Law & Order SVU “Beautiful Frame” was an intriguing episode that felt more like a Law & Order episode than an SVU episode. Mind you, I am not complaining; I liked this episode. As Law & Order is always first and foremost in my heart, any SVU episode that offers a good legal story line is always enjoyable. Raúl Esparza adds a much needed spark, and I find myself waiting with bated breath to find out what color or patterned suspenders he will be wearing next.
I won’t complain that the primary case wasn’t really an SVU case. The connection between a past rape case and a current murder case was made by the use of flashbacks, well suited for this episode. I have never been a big fan of shows that use flashbacks, and while it isn’t a normal part of the SVU formula, in this instance it enhanced the story and provided a believable explanation for SVU’s involvement. But, had Cragen been there, the SVU team may not have spent as much time on this case. (Where are Cragen and Munch?)
The outcome of the cases left me unsatisfied. As DA James was so protective of Provo, I assumed that somewhere she would be implicated either in Tommy’s death, or in the cover up, or in some other dirty dealings with Provo which got her elected. The fact that Barba made a deal to drop charges against Provo - allowing James to prosecute him and permit Jesse to get released - was a huge let down. The promo tease for the episode said the SVU team would “uncover one of the biggest conspiracies they’ve ever seen” and I don’t think the episode delivered a conspiracy of that magnitude. If they went after DA James head-on for her involvement in any cover up or framing of a suspect, then I would agree that would be big. But clearly Barba folded before they even got started on any direct investigation of James. Jane Kaczmarek was perfect as the prickly DA; it was reminiscent of her role on the short-lived TNT legal series “Raising The Bar” where she played a prickly judge.
This episode – along with Raúl Esparza as ADA – makes me miss Law & Order only that much more.
Here is the recap:
Cast:
Mariska Hargitay – Detective Olivia Benson
Ice-T – Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Richard Belzer – Sergeant John Munch
Dann Florek – Captain Don Cragen
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Danny Pino - Detective Nick Amaro
Guest Stars:
Raúl Esparza - ADA Rafael Barba
Jane Kaczmarek – DA Pam James
Enver Gjokaj - Michael Provo
Yvonne Zima - Jesse Sturgis
Renee Goldsberry – Defense Attorney
Shamika Cotton – Carol McEwan
Todd Gearhart – David Elias
Craig “mums” Grant - Eddie Baker
Robert Lupone - Gabriel Gorromini
Aida Turtutto – Judge Catano
Dan Debenport – Suffolk County Judge
Tony Campisi - Lawyer
Jonathan C. Kaplan – Sgt. Richie Russo
Joseph Masi – Tommy Bandolce
Matthew Foster – Counselor Gunther
Aymee Garcia – Operator #1
Antonia de Marco – Shep Morrisey
Bridget Megan Clark – Ally
Carson Grant – Larry Banks
Nicholas Damiano – Matthew Sturgis
Jesse is getting her son Matthew ready for bed as the babysitter Ally arrives. She tells Tommy she is leaving now to the address he gave her, 52 Cormack Court. Ally comments that she thought Jesse and Tommy broke up, but Jesse says Tommy wants to talk. While Jesse drives to the location she calls Tommy, frustrated she got his voice mail. She says she is 5 minutes away.
Elsewhere, a 911 operator has a male caller who says he is hearing a couple fighting and she is screaming at 52 Cormack Court, Babylon. The 911 operator radios a Suffolk Police patrol car and the office says he is on his way. The 911 operator gets another call from a woman who says she was driving down Cormack court and she heard gunshots. The officer gets the report of gunshots and arrives on the scene, along with other patrol cars. They approach the address with guns drawn, and find Jesse standing over Tommy, who is bleeding and dead. She explains she was the one who called them, and said just Tommy was in the house. She explains she just got there and he was shot when she pulled up. The officer asks if she heard arguing or screaming and she says no. She screamed when she saw him. She give him her name, and the officer arrests her despite her protests that she didn’t do it.
At SVU, Fin gets off the phone and asks Benson when was the last time she heard from Jesse Sturgis. Benson recalls her as the single mom who was raped in the Meatpacking District. Rollins recalls it was over the Labor Day weekend and has still not gone to trial yet. Amaro says the DA’s office hated that case, Jesse was drunk and her story was a mess. Benson says she was raped, and when Amaro says he wasn’t arguing that, Benson goes on to say that she knew her assailant and was afraid her boyfriend Tommy would find out. Fin explains that last night, Jesse was arrested for killing him, and as the detectives show collective shock, Fin says ADA Barba wants to see them now.
At ADA Barba’s office while Benson, Amaro and Rollins wait, Suffolk County DA Pam James storms out of Barba’s office, tersely telling him that she is arraigning Sturgis today, and to get back to her. He calmly says he just needs to go over the case files with the SVU detectives, and tells her to have a good day.
As the detectives enter Barba’s office, Rollins expresses her surprise that the Suffolk County DA drove in to see him about Jesse Sturgis. He explains to pay no attention to James’ icy demeanor, underneath she is all steel. Benson questions why she is rushing to charge Jesse, if Jesse did shoot Tommy, it had to be self defense. Barba says that Tommy was unarmed and Jesse brought a gun, an odd scenario for self defense. Fin asks what this had to do with their rape case, and Barba replies he was just going to ask them the same thing, and to walk him through it. Benson recaps that 4 months ago, Jesse was raped by Michael Provo, Amaro saying Provo said it was consensual sex and she lied because she was afraid of her boyfriend. To that, Barba says Tommy Bandolce, the guy she was accused of murdering last night. He says that is why James wants to see her case, she wants background on Jesse, and is also worried Provo was falsely accused. Benson asks if James told him that Provo is a CI for her office and helped make her the DA, adding James is looking to protect her own. Barba notes that it didn’t come up, and either way she wants them to “open our kimono” and when Fin doesn’t seem to understand what that means, Rollins says James wants to see all of their case work and all the DA’s files. Benson finishes the statement saying James wants to build a case against Jesse, and assumes Barba told her no. Barba informs her there is a protocol among DAs and he can’t just say no. He told James he was new to the office when the case broke and he has to get up to speed, and tells them to get him up to speed. Rollins brings out the file and he notes it was over Labor Day weekend and asks if the local precinct got the first call. Benson said it was EMS, Jesse had been out partying with her girlfriend and she collapsed on the street and was taken to Mercy hospital.
