Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Law & Order SVU “Rescue” Recap & Review

All photos from NBCU

Law & Order SVU “Rescue” was one of those episodes that was more soap opera than special victims. The special victim case – a girl who was raped by an EMT while being transported to the hospital for a head injury – was far more interesting that the secondary story of Olivia/Calvin/Vivian. It’s a shame that the EMT storyline ended all too soon.

I wasn’t a big fan of the whole Olivia/Calvin/Vivian storylineto begin with and hope that we won’t be seeing Calvin or Vivian ever again. The set of circumstances which brings Vivian back into Benson’s – and Calvin’s – life was too contrived and I found myself rolling my eyes and saying, “Oh Puh-leeze” more than once during this episode. And while it seemed ridiculously easy for Benson to get custody of Calvin in the first place, now she finds herself shocked that someone could just as easily take him away. I would think that Olivia, seeing that she works with special victims and issues with children all the time, would not be so shaken by the way child custody cases can work, even when it involves her. Her attachment is even more unbelievable when one considers the very short time that has passed between Benson getting custody and the current events in this episode. By matching the dates on the some of the scene title cards in both episodes, less than one month has passed. While it make sense that Benson would be worried about Calvin’s well being, she should not have been at all surprised at loosing custody.

Maria Bello did a fine job in her role as the crazed, drug addicted mother, and it’s a pity that it was wasted on such a horrible story line. That whole ending with Calvin’s biological father killing Vivian's soul mate Sarah, plus the added appearance of Walter Burlock’s prison “bitch” at the same time and place of that murder was just plain ridiculous.




Here is the recap:

Caitlin Lamarck is found at a party, laying in bed, bloody and passed out and with her face marked up with magic markers. The EMTs are called and she is rushed to the hospital. Jill, the girl hosting the party, indicated Caitlin was not welcome at her party.

Meanwhile, back at home with Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), she is getting Calvin off to school. They talk about his mother and if he recalls his father. He gives her a picture her drew of her in art class and he signed it Calvin Benson (pause for eye-roll on my part).
At the hospital, Detective Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) talks with Benson about her playing mom and asks about her progress in finding Calvin's father. They find Caitlin has died and is in the morgue. ME Warner (Tamara Tunie) says Caitlin died from the cut in her head when she hit a mirror. She cannot tell if she was raped. She found an odd blue substance that she sent for analysis.
Back at SVU, Munch (Richard Belzer) and Fin (Ice-t) show Benson and Stabler Caitlin’s treatise called “My Lay List” documenting all the information on the 15 men she slept with over the last three years, with a bar graph of penis size. She was bombarded with hate mail and dropped from her job because of the negative publicity. They decide to speak with the men who were on the Lay List who were invited to Jill’s party.

Benson/Stabler and Munch/Fin speak with the guys, all who deny being involved with killing Caitlin. They bring Jill - the party host - into SVU for questioning, and Fin and Stabler confront her with the fact that she did invite Jill to the party. She said she did not mean for her to die, she just wanted to humiliate her. Jill explains that she argued with her and grabbed her and her shirt ripped, and then she shoved her and her head broke the mirror. When she saw blood she panicked and threw her on the bed so others would think she was drunk. She denies sodomizing her.

Outside of interrogation, Stabler tells Captain Don Cragen (Dann Florek) that he believes Jill and they wonder which guy at the party was the rapist. But ME Warner arrives and tells them it wasn’t one of them. The blue substance inside of Caitlin was defibrillator transmission gel and silica powder from a latex medical glove. They realize one of the paramedics raped Caitlin.

Later, the detectives look at the information on the paramedics, Mike O’Doole (Mike Starr) – who seems squeaky clean - and his partner, Clark Tinta (James Martinez ) who has a record of complaints.



Benson and Stabler speak with O’Doole and Tinta and ask about Caitlin. Tinta says O’Doole was in the back of the ambulance, and O’Doole said Caitlin never spoke. Things get cut short when they get the alarm for another run.

Back at SVU, Munch noticed that there are records of robberies in the places where Tinta and O’Doole are called on EMT runs. They think O’Doole is the weak link and Cragen tells the detectives to hit him hard. Cragen tells Munch and Fin to take CSU to the last place where people reported a theft,

At the Donoho residence, Munch and Fin hear that Mrs. Donoho’s wedding ring was missing after the EMTs were called.
Back at SVU, Benson and Stabler question O’Doole about the theft at the Donoho residence and that they found O’Doole’s pubic hair in the bathroom, close to where Mrs. Donoho’s ring had been. He admits that he went to the bathroom and said he must have used the wrong bathroom. They continue to press him, saying they know that Tinta was in the back of the ambulance and that O’Doole is covering for him. O‘Doole admits that he took a few things he shouldn’t have, and says he doesn’t know what Tinta was doing back here. O’Doole admits he is an idiot and he should have said something. He says there must be some way to make it right, and Benson says he should help them nail the son of a bitch.

Afterwards, Benson gets a call saying that Calvin got in a fight at school so Stabler gets Fin to help him get Tinta. While Stabler waits for Fin, he moves to close Benson’s desk drawer that she left open, and sees a swab for a DNA test for Calvin – she never sent it in.

Stabler and Fin are staking out the EMTs and O’Doole gets Tinta to admit to what he’d been doing with the other women in the back of the ambulance. But Tinta sees Stabler and Fin walking into the restaurant and when Stabler pulls out his earpiece, Tinta gets angry at O’Doole because he realizes he was wired. Tinta flies into a rage, throws a chair and breaks the window and flees the restaurant. Tinta locks himself in the ambulance and injects himself with something and drops dead.

Later, Stabler comes to Benson’s apartment and says he has news, but she says Fin already called saying that Tinta gave himself and air embolism. Stabler says that’s not why he is there. CSU ran the fingerprints from the Donoho place and a thumbprint off the medicine cabinet matched Vivian Arliss – Calvin’s mother.

Back at SVU, they discuss Vivian and the fact that her friend Sarah Hoyt’s prints were also found in the Donoho living room, they think they came to the Donoho open house to look for drugs. Stabler also says he thinks Benson doesn’t want to find Calvin’s mother or father and says he knows she did not send in the DNA swab. She’s upset he went through her desk but he says she left the drawer open. She says she may have thought she sent it in and she made a mistake and will send it in, and Stabler says he already did. Benson asks him to let her take point on the investigation with the Donoho robbery and he agrees to follow her lead. Before they leave, Cragen stops them saying they are not going anywhere. ADA Hardwicke (Melissa Sagemiller) tells Benson that as she has custody of the suspects son it is a conflict of interest. When Stabler reminds them that Vivian signed over Calvin to Benson, Cragen says it could be seen as a confused move by an addict being manipulated by a detective desperate to start her own family. (Yeah, no kidding!) Benson gets a call that Calvin got in another fight so she will stand down as they asked. When Benson storms off, Cragen asks Stabler if she is OK, and he says she is fine and will be better when Vivian is in custody. Cragen tells Stabler he is off the case too because of his close partnership with Benson. Cragen has Fin take over.
Munch and Fin are at the Donoho residence, and Mr. Donoho identifies the photo of Vivian as someone named Claire who came to their open house. Sarah was also there. He shows them a sign in book from the open house and gives them the details from Vivian’s visit, and also mentions that Benson was just there 20 minutes ago for the same information. Munch thinks Benson faked the call from Calvin so she could go ahead to try to find Vivian.

Elsewhere, Benson questions a cabbie about Vivian and Sarah and shows him a photos from a security camera which shows the two women getting into his cab. He dropped them off in the south Bronx in a bad part of town.

At Whittier Street in the Bronx, Benson enters a dilapidated building and sees Vivian there, looking like a wreck. Benson wants to help her but Vivian just wants her to leave. Benson tells her she has to cuff her, but Vivian says Benson ruins everything and wherever her home is, Benson comes in and pisses all over it. Vivian goes off on Benson and when Benson tries to reason with her, Vivian says she is nothing like her. Benson arrests her and reads Vivian her rights. Benson also says Vivian deserves better than this, but Vivian says Benson wants to keep Calvin. Vivian says if Benson walks away right now Benson can keep Calvin. She left Calvin with Benson because he would be happy with her. Stabler chimes in, asking Benson to make a decision. Benson says it is time for Vivian to tell them about Walter Burlock.

In the interrogation room. Vivian tells them that she knocked on Burlock’s door and he invited her in. She walked into the kitchen and saw the frying pan on the stove, put on an oven mitt, and she smashed his skull, twice. She says the fact that he was her father only made it better. Cragen bursts into the room and orders both Benson and Stabler out of the room.

He is angry at Benson for not standing down and also gets on Stabler, Munch and Fin for how they handled everything. Benson tries to take the blame but Cragen says everyone is going to get burned and any half-assed attorney will have Vivian recanting before she leaves the room. But Sarah (Kat Foster) comes in, and says Vivian did not kill Walter, she did.

Later, with Sarah in interrogation with Fin, she says she is glad she did it. Vivian tells Munch that Sarah killed him because she loves her. Sarah says she knows she and Vivian were soul mates and realized it when they were in rehab. Vivian says Sarah killed Burlock because it would take her pain away, but she will never be free of the pain. Sarah says Vivian feels very deeply – pain and love – and it is sometimes hard to tell the difference. They both say they will be together forever. Meanwhile, as Benson and Stabler watch, Hardwicke says the two women are co-dependent and drug dependent. Benson comments that Vivian never once mentioned Calvin. Hardwicke will charge Vivian with stealing drugs from the Donohos to get Vivian into rehab. Benson says Vivian got money when her mother died and she will make bail in 5 minutes and Stabler says she will be back on drugs in 10.

In arraignment court, Sarah pleads not guilty to murder, her lawyer Mr. Hunter saying the confession was coerced. Vivian watches from the gallery. The defense brings up Benson’s interest in Calvin. Judge Petrovsky (Joanna Merlin) sets bail at $300K.
As Vivian bails Sarah out, she sees a waiting Benson on the courthouse steps. Vivian wants to see Calvin but Benson balks. Benson tells Vivian she needs help, but Vivian stays not everyone can be helped, some people are too damaged. They hear gunshots ring out and Benson races down the courthouse steps. Benson finds Sarah in a car in a parking garage, slumped over the steering wheel, blood on her head. The windshield has been shattered by bullets. As Benson calls for a bus, Vivian sees a dead Sarah and goes bonkers and Benson tries to restrain her. Vivian tells Benson everything is bad because of her.

Back at SVU, Fin and Stabler look at surveillance video from the courthouse parking garage and see Jason Gambel (Joseph Sikora), the guy who was Burlock’s cellmate and who Burlock terrorized, race into the garage. The doorway is 50 feet away from where Sarah was killed and they think Gambel killed her.

Later, with Gambel in custody, he denies killing anyone. He says he hated Burlock and says he was outside court and all he wanted to do was find the girl who killed Burlock because she set him free. He says he saw another man there who walked up to her car and shot three times and then he spit into her face. When Gambel screams to Stabler he did not kill Sarah, ME Warner pipes up and says he is telling the truth. DNA from the saliva on Sarah’s face does not match Gambel but does partly match the DNA sample that Stabler dropped off – the man who shot Sarah is Calvin’s father.

The detectives burst into the apartment of David (not sure of the last name) Druckner (Jack Gwaltney) with guns drawn, and he says he will not fight them. He seems to have been waiting for them. He says Sarah stole Vivian, and his son, from him. He says he got clean and convinced Vivian to go to rehab, where she met Sarah. Sarah pulled Vivian back into that hole and they took off and took Calvin with him. He pleaded for her to come home or let him take the boy, and Sarah would not let her, she just kept filling Vivian up with drugs. Sarah had to pay for all that she did. The detectives take David away.

Back at SVU, while Benson watches Calvin and Stabler play rock/paper/scissors - shoot (?),
someone from child protective services enters and tells Benson she is no longer Calvin’s legal guardian. Vivian is also there to take Calvin back. The man explains that Calvin’s biological father has assigned custody to Calvin’s grandparents. Vivian tells Calvin it is time to go and tells him he is going to live in Vermont while she gets her head together. Calvin does not want to go. As Benson says they are making a huge mistake, the man tells her that if she wants to contest it, she should file a claim with the court, he is there to escort Calvin to where he belongs. Benson says Vivian is the one who talked to David and she’s the one who is shipping him off to Vermont. Vivian says this is the best thing for him, because she is his mom. As Stabler tries to calm Benson, Calvin says he does not want to go anywhere and races to Benson and holds on to her. But Calvin is pulled away and he screams Olivia’s name. Benson looks devastated as we fade to black.


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53 comments:

EO-Lovin' Girl said...

I personally liked the episode, other than the cliffhanger. I do think they could have done the Liv/Calvin/Vivian arc a bit better, but being me, I like it. But I do agree that the episode was more soap-operaish.

nygma619 said...

I didn't hate this episode as much as you did, and I'm not sure why you found these developments contrived. Granted it wasn't anywhere near as good as the best episodes of the season, it was better than Trophy was.

How was her attachment to Calvin unbelievable? She's worked around children nearly her whole life and doesn't like to see bad things happening to most of them she is around. Add to that, that she's wanted a family of her own, I'm just not seeing what your seeing. I agree that she shouldn't be surprised, but I don't think she was really shocked to be honest, more upset at Vivian.

The only thing I would question is forensics not turning up Sarah's DNA/fingerprints.

Yes the episode was more soap opera-ish but it at least was uncharted territory, sort of. I think some of the things you thought were contrived deserve an explanation on why you felt that way.

Esaul said...

I have yet to watch the episode, but I've had a bad feeling about it the moment I found out Calvin was gonna be in it again. I mean L&O shouldn't have these continuation type of episodes, the show's about the cases not so much about the characters. >.<

nygma619 said...

^^^^^

Well that's if you believe in what I like to call "The Law & Order close minded mentality". Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be swimming in the characters problems, but I think we should care about what happens to them besides them just spouting off exposition.
And personally I like episodes that have continuity in them, in that it gives viewers an extra reason to tune in. Now whether they like that 'extra something' is an entirely different matter.

Also Esaul seeing that you didn't hate Trophy (though I didn't care for it), I don't think there's anything here you'll hate.

Esaul said...

Meh. I just don't like the concept of Olivia taking care of Calvin. And I don't mind the continuity if it's done right. I mean, we never found out what happened with Olivia and the baby...why bother telling us what's going on with Calvin? To me, I'd rather want to know what happened to the baby versus Calvin...but that's just me. Also, lately, SVU's been delving a bit too much with the characters versus the cases, though they've been kinda sorta getting back on track here and there. I mean, I might even wind up liking the episode, I just usually read Allthing's opinion before actually watching the episode, to see if I'm gonna agree or disagree. It really does take a lot for me to hate a L&O episode anyway ^_^'

gloria w. said...

Continuity in L&O episodes I agree with/ it's how they are written that irks me.

Daniel Truly ALWAYS does that: sex crime stroy now - Benson/Stabler personal/family drama story later.

I hope when Neal Baer leaves all those clowns follow him. Daniel, Speed Weed, Chris Brantaco, and George Huang (the writer, NOT B.D Wong, love B.D.!) - These SVU episodes are getting stupider and stupider!!!

Guess which Stabler is supposedly coming back? Maureen (w/ Eli and Dick, idk about Kathleen). And Brantaco is coming back to write a gruesome SVU again like "Branded"!

mikefnlogan said...

Was okay up until the part where they tell the detectives that Vivian stole whatever from whoever's house. I just turned it off.

@gloria:
I can live with Maureen, since we haven't seen her since season 2 I think. But I'm sick and fucking tired of Kathleen and Kathy.

The gruesome/suspenseful SVU's are definitely the best ones out there IMO. Missed Branded. But Baggage, Ballerina, Spooked, and Zebras were awesome; further back, Rooftop, Dominance, and Fault (despite the benson/stabler crap) were all good too.

mikefnlogan said...

Oh, and since SVU's now stepping up the drama to above even season 8 levels, who wants to bet that little Eli is kidnapped this season (or next)? Elizabeth will probably get raped too at some point.

liquor man said...

who knows, "dick stabler" might become a teen rapist/sadist

nygma619 said...

@gloria w. the episodes are getting stupider and stupider? Maybe if this were seasons 9-11 I'd agree with you, but this season has been alot better. Also those clowns have also had there share of great episodes, but since people here are like bulls seeing red, the bad ones always get noted before the good ones. All the writers have had their share of clunkers.
Also where did you get Maureen coming back, along w/Brantaco writing?

Also Mikefnlogan, no way in hell is this season at the level of melodrama season 8 was, there's only been 2 episodes focusing on someones personal problems. Is this what happens when the fanbase overreacts? They become prone to exaggeration? No wonder people look at its fans and treat it like a joke sometimes. Also Zebra's was overstuffed.

mikefnlogan said...

@nygma
2? gray doesn't count (it was pretty good actually, but still melodramatic as hell)? also behave was heavy on the cheesy soap opera drama, even if it wasn't stabler/benson specific.

season's still young, too. at this point in season 8, the closest thing we had to a soap opera was the whole benson-is-angry-because-she-thinks-stabler-likes-danibeck thing, which was more of a subplot instead of center stage, like this crap.

galen said...

Zebra was AWSOME DUDE!

Unlike Throphy, Gray, Branded, Bullseye, Rescue! I agree the episodes are getting out of hand(WHEN it comes down to BENSON and STABLER)!

I wanted to slap Liv in the face and tell her to stop blubbering about that boy. And I wanted to punch Stalber in "Gray", he basically LET his daughter feel she had to get a confidental file for him!

It's a good thing we rarely see Munch/Fin these days! And I read that in my local online paper that Branacto is doing some work with SVU.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK-4mHSjKrs < And What IS THIS?!

mikefnlogan said...

zebras had its plot holes but i found it pretty entertaining in the end.

Joanne said...

I don't think it's too unbelievable that Olivia has developed a strong bond for Calvin and cares very much about his wellbeing seeing as she has always been a passionate and empathetic person. However, I agree that the episode itself was way too soap-opera.

Thanks ATL&O.

nygma619 said...

@ mike, in Gray what happened with Kathleen wasn't the focus, and as far as behave goes, if that's the case then ALL episodes focused on perps are soap opera-y.

Also your the one who said it had already outdone season 8's melodrama, and now your saying the seasons young?

@ Gloria: meh your opinion, it was too overstuffed IMO, and as far as you wanting to smack Liv, yeah because god forbid she show any emotion at all. Also Elliot didn't make his daughter FEEL anything, it was her decision. Also I'd question the validity of that online article, it's hard to buy anything as legit these days on the internet.

Aaron said...

I like the Calvin story arc and don't find it soap-operaish. I find it drama, which is what the show is, a crime drama. I personally hope she gets Calvin back.

Joe S. Walker said...

This one started well but sailed off into absurdity as soon as Vivian's fingerprint turned up.

xfool said...

I also wish they would have stayed with the EMT rapist case. Bringing Vivian into the story was such a stretch that it was a joke.

There is NO.WAY that some one like Benson would get so attached toa kid in such a short time. She should know how the system works, she should know that it wouldn't be permanent. Are they making Benson out to be so desperate that she really DID purposely not send in the DNA swab so she could keep the kid? That doesn't sound like the Benson we know.

The ending was another joke. I think the writer just threw everything he could in and it came off as lame.

The season so far has been OK but this episode was a DOG.

Unknown said...

THE TRUTH IS NOT ME THIS EPISODE nothing like SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, THE DRAMA EXAGGERATED REALLY reminded me of a Mexican soap opera, A CHILD OF GOD IS GREAT TO HAVE DEVELOPED A bond with BENSON EXCEED THE TRUTH OF HIS MOTHER It seemed a mistake, AS FAN HOPE THIS CHAPTER ADDED TO THE DEPARTURE OF NEAL NOT PREDICT THE IMMINENT END OF THIS SEASON UVE

Anonymous said...

wow the writing is bad this season. Enough bad writing now that we're taking this off of our season pass on Tivo. Will continue to follow this blog, hopefully you'll have an update when they hire new writers.

Anonymous said...

I love the espispde!.... No matter what you say was a really good episode! XD

nygma619 said...

Another thing bothered me about the EMT story, how come that was the first time any news of a rape turned up before then?

Anonymous said...

SVU is a police drama distinctive because it shows emotion. Think it's great when they show the human side of the detectives and sensitive. Already explored much of the family drama but Elliot Olivia with Calvin was great and moved me. That happens a lot in real life. The episode was great and this season is great.

Shelly said...

I would imagine the writers expected us to feel sympathy and sadness for Olivia and Calvin at the end of this episode as he's dragged off to an uncertain future, but all I could do was roll my eyes. I wish I could have worked up more emotion for it, but I guess the poor quality of the show the last few seasons has just left me not giving a damn...

And there have been lots of discussions before about this, but when are Benson and Stabler going to get in real trouble for blatantly disregarding Cragen's orders? It happened again, Cragen got to raise his voice, but then, in the end, nothing will happen to them. If they were real cops (and I know this is only TV), they'd have been canned years ago. I know TV usually takes liberties, but this is really stretching it...

And to think the season started off with a little bit of promise... sigh...

Anonymous said...

To me it shows no matter the personal life of Olivia and Elliot. What matters is a good story. And it has too much SVU. Loved the episode, I was touched by the plight of Olivia and I understand all that happens in real life. Even the insubordination of the detectives. SVU is the truer drama on display. That's why it fascinates me. The characters portray human beings. They are not infallible machines. Has feelings and make mistakes like every human being.

Anonymous said...

I'm with Gloria. I have long thought the franchise needed more continuity between episodes as well as more crossovers between shows, but deviating into soap operas and personal lives is really a terrible move. I understand, to some degree, bringing a family forward or a spouse, but this was unnecessary and it is a bit annoying, even though I watched it -- simply because I watch it.

I just find it incredibly anti-Law & Order to continue to bring in guest stars that cost money that add very little value, but we don't ever see McCoy, who is the freaking DA, and half the time we don't see Munch.

L&O has truly moved away from what made it click and get high ratings, and until it gets a clue again, we'll continue to see this decline -- a decline not due to age, but to poor maintenance.

nygma619 said...

"L&O has truly moved away from what made it click and get high ratings, and until it gets a clue again, we'll continue to see this decline -- a decline not due to age, but to poor maintenance."

Just because the writing was good and people like it doesn't mean it gets high ratings; see the quality of the last season of the mothership, yes I know it was a different time slot on a different night, but if the myth of L&O quality=ratings were true it wouldn't matter.

@Shelly I think Cragen lets some of the things slide because of the good work they've turned up, and because he can somewhat understand their POV.

iHeartU said...

Yeah, I was never a fan of the Liv/Calvin/Viv thing... Like if they wanted to make SVU a soap opera they should make Eo happen(: but I was happy that they at least showed the end.. I hope this is the end of all this Calvin drama BS... and doesn't it seem like they always cut out EO in every episode? Like in this ep i'm pretty sure there was more to it.. and in Wet they cut out the rest of after Liv fell, and in Branded they completely cut out the explosion! Grrr... /:

Michael L. Daniels said...

@nygma619

Lately; I personally dislike the negative attitude you have where certain things are concerned in the L&O franchise.

I take it you like all this melodramatic personal drama amongst Benson and Stabler. With the lack of regular apperances by cast members Richard Belzer, Ice-T, Tamara Tunie, B.D. Wong, and even Cragen and even the miscellaneous ADAs.

I am going to be honest right here and right now: I DO NOT give a damn about the Benson and Stabler family drama and their own personal situations. It's okay if it's close to the season finale or it kicks off the season... but in EVERY single episodes... NO!

Season 11 had SO MUCH drama amongst Benson/Stabler when "Shattered" aired some DIEHARD SVU fans were ready (and some did) to curse out Neal Baer. "Shattered" was NOT an SVU season finale, it didn't even FEEL like an SVU finale.

GOOD QUALITY WRITING/A GOOD & OPEN MINDED SHOWRUNNER MAKES A GOOD SHOW... which is why Law & Order lasted for 20 years (and it would have gone on longer if NBC hadn't have rushed the series to cancellation)!

Seasons 1 until 7 were SVU's BEST years. Season 12 makes up for seasons 8(was fair)-11; Neal and the writers did okay for the first four episodes (Bullseye was kinda a flatline IMO) they stuck to the issues and not to Benson/Stabler... now they're going back to the season 10/11 ways!

I agree with Gloria... SVU episodes are begining to get stupider and stupider, when it comes down to Benson and Stabler and their personal drama! (To be continued)

Michael L. Daniels said...

@nygma619

GOOD WRITING, ACTING, AND DIRECTING make ratings! Not pointless dramas, if SVU is trying to outdo Days of our Lives, move it to the old "Passions" time-slot!

SVU is a police-procedural, legal/crime-drama! We see less and less of police/legal drama... and more of just drama! Seasons 8-NOW SVU episodes have been LEANING on Benson/Stabler and their own crappy dramatic filled lives.

Olivia DESERVED the child and ONE shot at SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS! If Baer (or whomever) won't give her Stabler, a child (whether blood related or adopted) would be the next best thing for her. "Rescue" IMHO SUCKED!

Not to mention it didn't really stick to the EMT rape! I don't care if someone murders Vivian Arliss or Sarah or Walter Burlock.

I just care about SVU doing it's damn jobs the way they were MEANT to be written (Seasons 1-7)! All this Benson and Stabler crap needs to STOP: NOW! Not 2012, NOW or SVU won't SEE 2012.

Neal Baer and all his lackeys need to leave SVU after this year! I think Hargitay and Meloni need to follow! Any DIEHARD BELIEVING SVU fans KNOWS Belzer and Ice-T DESERVE to have SVU as the lead detective team!

Not some new lackeys the next showrunner could use as another Benson/Stabler duo with crappy personal lives.

AGAIN: GOOD WRITING, ACTING, AND DIRECTING make ratings! Not pointless dramas: look at NCIS! It's the #1 drama because of good writing by Shane Brennan and his team; along with GREAT acting from the cast members, and the directors... despite the character drama - it's at least on occasion (season premieres and breaks/finales) and good!

Dan Truly truly f****ed up last night's SVU. I don't think I'll tune in for the rest of the season. I'll be taking about .10 mil viewers with me. Why TV.com people are rating Rescue a 9/10... it deserves a 1/2 on the pretext that the whole damn episode sucked (in my honest opinion).

Olivia_Calvin_BensonFAN said...

I watched the ep, and i was so upset that they won't let olivia be happy and have a family of her own. she deserves to be happy and so did calvin. I personally wanted to smack vivian for what she did to him by having him taking away. Olivia would be a way better mom to him. I don't know why anyone wouldn't won't to see Olivia happy. For 12 seasons we've watched her help children in many different situations. What about her own happiness for once ???!!!

I think that person, if no one wants to see Olivia have a kid, then something is seriously wrong !!!

That Ep last Wednesday night, showed Olivia in her true motherly form and I for one would like to see her fight to get calvin back and adopt him..permanately !!!

That was the most amazing ep last night. I don't know why you feel the way you do on it..but you seriously need to take a step back and look at how lonely Olivia has been..and how much peace she had..while she had calvin. She absolutely glowed. And the scene with her, Elliot and Calvin at the end..was totally adorable !!!

Anonymous said...

The episode was a little slow for me. I am getting annoyed that they are excluding BD Wong from a good amount of episodes this season. Fin and Munch are a great team and could use some more attention. I think the EMT story line should have been longer. But still like the show.

nygma619 said...

@ Michael L Daniels: A guy named William Shakespeare once said "Brevity is the soul of wit." If there was a point to your incoherent ramblings it got lost in endless paragraphs.

A few other things:

"Lately; I personally dislike the negative attitude you have where certain things are concerned in the L&O franchise."

I'm sorry you feel that way but there's really not much you can do about it.

"AGAIN: GOOD WRITING, ACTING, AND DIRECTING make ratings!"

Life just isn't that simple, and I'm sorry you can't realize that.

"I just care about SVU doing it's damn jobs the way they were MEANT to be written (Seasons 1-7)! All this Benson and Stabler crap needs to STOP: NOW! Not 2012, NOW or SVU won't SEE 2012."

I stopped reading your post at this point because it just comes across as someone rambling. It comes across as someone thinking with a black and white mentality, it also comes across as someone who thinks he or she is entitled to what they want to see.

Here's a news flash no amount of wishing for the things you want is going to change the show, no matter how many paragraphs you type saying the same thing over and over again.

Anonymous said...

nygma clearly has an agenda, here.

The fact is SVU has nearly been ruined by a combination of poor writing, mindless decisions (no McCoy), poor promotion, and the fact NBC is just a disaster right now as a network, which really isn't SVU's fault.

Fact is, it makes no sense to take a franchise with 20 years on one show, 12 on a second, 8 on a third, and cancel the one with 20 and 8 and have the one with 12 on the chopping block. That's a combined 40 years of television NBC Universal is on the verge of letting completely go away, and the fact they are willing to do speaks volumes for the absolute vegetative state the NBC leadership is in right now.

I really would love to see all four shows -- CI, LOLA, SVU and a brought-back-to-life mothership brought on a network that would fully embrace it and promote the hell out of it and I think you'd find yourself with a popular enterprise with high ratings.

And, by the way, the mothership had great ratings last year until it was moved off Fridays. in fact, it was the ratings success on Fridays that caused NBCPAB to say they would bring it back.

What NBC needs is a new head who will realize the L&O franchise is the ONLY THING that NBC has right now (outsideof maybe the Office) that is at all decent. The Biggest Loser is on its last legs, the Event is a disaster, several other shows (The Cape? Are you kidding me) are cancelled or look awful, and they have nothing promising in the future.

Sad, sad state of affairs.

nygma619 said...

^^^^^

If I have an agenda, its news to me.

Whether McCoy gets mentioned or not is not gonna make the boat tip either way. Writing quality is debatable, but I think the show has been promoted fine.
If anything I think the Law and Order Fanbase (namely people on this site sometimes) can sometimes be too fickle for their own good.

Anonymous said...

I think SVU impressive. Are 12 years maintained a good hearing. SVU is still large. Debuted in 2008 with 9 million viewers in 2009 with 7 million and 10 million in 2010. This season the audience is better than the previous year and will improve further when the time of the move to 10. The stories are great and fantastic actors Chris and Mariska. Love, love SVU with his psychological dramas.
Fans of the original L & O were hurt by the end of the show. But NBC could not keep a show that had an average audience of 4 million per week. And SVU is not guilty of that.

Anonymous said...

Olivia Benson would be a robot? A machine devoid of feelings? Time is relative. Can we love too much too soon and not ever love a lifetime. I loved the episode. And do not know why so angry when they show a little of the life of Elliot and Olivia. All episodes that show the involvement of family members are related to crimes detectives investigated. And this season the Fin and Munch has appeared in every episode. Just can not turn them into major stars because after a few episodes SVU end. Elliot and Olivia are the best, arguably.

nygma619 said...

Ignore me and everything I say, where it is nothing but worthless dribble.

Sheila said...

@nygma619

No offense intended, but I know for one I will. Like someone mentioned above; you just have an agenda where: the state of the L&O franchise is now is how it should remain; poor and non studied writing which leans to one specific character more so than the other(s).

SVU: Benson and Stabler
LOLA: Dekker

Here is what would be a good SVU episode's information would read (Rescue w/o Maria Bello):

DETECTIVES STABLER (CHRISTOPHER MELONI) AND BENSON (MARISKA HARGITAY) INVESTIGATE A CASE WHERE AN EMT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF A HORRIBLE SITUATION. During a party a girl is found dead under coats and bed sheets the investigation takes a turn for the worse when it is discovered that the victim was raped after she was killed. When the perpetrator (James Martinez) almost gets away with it, ADA Hardwicke (Melissa Sagemiller) goes to the ends of the earth for a guilty verdict. Also starring: Richard Belzer, Ice-T, Dann Florek, and Tamara Tunie. < Means they WILL be in it.

nygma619 said...

Whoever the person is that posted "Ignore me and everything I say, where it is nothing but worthless dribble." is an imposter and posing as me.
I'm not sure who it was, whether it was Michael L. Daniels, Sheila, or someone else; but seriously that kind of behavior is just juvenile, and quite frankly makes me feel embarassed to be associating with people who behave so poorly. If you don't like what I have to say, just walk away. At the end of the day IT'S JUST A TV SHOW, it's quality or what people say shouldn't have the kind of effect where you use someones identity to make them look bad just because you don't like what they say.

nygma619 said...

@ Shiela: "you just have an agenda where: the state of the L&O franchise is now is how it should remain; poor and non studied writing which leans to one specific character more so than the other(s)."

WHERE DID I SAY THIS? Your putting words in my mouth.

Also whether something is good or not is always going to be subjective and vary from person to person.

There's a quote from Bruce Timm (producer of Justice League Unlimited) at toonzone.net that sums up why most producers of tv shows aren't going to just listen to what people on the internet say:
it's always fascinatinating to hear what you all are saying about the show.....BUT...if we tried to follow fan opinion when we plot out the stories, if we tried to fashion the show along the lines of what we think the fans might want, we'd drive ourselves nuts in no time, and almost assuredly end up with a product that pleased NO ONE....

small example: when "hunter's moon" first aired up north a few weeks ago, there were quite a few posts saying, "i'm tired of the gl/hg ship, time to move on"...but after this weekend's u.s. airing, not a peep along those lines...you see the problem? if we used fan reaction to gauge how far to continue that particular storyline, we'd be floundering....also, a lot of people want john and shay to get back together, a lot of people now seem to be backing the mari/john ship (and a lot of people just want the whole ship thing to go away)...egad, what's a creator to do?

the only thing we can be sure of when it comes to fan opinion, they all want JLU to be a show worth tuning in for week after week.....but to achieve that, we have to follow our own instincts, and not be overly influenced by what we read on the internet....that's all...."


At the end of the day I just want the show to be something I would want to tune in to every week.

There's no unilateral consensus among fans on any aspect of the show, whether it be the "soap opera", whether characters are over exposed, or whether the writing is good or bad. That's why producers aren't going to take fan opinions on the internet to heart.

Anonymous said...

Firstly, let me start by saying I love SVU! I am a huge fan of the show, the cast, the storylines, etc. etc.
Personally, I liked this episode. I do, however, agree that sometimes the show is taken over by personal stories, but most of these I like! After 12 years of the show, I think its only right that we are shown a little of the personal lives of the characters! This episode did make me actually scream at the television though, as it was a bit soap-opera-ish. I do thoroughly enjoy the episodes which are solely based on the crime story, and I agree that the story within this episode should have gone on for longer.

I don't understand why y'all are rambling on about ratings etc. though, as this show is doing great! I have never been a fan of any of the other L&O shows and so don't mind that McCoy is hardly mentioned.

I am a fan of SVU BECAUSE of the characters, the storylines and the way in which the show is portrayed! I do also share with some of the other fans' 'wishes' for the show, such as E&O and Olivia's happiness in having a child, either of her own or adopted or whatever, but understand that, as (I think) Neal Baer said, the writers etc. can't give the fans everything they want, otherwise it would be the end of the show... I don't want the show to finish, as I enjoy watching it too much, but if, and when, it does end, I am looking forward to some of these storylines being implemented for fan satisfaction rather than ratings!! :)

Keir said...

I'm now having to watch the first couple of seasons thanks to my wife (and the fact we can't download the latest episodes for a while) and I'm struck by how much emoting takes up each episode compared to later seasons. Every character seems to have a serious emotional issue which requires at least five minutes of counselling and self-reflection before anything of substance to the plot takes place. Munch and the captain are given more space to show their humanity than they will later. As well, Mariska Hargitay seems to have aged more than the rest, and is seen in the earlier episodes as having a real social life.

Sheila said...

@nygma619

1.) In my defense; didn't comment as you, nor would I want to. Someone ALWAYS does that. Hell, even I'VE been the victim of some poser and imposter here.

2.) A TV show as it is [SVU]... it deserves to be a good one like it's original based series: 'Law & Order'.

3.) You obviously have some kind of pretext on wanting the lackluster and soap-operatic writing that SVU now has! When you know FULL WELL that there are better SVU episodes from the first season to the seventh, we've even had better this season (Behave, Merchandise, Penetration).

4.) Last year, people following Baer on Twitter asked him to bring in someone from Munch's past and he did, in "Zebras"; Gwen. So 'some' show runners listen to fans... some. So he KNOWS 'some' fans displease this soapy writing! It's whether he does anything about or not is the answer, since he's rolling out he may not.

It'd be nice if SVU ripped headlines more frequent, like it used to. AND STICK TO THAT ONE STORY. All this child rape, kiddie porn, elderly rape, along with these celebrity sex scandals... SVU should have us crying for the victims, not Olivia.

nygma619 said...

1.)Well the comments should be deleted then.

2.) Well you obviously have a pretext on SVU being "just like" the mothership if you catch my drift.

3.) Again your putting words in my mouth, I've been hit or miss with the soap opera stuff on this show (if you bothered checking my comments from previous entries like Trophy you'd know that), but I don't suddenly act like it's the worst thing in the world and that the shows going to hell in a hand basket when it happens, like some people on here. Personally I don't think Merchandise was that great.

4.) You think them showing more of Munch's past was because people on twitter requested it? There's no proof that it's "because of that", that they went through with it.

Anonymous said...

Also, I cannot believe we have to wait another 3 weeks before the next episode... !!!!!!!! :/
We waited two for this one and now another three for the next... After the cliff-hanger at the end of Rescue, I'm not so sure I can actually contain myself!! ha ha.

Yes, for y'all out there - I actually do love SVU that much that 3 weeks seems like FOREVER!!!! :)

E&O all the way!! :D

Anonymous said...

Ok, you're crazy if you didn't love the whole Olivia/Calvin relationship. she's always wanted a kid and he got taken away from her. and the only reason why i didn't like the ending is because there won't be another episode until january fifth. i can't wait that long. and i agree..3-4 weeks is WAY TOO LONG!!!!

Keir said...

...Anyway, this woman is now living in sin with another woman who, out of their minds on drugs, manage to nevertheless completely manipulate the judicial system. Until the other woman is killed by the biological father of the boy Olivia is looking after. But not before another guest appearance occurs involving the earlier suspect in the killing of the boy's mother's rapist. But he just happened to be there. No connection to the murder at all. Then this woman, who is allowed to walk around the streets of NYC at will, connives to have her son taken from a respected pillar of the community to live with the parents of the man who killed her "soul mate." Wait a minute- wasn't there a woman's murder at the very beginning that was supposed to be dealt with? I shudder to think what Law and Order UK must be like....

Anonymous said...

I personally think this was an excellent episode. For long time fans like myself, it was touching to see olivia so torn up about calvin. We were all waiting for her to become attatched to a victim for longer than one episode - and i think its totally understandable that she was upset when calvin was removed; she wants her own family, he is a vulnerable child being controlled by his drug addict mother and she has blood ties to the family - how could she not show any emotion when they remove him after 4 weeks of calvin being in olivias care?
if you ask me i think your being wayyy to harsh, i thoroughly enjoyed the crossover storyline with liv's personal life :)

Unknown said...

I agree. ..... i personally love the episodes with calvin and i think they should make a continuence of some sort its nice to see some of the same faces and kno that there is more than just rape and murder all the time..... the detectives have feelings to and no it should not turn into a soap opera but it should continue to share their lives as well as how good they are as partners and detectives!!!!"!!

Unknown said...

Does anyone know what happened to Calvin???

Chris Zimmer said...

@Unknown - the last we saw of Calvin was in the episode "Missing Pieces" when he was out on Halloween with Benson - see recap: https://allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com/2011/10/law-order-svu-missing-pieces-recap.html

Unknown said...

Anybody notice, at the very beginning, the blood on the party hostess's finger BEFORE she touches Caitlin's head?