20.21: Another Reason to EXCHANGE Showrunners!

The #42Minutes

A taxi driver assaults fifteen-year-old Emilia and, although he is quickly apprehended and arrested, a video on Emilia's phone and her less-than-forthcoming sister Laura lead the squad to a separate investigation which eventually implicates Richard, who has spent a lifetime abusing and pimping out teenage exchange students from around the world.

No Stone...guess Philip's out doing job interviews. Silver lining--he will forever have "I worked with Mariska Hargitay" on his resume.

The Verdict

Run-of-the-mill Season 20 episode. Average. Predictable. Cautious.

The one thing that did bug me the entire time was the amount of freedom Laura and Emilia had despite being under Richard's spell, particularly when Emilia showed up at Benson's apartment late at night. I find it hard to believe Richard or his wife would have allowed her to leave on her own, especially when the investigation into the girls' backgrounds was heating up. And while I'm on the subject...it was completely inappropriate for Benson to have Emilia come to her home. I KNOW Benson has heard of coffee shops.

When the episode began, I thought Emilia would be a college kid--her strip poker buddies certainly looked older than 9th or 10th graders. Lazy casting? Also--I would have given everyone a pass on the lack of Italian accents but explaining the American away with "they were in American school" was weak...and also, these people are actors...they can't do an accent?

Mishmash of a few previous #SVU plots--the one with the therapist who convinces girls their father molested them and then one of them kills the Dad? And the tragic effects of the cycle of abuse was hinted at but cut short when Richard flung himself off the balcony...

Even though I stayed interested for the entire 42, the decision to have Laura put her hands all over Richard's chest to calm him down at the hospital was a spoiler I could have picked up even after having several cocktails.

Quotable:

"...por favor..." Rollins struggling with Italian...lol

"I'm Catholic, I always feel guilty." As if we needed yet another reminder about Carisi's faith. Should've left it at him praying the rosary in Unholiest Alliance.

"Home of the sick bastard." I hear they're adding that to the anthem, Fin.

Wardrobe

Hair pulled back and caszh Benson. Need I say more? No. Have a pic:

Is it Next Thursday, Yet?

Rollin' down the street smokin' indo...sippin' on gin and juice...laid back...with my mind on my money and my money on my mind...

XX.XIX: Dearly Beloved, We Are Gathered Here, Hoping for a Consistently Written Benson

I've been on a blogging break (not all that interested in the show...nice weather...busy at work....), but I'm trying to finish the season strong! 

#The42Minutes

In every getting-married-person's nightmare, Kitty Bennett stands up after the "speak now or forever hold your peace" instruction and accuses the groom of rape. Instead of hosting a wedding ceremony, the church functions as a temporary squad room as the detectives get to work. Later, comparing notes, Carisi, Benson, and Rollins already pinpoint problems with the victim's story. Even worse for Kitty, Josh is believably claiming innocence, is completely transparent, and initially has the unwavering support of Lana, his fiancee. Meanwhile, things get worse for Kitty when it is revealed she's stalked people on Instagram and Facebook, and, one man got so freaked out he took out a restraining order against her. The first break in the case comes when Kitty reveals she's pregnant and a paternity test reveals Josh is, indeed, the father. Unable to deny sex, he then changes his story and claims he and Kitty had a consensual relationship which also, according to surveillance video, seems to be true. The second break comes when Lana shows up at the precinct and tells Benson she and Josh met while she was his patient and goes on to describe him as domineering and controlling. Before the detectives can pursue this angle, Kitty forces the issue by showing up at Josh and Lana's loft and holds a broken wine bottle to Josh's neck in an attempt to force him to confess. Lana flips, spelling doom for Josh, when she realizes he had raped and manipulated her in the same way he'd raped and manipulated Kitty.

The Verdict

After two Badassisodes, this one fell flat and dragged and this was me watching on Hulu without commercials! At least I had my own little challenge going on--I was trying to figure out what other SVU ep Kitty had been in without Googling...I eventually had to Google (Military Justice).

A few nitpicks before the bigpicks--

1. How did the Poppy Liu character remember December 11 that easily? It was mid-March. Or is there something wrong with me? December 11? Hmmm...where was I December 11? I'm guessing somewhere saying "fuck, I need to start Christmas shopping."

2. When Benson says to Kitty "now everyone does," they are walking out of the church. Then, in the next scene, she and Rollins are interviewing Kitty in the church.

3. Isn't the pregnancy timeline a little off?

So, I can't figure out what the writers were trying to do with this one. The main plot itself was okay, but the addition of Kitty's abortion dilemma knocked a B- episode down to the D range. First of all, Benson, who, yes, always wears her heart on her sleeve and will move mountains to help victims, nevertheless crossed a line in her statements to Kitty. The correct answer was "Whether or not to have an abortion is your choice." The end. End of conversation. Everything else needed to be saved for Benson's next session with Lindstrom, speaking of therapists, or maybe even an after-work chat with Rollins. And why were Benson and Rollins so shocked that Josh had also been Lana's therapist? Goddamn...how does Benson go from basically pulling the strings over Dodds' head one episode and then acting like it's her first day on the job the next? 

The anguish felt shoehorned and insincere (even WITH the stairwell scene) and as if the writers were sitting around thinking, "Hmmm, how can we further make Benson's life miserable?" and instead of doing something creative grabbed the easiest option.

How many times in her career has she had to counsel a victim through the horror of being impregnated by a rapist? Why the anguish now? Of course, this is something Benson will never "get over" and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother will always haunt her, but FFS the preaching and sanctimony were unprofessional in this one and yet, AND YET all would have been 80% forgiven if we'd had some insight on the whole did-OMB-have-an-abortion-and-if-so-when-and-under-what-circumstances debate, but, alas! Nothing! Maybe the writers are busy rewatching past seasons for a plausible retroactive pregnancy and maybe, while they're at it, they'll realize it was a vodka bottle Serena wielded against her daughter.

On a lighter note, five cheese wedges for the business names in this one--"A Toe Above the Rest" and "Fitness Junkies Gym"

Wardrobe:

Can never, ever, go wrong with Benson in a beanie but who in the hell thought it was a good idea for her to raid Mrs. Roper's closet?

I know it's cold, but I prefer the trenches over Montcler parkas! #BringBackTrenches

Quotable

"...like you guys do before you get married..." Oh, Rollins. Never lose your cynicism, sister. 

"Red, burgundy, we're not really Sherwin Williams here." I love it when we get sassy, no-nonsense Carisi. 

"It's not." Benson seemed annoyed and a little impatient from the get...this interjection was one of those little pieces of dialogue that makes me chuckle. 

Is It Next Thursday, Yet?

"The Good Girl" sounds familiar and my expectations are very low at this point but Stone's leaving so let's fucking party.