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!