Losing #Tuckson...Again?

Oh, #Tuckson. This freaking relationship. Ugh...so well crafted by Warren Leight and Company that I care more about them than most of the real-life people in my world. So, naturally, when it was confirmed Tucker would be returning, all the #Tuckson feels came rushing back as well. There was euphoria! Dancing! A resurgence in #Tuckson fic!

Warren to the rescue! All is right with the world!

But I couldn't shake the feeling that it was all too good to be true. After all, isn't the show's secondary purpose to make sure Olivia Benson's life sucks? The most recent pics seem to validate my fears.

Tucker's back...with a ring.

After a Twitter meltdown and a vow to ignore social media until the show returns in January (which I subsequently broke within minutes), my emotions gave way to obsessive speculation and led me to a few predictions which, of course, will all end up being totally wrong.

Here they are, in order of most to least likely.

1. Tucker moved on and got married. Why wouldn't he? This is painful, but it is the scenario that makes the most sense. Rick Eid's Olivia Benson inexplicably let him walk out of her life (and out of Noah's). Tucker being married would undoubtedly be a blow to Benson and it would provide an opportunity to address the "complications" of #Tuckson's demise. Can you imagine her face when she hears him say "my wife?" Or when she notices the ring? Rollins will probably ask her how she's doing and she'll of course be fine but she's not and then she'll end up in Lindstrom's office and we'll all be fucking sad as hell but this is the most logical and realistic explanation. The only piece that doesn't quite fit is that Tucker was ready to retire...but the fact that he didn't and got married might further twist the knife in Benson's heart. I saw someone tweet about the redhead rumor and mention Pippa...don't freak out, but I kind of don't hate that idea even though I can't imagine Pippa stuck around New York after Hank got shipped off to prison. Just out of curiosity, what's Jessica Phillips doing lately? 
2. He's undercover. The more I hash this out the more I don't think that's the case, but it would explain why Tucker didn't show up at crucial times such as when Sheila showed up and kidnapped Noah. If he's undercover, why is he so conspicuously working with SVU? Unless those pics were from the end of the case? But then...why is he still wearing the ring? But then again, if he's not undercover, why would the whole squad be at his house in Queens? If that is actually his house in Queens. Goddamn, set stalkers, ya'll need to do a better job getting us the deets!
3. He's undercover...with Benson. Fuck the redhead rumors, she's the wife! And then when they're done she takes the ring off but he doesn't because he likes it. What a great few lines of dialogue that would be. "Ed, you can take the ring off now." // "Oh, yeah, uh, I guess I got used to it." //And then he pulls out the engagement ring from 17 and says something about how she ditched the pretend ring but maybe she'd like to wear this one for real?????? Gahhhhhhhh.
4. Robert John Burke forgot to take his ring off. I don't think this is the case. I'm almost positive he's wearing it in another scene (when he's handing Benson coffee) and in pics I don't think the real life RJB wears a ring. On a related note--in those pics, Tucker's not wearing a shield. Why not? 
5. Tucker dies. Similar to him being married to someone who’s not OMB, but I’m not sure I’d watch the show anymore. I’m not here for Benson torture overkill. 

I am prepared to be heartbroken. I'm prepared for the "How's Noah?" and Benson reporting "he still has Eddie" and "Congratulations, Captain" and I'll make sure to have extra wine and extra tissues. 

Please, #SVU Gods, let all this angst be for nothing and let me be wrong! 

Remember, writers, there are a lot of fun scenarios with in-a-relationship-with-Tucker Captain Benson...

Now where in the hell are those fucking ep descriptions?

#Always

21.9 Rollins, It's Your Turn

The #42Minutes

Vincent Kartheiser guest stars as Steve Getz, an Epstein carbon copy, who has amassed a fortune mostly from his chain of Gimme That Body gyms. Getz's procurer, Granya, ensnares Ivy Bucci with the help of a cute lap dog and promises of a modeling career at GTB, and, in an astounding opening series, we see Ivy groomed, raped, pimped out, and forced to bring her twelve-year-old sister, Millie, to Getz's townhouse. Millie, however, freaks out, tells their father (Detective Bucci from Part 33), and Bucci ends up in Benson's office, pleading for help. As it becomes clear the wall of power and wealth surrounding Getz is impenetrable, Bucci becomes more and more frustrated with the investigation and with the detectives' efforts. After Kat gives herself an impromptu undercover assignment posing as Bucci's sister, Getz's goons go after Bucci. He lands in the hospital with minor injuries, but flies into a rage which ends up convincing Ivy to testify. On the legal side, Hadid arranges for a plea deal, unbeknownst to Carisi, and "Let 'em Go Joe" sentences Getz to time served. Instead of simply shooting Getz outside of the courthouse, Bucci follows Rollins to her therapist's office, bursts in, and takes them both hostage.

I'm here for the acrimony between Kat and Rollins, but, Amanda, cut her some slack. I remember you screwing up, like, majorly, a few times in your career. And you weren't exactly a rookie. 

Oh, and Noah gets Chinese for dinner after apparently eating a lot of pizza lately. Seems like Benson's off the salad kick? Tucker's probably not a fan of salad, either.

The Verdict

A

The episode was well paced and compelling. Ripped from the headlines eps are not always my thing (and this was ripped right down to the initials GM), but this one told a poignant story and advanced the season's money-and-power theme while also laying bare the toll taken on victims and their families.

A week ago, Hadid seemed like she was not so bad after all, but what the fuck? She agrees to an outrageous plea deal then lashes out at Carisi for being green? Did she get paid off by Getz? Did Let 'Em Go Joe? Because how in the hell can he ignore a law? So what if he thought the sex was consensual? Ivy, at fifteen, couldn't consent. Will his decision be overturned in the second part because for all the clout judges have, this one was an egregious, unlawful abuse of power.

The fourth sentence I wrote down in last night's notes was Gun in glove compartment? First of all, why? Seems irresponsible at best. Or does the therapist ban them from sessions? Wouldn't she make an exception for a cop?

Bucci's anger is understandably misplaced, and in addition to an explosive temper, I think he, as a former fellow officer, also felt as if the squad owed him swift, decisive justice and he quickly lost patience when he felt they were bungling the investigation. Bucci and Rollins had a chummy moment in Part 33 and I think Bucci felt extra kinship with Rollins.

So he follows her and takes her hostage.

I'm not sure what to think about this. Rollins is struggling, secretly seeing a therapist, still fending off Mr. Rollins-related demons, feeling abandoned and alone, and now she's battling for her life...for what? Where is Bucci taking her and what exactly does kidnapping Rollins achieve? Will it squeeze out some Rollisi feels? Force Benson to confront vivid Lewis memories that will inevitably bubble back to the surface? Make Kat feel bad for fucking up? Make Fin feel bad for letting Kat fuck up?

I'll get back to you in January. Right now, I'm scratching my head and thinking, "again?"

Wardrobe

Not the flashiest day in the closet, but Benson sported a cute polka-dotty blouse and Rollins' puffy sleeve shirt was one not many people can pull off.

Quotable

"We have to hit him from every angle." I cannot get enough of in-charge Captain Benson. And, how refreshing to go back to an erudite ADA! #BoydCycle

"Figure it out." Yaaaaas, Carisi. Barba would be so proud of you.

"Nobody listens to me in this family!" I felt genuine compassion for Bucci in this moment. He's not perfect, but he hit the end of his rope. Nick Turturro was great, but there were a few times in the ep when he struggled to convey the extreme anger the writers intended.

Lucky Fin. He took absolutely no heat for Kat's blunder.

"...green ADA like you." FUCK YOU, Hadid! Are you fucking kidding me? She's the one who agreed to the deal, FFS. Is she dirty?

"You have no idea what utter terror is." You're about to find out, Amanda. Don't recall this quote from last night's show? It's from Part 33.

Is it January Yet? 

Ugggghhhh. I'm not sorry to say I'm more concerned about the context of Tucker returning than anything. I feel my fragile heart will never recover if he comes back with a terminal illness or immediate death or anything other than a sweet, loving #Tuckson reunion. And Lindstrom is also in an ep in which Tucker appears? Great. But Liv has to process Simon's death and also the probable near-death of Amanda and all of the repair work that will have to be done after she's rescued.

And does Getz actually commit suicide or were the guards on duty in this version?

Hot. (Her, not him)

21.8: "Logic and Proportion Have Fallen Sloppy Dead"

The #42Minutes

After three young women have been found pumped with hallucinogens, raped, and dumped in public places, evidence leads the squad to Dr. Julius Adler, a well-renowned psychiatrist who operates a satellite academic research facility out of a brownstone in the Village. The problem is, what began as a genuine, well-intention-ed, law-abiding career spiraled into a cultish, drug-fueled sex trafficking operation. Rollins, of course, has a connection to Adler and, in the interrogation room, nudges him to a breaking point which may or may not have been a ruse. With him unresponsive at Bellevue, she and Benson take Adler's daughter, Anais, to another psych hospital to see the mother Anais thought was dead.

The Verdict

B

Maybe I wasn't as drunk as I thought I was Thursday night. Now, on Saturday morning, sober as a judge, I'm still scratching my head trying to process this episode.

Gang's all here. Well, except for Fin. But Garland's daughter is adorable. 

Kansan Meghan Gale (who definitely needs new friends), Jane Doe, and Freja, three initial victims, disappeared, never to be heard from again. Well, at least the writers sent Freja back to Stockholm, but what about Meghan and Jane? Nothing? And I know Adam Arkin was the guest star, but a far more interesting thread would have been that of Anais who is arguably the most fucked up of anyone in that house. My issue with this #42 is that there were so many potential stories to be developed, but none of the guest actors got enough screen time to make me care about them. I also didn't buy the implication that Dr. Adler's inability to fix his wife turned into an obsession which eventually caused him to snap and let his career drift out of the bounds of science and into a criminal enterprise.

I was a bit surprised Kat seemed perfectly fine after Lily's suicide last week. She's settling in, but, in almost every episode, the looks on the faces of her colleagues suggest that her eagerness is going to land her in hot water soon.

Rollins was back to her annoying self in this one. I disagree with Benson's assessment of her blind spot. I don't think she has one when it comes to "men who she thinks are smarter than her." Rollins has a blind spot for people with whom she's had a personal connection or considers to be good. It's more of an ego issue with her, almost like she's saying, This person has earned my approval and admiration, and I cannot possibly be wrong. At the end of the episode I felt like she was still sympathetic toward Adler and disbelieving of the idea that he could possibly be faking the psychotic break. At any rate, she proved that Benson is right to still have some reservations about trusting her. Oh, and, how did Adler know her? Did she send an email about sitting in on the lecture or did Rollins so something silly like sleep with him in Atlanta?

Wardrobe

Hello, leather! Benson rocked the burgundy trench and black blazer. You know Tucker has to be drooling when he sees her stroll into the bar or into his apartment dressed in those pieces. Puh-lease, Warren, let this #Tuckson reunion be permanent, in a good way, because my heart cannot take anything else.

Kat's wardrobe is...a little tacky? Like she's not sure how to dress now that she's in the big leagues? The gray plaid suit she wore in this one made me chuckle.

Quotable

"I'm with Kat." TuTuTamin! But will Fin be "with" her when she fucks up and disobeys the Captain's orders next week?

"I do, Fin, but every time I go out on a limb for you guys, somebody saws it off." Yaaaas, Carisi! I loved this! Tension is brewing for sure, and I'm ready for it to explode. He's worked more or less harmoniously with the squad, but they can't be one, big, happy, justice-seeking family for the whole season. At some point they'll be on different pages, and I'm excited to see it play out. 

"A cello being thrown out of a third story window." What could be more normal for a building associated with a university? 

Sure you didn't inhale, Rollins? Not even a little bit? 

"Aren't you a fish out of water?" Can we please stop writing dialogue that treats Rollins as if she was brought up on another planet? I mean, rural Georgia could certainly qualify, but, trust me, Atlanta isn't freaking Jupiter. 

"And a freak."

"He thinks you're all so covered and armored, you'll never open up." Hmmmm...loaded piece of dialogue here...I hope to see this sentiment unfold during the second half of the season. 

Is It Next Thursday Yet?

Vincent Kartheiser as villain? Yes, please!

Were we promised a cliff? I think we were promised a cliff. I look forward to speculating with y'all for the holidays.

21.7: Ah, The Big Boss!

The #42Minutes

SVU is involved in a sting operation targeting Chinatown spas masquerading as fronts for human trafficking and women trapped in debt slavery. On the initial bust, they arrest Evelyn "Mamasan" Lee, the ground-level boss and enforcer. From there, the squad, joined by Sgt. Chin, and Carisi climb the ladder of increasingly powerful perps until they finally get to the Changs--a wealthy, well-connected couple who bill themselves as philanthropists but actually have been enabling the nefarious trafficking operation for decades. At the interrogation table, Christine Chang, seeing the evidence mounting against her, gambles with a confession. She's arrested and indicted, but, at arraignment, the feds show up and, much to Carisi's disgust, whisk her away. Carisi ends up getting a silver lining, but, big picture, everyone gets away with it, and no one agonizes more over that reality than Kat.

The Verdict

A/B

After the last two edge-of-my-couch-cushion episodes, this one felt like a "let's take a breather" before heading for the mid-season cliffhanger. It was well-paced and compelling, but not a #42Minutes that left me blown away. I did love the spotlight on Chinatown and the sinister truths that lurk below and beneath the tenement building walls.  Law and Order: Chinatown could probably stand on its own as a spin-off.

Even though Mrs. Chang hinted at past victimization, I was glad the plot didn't venture into victim-becomes-perp territory. SVU has done that so many times before. However, in this case, Chang was in a position to proactively battle traffickers and instead chose to enable them and enrich herself.

The character development of Carisi as ADA and Officer Tamin continues to be perfection. Carisi clearly forgot his role during the initial sting when he burst out of the van and Spidermanned his way up the fire escape to rescue Mei Mei. He's always been one to internalize and sometimes over-analyze the true meaning of justice as it relates to certain cases, and while it was heartwarming to see him tell Mei Mei she was free, I can't help but worry that he's never going to be satisfied with the outcomes of his work. 

But maybe that's a good thing?

At what point will he blur the lines between cop and ADA and get himself in hot water?

Hadid seemed genuinely shaken by the last-minute switcharoo; maybe she has a heart after all. 

POOR KAT! She's been developing a bit of a swagger as she gets comfortable at SVU, but Lily's suicide obviously dinged her soul. Was it my TV or did the sound get foggy and muted after she saw Lily's body splayed on the sidewalk below? That moment was so powerful and functioned as a crucial coming-of-age moment for the young officer. A big WELL DONE to the writers for allowing the audience to gradually get to know Kat before springing this on us. 

(Unlike the Peter Stone writers who produced the character, shoved him on screen, and demanded we love him.)

I loved the scene in Benson's office at the end of the episode when we saw the clear difference between the two seasoned detectives who've seen more than their share of job-related disappointment and Kat who looks like she's ready to go home and either punch something or violently sob into her pillow.

Wardrobe

Benson is so fucking HOT this season, she's being written like she's supposed to be written, and her blazer and glasses game in this episode was better than ever. Leather blazer, blue blazer, red blouse, several dramatic reader removals...excuse my obsession, but, as you will recall, many of these pieces or similar ones were worn in S17 as her relationship with you-know-who heated up. 

Also, Kat and Rollins as chipper gals-about-town was ADORABLE!

Quotable

"I thought it was a food delivery." Yeah, because I always pick up my Seamless in the middle of the street and it's usually packaged as a brick in a rumpled paper bag. Well, actually, sometimes it is. 

"You saved me twice now, you can rest." That was sweet, but I don't think he's going to, Mei Mei. 

"We read the articles." Benson not buying Mrs. Chang's I'm an upstanding citizen argument was hilarious. Also,  I'm wondering how Twitter perceived the threats over the Mah Jong table--I loved Benson using Mamasan's daughter's future as leverage (and also the slight nod to the college admissions scandal) but I suspect it may not have sat well with some viewers. 

"It's not a come true dream." 

Just. Wow.

Is It Next Thursday, Yet?

It's Machine Elves time! 

How will Kat rebound? Do we get to see trial Carisi yet? A Tucker mention? Fin consoling Kat because I really, really, really love the idea of TuTuTamin?

Ah, what the hell. 

21.6 Touch DNA Shall Set You Free

The #42Minutes

While investigating the rape of a 14-year-old girl, the squad comes across touch DNA evidence that matches a sample collected at the scene of a sixteen-year-old double murder. Everyone knows something's amiss, but two men have already been convicted of the crime. One guy's dead, the other isn't willing to cooperate, and the original detective isn't the least bit interested in entertaining the idea he'd made a mistake in the initial investigation. Nevertheless, SVU and Carisi press on. A touch DNA match plus Lupe's unwavering voice ID gives them their guy, a worker named Tim Stanton, but Benson points out it'll be challenging to bring a case against a man who's accused of crimes related to a case that was long ago adjudicated. Carisi, who's gradually finding his ADA groove, pesters his former law professor until he finally finagles a vacate order for Carlos from a vaunted Queens DA who now suffers from dementia. 

Stanton goes away for the double murder, Lupe doesn't have to testify, Carlos is released, and, oh, by the way, Simon dies. And, um, Hi, Melinda!

The Verdict

A+

Remember all those episodes of the Leight Years when you didn't want the hour to end yet were fascinated how such an intricate story could be told in only #42Minutes? Yeah? So do I. IT'S BACK, BABY!

First of all, how many innocent men's and women's files are stacked on tables in the office of the debilitated ADA? That might be the most infuriating detail of the entire #42. 

The titular theme wove its way through the entire episode--the perpetually broken project elevator forced Lupe to the dangerous stairwell; the stigma of being gay both in the neighborhood and in prison stripped Carlos and Ricardo of their power to defend and exonerate themselves; when arrested, the pair's public defenders didn't have the capacity to battle a powerful DA and shortsighted, dispassionate detectives.

Guillermo Diaz did a fantastic job in his role as the wrongfully-convicted Carlos. From the first meeting with Carisi and Fin, it's obvious from his affect that something's not quite right--he's wary of the guard and there's a cloud of evasion in his declarations of innocence, but the detectives (and me) couldn't quite figure out why until Stanton unwittingly filled in the blanks. 

Officer Kat taking the subway to the scene was adorable and so was her ah, what the hell attitude toward taking a cannoli. I'm glad Benson gave her a shot and seems to trust her more and more; however, I do wonder if Carisi, when he has a minute to reflect, is a little rankled when he recalls how Benson and the rest of the squad treated him when he was a newbie. 

Quotable

"...see what Voltaire would do..." Smart writing all around, but this was such an appropriate sentence for Wentworth Miller's character, and by the way, I wonder if he's going to return because he and Carisi had some chemistry going on. 

"We call that railroadin', right honey?" Rolled my eyes a little bit here as I always do when the show makes reference to Rollins' southern roots.

"I don't want to die shoveling snow in the stepchild borough." He didn't get much screen time, but Montes' dialogue was perfectly written.

"I knew this was a bad idea." Let's address Simon, shall we? I always take notes during the show and the first two words I jotted down on my Moleskine page were stalking her?. Simon just happening to bump into Olivia and Noah on the street was creepy and unsettling and though Benson will probably never completely forgive herself for the message she left, she was ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. Meeting him was a bad idea. NOTHING GOOD ever results from her allowing Simon in her life, yet she can't help herself whenever he shows up. Her heart's too big, but she always, always, always gets burned.

Despite Simon's optimism, all was not well in his life. He'd been separated from his own family for five years, and we'll probably never know why, but there had to be a good reason for Tracy to decide to completely cut Simon out of their lives. Maybe Benson will learn more, maybe not, but hopefully she'll gain some clarity and come to accept his death was not her fault. 

And of course I can't help but think this opens the door for Tucker's return. Benson craves family, and the squad-as-proxy isn't cutting it. Will Tucker hear about Simon's death and call to check in? Will Benson realize she misses the months they spent as "the three of us" and desire to get that "good thing" going again? 

Or maybe Simon's passing was just another instance of needless torture inflicted upon Benson. 

Answers, please!

Wardrobe

I'm going to substitute wardrobe for "you swipe" and "folks chipped in." Carlos' unfamiliarity with 2019 technology was darkly funny because it emphasized a sad truth. Yes, he's free; however, what's next? He has to scrape together a life, all alone, in a world he doesn't recognize.

These turquoise earrings remind me of #Tuckson--one of the first scenes post-Collateral Damages was of Benson wearing these, and even though they weren't new, I always imagined good old Ed complimenting them!

Is it Next Thursday, Yet? 

Margaret Cho looks phenomenally evil in the preview clip for next week. I'm anticipating an epic battle of words and wits between her and Benson.

 Getting a little antsy for Carisi's first actual trial...and also for midseason...