Law & Order SVU “Pattern Seventeen” brought Amanda Rollins and Atlanta back together again when the case of a New York City rapist matches the MO of a case in Atlanta where she previously worked. Not only has the rapist reared his ugly head again, but so have Rollins’ demons from Atlanta, what she calls a “boy’s club” where they want to be sure she “knows her place.” I usually don’t like to get ahead of myself and discuss the preview for next week’s episode, but if it wasn’t clear in this episode that Rollins’ former boss Deputy Chief Patton is a creep, it will be clear next week. It
appears that Patton raped Rollins. I use the word “appears” because the promo people have been known to mislead in the past. Was it Patton, or was it someone else on the force, and the culture in that police department covered it up or made it impossible for Rollins to “out” her rapist? Also, if it was Patton, why would she even hint at agreeing to meet him for drinks as she did at the close of this episode? I could understand if she felt forced into meeting him as he had to in Atlanta, but it makes no sense for her to agree to meet him socially if he did rape her. Patton may be a rapist but maybe not HER rapist. Again, the promo people sometimes cut and edit those promos to lead the fans in one place and then they take them somewhere else. I don’t take any promo at face value any more. Maybe it’s just me trying to find a mystery in what seems like a too-obvious story line.
While Rollins complains about the boy’s club in Atlanta, things seem no different in New York, as I looked hard and could not see one woman on the CompStat panel. Even if there was one woman on that panel, that's still pathetic. If this is reflective of the real New York CompStat, it would be tragic. At first, Dodds seems perfectly content to grill Benson as did the others on the CompStat panel, but at least at the end, he gave her the forum to outline all the things that go wrong as a result of the rape kit backlog in other cities.
While tracking this serial rapist, Benson also has her hands full in fighting off a prickly case worker from Child Services who apparently thinks Benson is not being a good parent. It’s a little disappointing that Child Services would be so narrow minded that they don’t understand that a woman CAN have a high stakes career and take care of a child at the same time. In Benson’s case, there is zero evidence that Noah is being put in any danger or is being neglected. Yes it is true that Benson had a work emergency at the time Noah was “in crisis” but Benson did make sure someone was there when she could not. (As I am co-guardian of a relative with sometimes critical health issues, my experience is many times the hospital staff don’t want people hanging around the patient every second, and this never posed a problem with Child Services here.) I was surprised that Judge Linden didn’t recuse herself from this case. After all, Linden was the one that suggested Benson take Noah in the first place and I would think the caseworker and the attorney would be concerned that Linden would not be impartial. Linden does give Benson a chance to get out of the arrangement, but we all know that Benson would never do that. And thankfully, Trevor Langan also seems to be in Benson’s corner on this issue. The only person who seems to have a big issue with Benson is one case worker.
I liked this episode for the story but also for some nice scene staging and camera work. The stories seem far more realistic when there are scenes with visual interest such as Washington Square, and the representations of CompStat and the Atlanta file room.
Amaro was missing from the episode, as was Barba, I assume to make room for the CompStat and Atlanta story lines guest stars. It would be nice to have to main cast in each episode more often.
(An error: Joseph Conklin’s name was listed incorrectly as James Conklin on the DEA file on Carisi’s computer.)
Here is the recap:
Cast:
Mariska Hargitay – Sergeant Olivia Benson
Ice-T – Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Danny Pino - Detective Nick Amaro
Raúl Esparza - ADA Rafael Barba
Peter Scanavino - Detective Dominick Carisi, Jr.
Guest stars:
Peter Gallagher - Deputy Chief William Dodds
Harry Hamlin – Deputy Chief Patton
Peter Hermann - Counselor Trevor Langan
Jayne Houdyshell - Judge Ruth Linden
Myk Watford - Captain Sam Reynolds
Samantha Futerman - Annie Lin
Lou Martini - Dr. Joseph Conklin
Bronwyn Reed -Lucy Huston
Ebonee Noel - Ashley Miller
Ras Enoch McCurdie - Usain
Michael Kostroff - Attorney
Lizzy DeClement - Beth Burns
Kelly Briter - ADA Bartell
Josh Pais – Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham
Thedra Porter – Chantal Jackson
Susan Louise O’Connor – Lauren Burns
Madeleine Rose Yen – Nina Carr
Sydney Lucas – Ryann Catalano
John Cramer - Mike Catalano
Julia Kelly - Jennifer Catalano
Tim Hardiman – Inspector Hardiman
Annie Lin, a rape victim, recounts her attack to Benson and Fin, using their cognitive reenactment technique. She describes the attack and recalls the attacker had on rubbery, thin medical gloves and she barely saw his face. Under his breath, he was humming church music and he put his hand on her neck and she passed out. When she came to, he was still there and said “nice to see you again. Maybe we’ll have tea soon.” Then he walked out and he told her not to look but she peeked, She saw him go around the corner and watch until he was gone. She saw him take off his gloves. Annie goes back with the waiting officer as Benson tells Fin to have CSU comb the street and maybe they will get lucky and find those gloves and get some touch DNA. Fin comments maybe if the guy stalked her he wore a condom and made her pass out, they are looking at a pro. Benson replies that she knows and she also knows he will do it again and again until they find him.
Back at SVU in the squad room, Fin states the glove the found in the sewer grate came back clean – no DNA, no prints. Carisi comments no DNA, there goes CODIS. Benson says it was worth a short; they think the perp knew her so – and Carisi finishes so they re-canvas the area, video cams, parking tickets, cross check for known offenders; he knows the drill. Rollins walks in, looking downward as she walks past Benson and apologizes for being late. She explains that Con-Ed was on her block; a transformer was out and there was no electricity and no hot water. She had to take a shower at the gym. Benson gives Rollins a word of advice, saying that when she is coming up with an excuse, don’t oversell. Rollins replies “copy that.” Benson gets back to the case, stating that the perp wore latex gloves and they think he stalked her. Rollins asks if they put it into ViCAP, and Benson looks to Carisi who has a monetarily confused look. Rollins says they have a detailed MO and ViCAP is a comprehensive, nationwide database. Carisi says he knows, he was just about to get into that. Rollins puts in the information on her computer: early Sunday, a Caucasian male assaults Annie Lin, who is young, she is Asian, he chokes her and uses latex gloves. She asks what else, and Fin states he hummed. When Rollins asks “He what?”, Fin restates that he hummed, Benson adding that Annie remembered the perp humming while he assaulted her. Rollins gets a look on her face about the humming, and Carisi wisecracks so the perp was musical. Rollins says they may think she is crazy but she ask if it was gospel music. Fin explains that Annie said it sounded like a church hymn. Rollins comments that before she left Atlanta, they had a humming rapist that choked out his vics. It wasn’t her case, but it was only back in 2008-09. Benson tells Rollins that Atlanta is an easy call for her and tells Carisi, since he was going to do it anyway, tells him to take over ViCAP and check recently released parolees and offenders. She adds this guy had to come from somewhere. Fin, checking his phone, comments he may not have gone anywhere; a 16 year old at a mid-town magnet school just disclosed to her counselor early morning a guy choked her out.
On Monday, December 1 at Leonard Bernstein High School, Benson and Fin speak with Nina who describes her attack which fits the same MO as Annie’s attacker, including the humming. She never got a good look at him; she was face down.
Back at SVU, Carisi, who is looking at ViCAP responses, tells Rollins that there are a lot of perps who hum, sing or whistle to their victims. Rollins hasn’t gotten any new information but her phone rings and it is a call from Captain Reynolds in Atlanta. She thanks Reynolds for calling back, then says “no, it’s business”. Benson and Fin enter and Fin tells Carisi the new vic remembers the latex gloves and the humming; there is no DNA and didn’t see his face. He states he targets the vics and knows their routine. Carisi informs Benson there are too many matches on ViCAP and he has to find a way to narrow his search. Rollins gets off the phone with Atlanta and explains there are 3 open cases in Atlanta with the same MO and they did the rape kits on all three of them but never had them tested. Benson comments “not that again” and asks if they are testing them now. Rollins scoffs and says they think they are in storage. Carisi asks if they are looking at least, and Rollins replies not very hard, these cases are 6 years cold. Benson states theirs aren’t, and asks Rollins if she sends her down there, does she know where to look? Rollins comments it is still a boy’s club down there but if she acts helpless and bats her eyelashes, and Benson tells her to do that. Carisi asks to go with, but Benson suggests Rollins take Fin. As Benson walks to her office, she hears a voice call her name. It is Trevor Langan, asking if she has a minute. She asks if everything is alright, and he points to her office. As they walk to her office, Fin tells Rollins maybe this is a good time to get away. Rollins, deep in thought, asks how does he figure. Fin stares at her, saying there is a lot going on here, she has no hot water…Rollins, seemingly forgetting her earlier excuse, says what?, then realizes her error and says she is fine. She tells him to check on flights.
Meanwhile, in Benson’s office, Benson questions Langan that Child Services wants a hearing, asking why. Langan replies it is Noah’s health questions. Benson explains Noah has lung issues and she just has to watch his asthma. Langan counters they said they found rib fractures. Benson states “they” didn’t find them, her doctor found them, stemming from infancy. There is loud knocking on Benson’s office door and Carisi enters, but Benson says not now, she just needs a minute. Carisi says he is sorry but ViCAP is a rabbit hole and asks if it is okay if he puts in for overtime. She says yes and Carisi leaves. Benson goes back to Langan, questioning that they shipped Noah around from foster home to foster home for months and NOW they want to hold a hearing? Langan cautions that she can’t take that personally; even though she reported the abuse, they HAVE to follow up. He explains he is still Noah’s legal representative and for his sake, he just wants her prepared for that hearing. She says nothing and then nods her head.
Fin and Rollins arrive at the evidence storage at the Atlanta Georgia Police Department, Precinct Zone 8 on Monday, December 1. Fin questions Reynolds that they had three matching MOs and they didn’t test any of the kits? Rollins tries to get Fin to back off, and Reynolds comments that they know how it is, it is $1,200 a test and they can’t afford that for every single rape claim. Rollins asks “claim?” and Reynolds replies these girls weren’t exactly virgins – a prostitute, a junkie, and a teenage mother, all out in the early morning hours, each insisting they were attacked in the middle of the street by a complete stranger. Rollins counters that they either all came out with the same exact lie or he had a consistent MO. She adds if they had the kits tested, somebody might have popped. He says “You know something Amanda? Since you moved to New York, your hindsight has gone all the way up to 20/20.” Reynolds walks them into the file area, overloaded with file boxes , and he says everything has a number but nothing is ever where it is supposed to be. He tells them to have fun and enjoy their stay. Fin looks around and says he can see why she left. She replies “yeah.” Rollins suggests they work separately and says the faster she can leave Georgia the better.
Rollins puts a file box back on the shelf and then, looking around at all the other boxes stacked high on the shelves, lets out a sigh. As she pulls out another box on a low shelf, she hears a man say, “they’re not there, Amanda.” He adds he has what she is looking for right here, waving a handful of files. She puts the file box back, and she stands up and says, “Chief Patton, those are my rape kits?” He replies that technically they are his, but he heard she needed a favor. She comments with mild sarcasm that naturally when he found out she was coming he pulled them before she got here. He counters that he figured she would ask for him when she arrived, and they’ve been in his office since yesterday, waiting for her. He adds that he is trying to be helpful, calling her “darlin’.” She says, sounding like she is forcing herself to be nice, that she does appreciate that but what would actually be very helpful is if he tested all these rape kits. He forces a laugh, then says she could always start an argument in an empty house. She glares at him as Fin walks in from the end of the aisle and asks if everything is alright. Rollins says yes, and introduces Fin to Patton. Rollins informs Fin that it turns out Patton set the kits aside for them all along. Fin gives him a look and Patton says it was a communication breakdown. Rollins gives a sarcastic laugh, and Patton says he will turn over these rape kits for testing right quick and will pout a rush on it. Rollins asks about the case files, and Patton tells her to try initial reports. He states none of these were pursuable at the time, but feel free to re-open. When Rollins questions “really”, Patton comments that if he can clear 3 rapes on the NYPD’s dime, that works out for all of them. Rollins gives a fake smile as Fin looks deadpan. Patton tells her it is nice to see her again, saying it is always a pleasure. He mentions Fin’s name to acknowledge him also. As Patton walks off, Fin looks at Rollins and comments that she made a lot of “friends” down here, and Rollins replies that are just trying to make sure she knows her place.
