takes an abnormal amount of SVU Time to get GPS and cell pings (is it me or doesn't the show's TARU typically come up with locations much more quickly?) which give Bucci time to swap license plates like all good kidnappers, and drive Rollins out of the city. Meanwhile, people in Getz's inner circle start flipping like it's going out of style, and he and his procurer are arrested on the tarmac seconds before fleeing on a private jet. In the squad room, Benson and company are scratching their heads about next moves when Rollins escorts a handcuffed Bucci into the precinct. She's safe but not okay, Bucci gets off easy, and Getz takes his own life, bringing a close to the squad's work but leaving the victims on a path to justice that goes nowhere.

The Verdict

A-

The minus is purely a personal issue. I confess, I've watched too much SVU. Like many of you I've watched certain episodes and seasons over and over again. As a result, many plot "twists" and nuances feel carbon copied from one episode to the next. Corrupt judges, Carisi's suspicion of the higher-ups in the DA's office, a judge who can't sign a warrant, Getz's "black book"--I swear some of the dialogue was swiped from the pages of Manhattan Transfer/Unholiest Alliance.

The whole "black book" thing was left unresolved...will it stay that way like in real life or have the writers mined it for a reason for Tucker resurfacing?

However, considering we already knew the ending and knew Rollins would survive, the episode was well-paced and captivating. Kelli Giddish (who looks alarmingly skinny) was fantastic, and I loved how she was able to both convey terror but also maintain Rollins' cocky, this-shit-is-a-waste-of-my-time  and btw-you-suck-at-hostage-taking edge. Except for that pesky Glock, the bungled kidnapping was kind of adorable at times, especially during the impromptu therapy session in the car. Rollins hits the nail on the head when she finally verbally admits she is her own worst enemy, and, for the first time ever, I had some sympathy for her. Rollins has always been frustrating to me because she fucks up and rarely ever takes full responsibility for what she's done--but in that moment in the car--"I am I guess"--gawwwwwd that was heart-wrenching. Not only does she think she doesn't deserve a nice guy, she apparently has permanently relegated herself to middling detective, probably on account of the multiple dings in her jacket, but she believes she is beyond redemption. I could keep unpacking and unpacking...kudos to the writers for finessing this hostage crisis into something that may be a painful yet revolutionary turning point in Rollins' life and career.

While my affinity for Rollins is on the rise, my opinion of Kat tanks. Do we have to have a moment in every ep in which she "miraculously" figures something out. Oooo, she connected Hanover's office to the cell pings, an important observation, but not necessarily a genius one. And I really want to see Rollins' face when someone lets it slip that Kat briefly entertained the idea Rollins was in on her own kidnapping. Pleeeeeease let that happen!

Annnnd on my continuing list of things I don't care about...we're really taking this whole Noah dancing thing and running with it, huh? Why must it be the core of every single exchange between mother and son? Will dance somehow turn into an SVU case (please, no)?

Did OMB drop off the food before she went to find Rollins?

Wardrobe

I bet everyone was glad to get a fresh change of clothes! Not a dazzling episode for the wardrobe department, but Benson was sporting what looked to be an onyx pendant around her neck as the episode came to a close. Symbolic or simply @svustyle changing up her jewelry?

Quotable

"Just shush." LOLOL Oh, Bucci...nobody listens to him...

"We need a no-knock warrant." And then Garland shoves his way in to the Judge's home. I loved how the chief was written in this episode--dogged, no-nonsense, and unwilling to crumble in the face of the powers that be. A chief-centric episode is coming up, and I wonder if Ellery's comment about Garland not knowing is place will be at its core. 

"Is that okay with you? Officer?" Get it, Carisi! Speaking of not knowing your place...Kat, ouch. 

Is it Next Thursday, Yet?

Captain Benson is being written as confident, steady, decisive, and oh-so I'm-in-chargey which is accurate and deserved. But when she remarked that Rollins' family consisted of the squad and her daughters, it doesn't take Kat to point out that the same can be said for Benson and Noah and that OMB hasn't yet processed Simon's death. With married Tucker's (and Lindstrom's) return on the horizon, I can't help but fear we're in for a soul-crushing Benson breakdown.

Q: Until then, is there anything more perfect that Carisi sparring with Barth in his first trial?

A: No.

Cheers, everyone (but with a soft drink for me since it's my third annual Dryuary...so how about doing me a solid and going easy on the emotions, WL?)

Thought I'd ask...