XX.XXIII: PenUGHtimate

The #42Minutes

After Councilwoman Nahla Nasar is found beaten and raped in a synagogue, Benson and her crew set out to find the assailant amidst a firestorm of less-than-scrupulous media coverage and public outrage. As has been the pattern for most of this season, the audience has to spend almost half of the #42Minutes following the detectives down a dead end path before one of them (Carisi this time) unlocks the mystery box with a piece of evidence that should not have been all that much of a mystery.

The Verdict

It will probably be difficult to find a viewer who hasn't taken issue with part or all of the episode. Lately I've been more annoyed than angry with SVU, and last night's #42 was no exception. I suppose I would have been more exasperated if a) my expectations weren't already dreadfully low and b) if the patchwork of extreme, exaggerated stereotypes hadn't been so, well, absurd...almost comical. The plot was clearly penned by people hopelessly detached from the core issues jolting the world. To make matters worse, nobody apparently bothered with research or took the time to consult people who are currently in the trenches and directly embroiled in the political, social, and cultural cataclysm facing the nation. No, no...instead the writers gathered a bunch of lazy tropes, lampooned sensitive issues, and produced an embarrassing caricature of very serious and potentially devastating
behaviors and attitudes.

Only a Trumpish character was omitted...wait...there's Rob Miller! He fits the bill. Wealthy. Villainous. Doesn't play by the rules. Audacious enough to follow a Lieutenant and her son to a restaurant (yeah right he just happened upon them) and shake son's hand after he touched Benson's shoulder! Her recoil was priceless!

I sort of don't care about this Miller arc especially since Stone's probably going to lose his life or his job putting the motherfucker in prison. Oh, and the insinuation that the evil Miller could arrange Noabduction, Round II, was a cheap shot.

Speaking of Noah, not only is he almost twice the age he realistically should be, can we lose his whiny, inauthentic dialogue next season? Are we supposed to b-e-l-i-e-v-e he's eight or nine? Or a precocious first grader? I don't know...too bad...I loved Liv with little, pajama-ed, correctly-aged Noah. Huge mistake to age him solely because the "creatives" couldn't be more creative in their continued torture of Benson.

Quotable

"If we were in Iraq, they'd throw her off the roof."
"So it's free speech until you piss somebody off and then it's hate speech."
Fin's been extra surly lately. Wonder if that's going some---oh, never mind. 

"I don't know about that but I'm pretty sure she hates you."
Rollins at her best when slapping the cuffs on a perp and adding something snarky.

"You read the memo?'
Oh, fuck that memo. 

Wardrobe

Dodds' ties matched Benson's blouses. How cute.

The ep was spiffily camel colored! I didn't mind!

Nahla's hijab game was strong!

Is It Next Thursday, Yet?

I'm gonna need some expensive booze. I'm sure the outgoing showrunner is determined to give his darling Peter Stone a gushy, melodramatic exit. A pricey bottle oughta dull the dullness...