Thursday, November 30, 2017

Law & Order SVU “Intent” Sneak Peeks

Here are preview clips from Law & Order SVU “Intent” which will air on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 9PM ET on NBC. The videos feature Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, and Peter Scanavino.


My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Intent” can be found at this link.


Please note: These videos have a limited life and may be removed at any time, so catch them while you can!




SVU 1908 Clip2_h264_sd_16x9 from Chris Zimmer on Vimeo.



SVU 1908 Clip3_h264_sd_16x9 from Chris Zimmer on Vimeo.

Clip added December 1, 2017



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.


Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” Recap & Review


Something certainly happened in this episode of Law & Order SVU. The story spent most of the screen time on Benson and potential rape victim Laurel Linwood. A ticking clock on the occasional scene cards seemed to be an effort to add tension to the episode, but as this case didn’t seem to be time sensitive in any way, the effect was wasted.  (I believe Law & Order used this effect once in a "day-in-the life" episode and it worked very well.) With the exception of a few scenes with detectives outside the SVU, the detectives and Barba were reduced to real window dressing, spending much of the time at the observation window.  I applaud them for trying something different, but I’ll admit that I had a hard time connecting with this episode.

Laurel Linwood was found at the New York Natural History Museum by a class of 6th graders. She was shaken and crying; security called 911, and she was taken to St. Vincent’s hospital and the hospital then called the SVU. She told the doctor she was raped so they did a rape kit and the tox screen was clean. Soon afterward, Laurel is at the SVU in the interrogation room; Carisi says she’s in “real bad shape” and he and Rollins can’t get her to say anything. (Benson later throws this in Rollin’s face when Rollins offers to take over questioning and Benson jabs that Rollins couldn’t get Laurel to say word one.)  Quickly, after only a few words from Benson, Laurel speaks and doesn’t see the point of talking, they will never catch him as she can’t remember anything.

My question at this point in the episode is why did they bring Laurel to the SVU if she so traumatized? Desn’t Benson - or don’t the detectives - usually go to the hospital to conduct the first questioning of a rape victim, even if they are not sure an attack occurred? And, as Laurel seems increasing unstable as Benson interviews her, someone with psychiatric experience should have been consulted. Instead, we see the detectives and Barba watching through the observation window, at least until Benson closes the blinds and turns off the audio.

When the episode synopsis was initially released, it said “Benson must disclose the secrets of her past to help a rape victim.” An NBC promo mentioned “When Olivia tells her secret”. Did I miss the secret(s)? I didn’t hear anything new or surprising, even that Benson is “not Jesus.”   We knew that Benson beat William Lewis. Why did Fin say “We need to stop this?” when Benson started talking about her father? Was he worried that Benson couldn’t handle discussing the issue, after all these years? (I would have expected Fin to try to stop Benson when she brought up William Lewis as what she could have said there could have been more traumatizing for Benson to rehash.) We knew her father, “Joe”, raped her mother and Benson didn’t really know her father, Benson admitting it bothered her he never looked for her, and that she hated him. It surprises me that Benson would still be such a delicate flower on the issue of her father after all this time. So unless I dozed off and missed something major, the whole “When Olivia tells her secret” hook fell flat for me.

I’m not sure why I found this amusing, but the lightning storm during the scene where Benson talks more about her own issues with her father seemed like it belonged in a cheesy horror flick.

At least the episode provided one surprise: Laurel was no victim of rape, her recently deceased father sexually abused her sister, Laurel was jealous of her (wondering why her father didn’t pick herself instead), and she killed the person who reminded her of her father. Laurel waited until he was asleep and then she stabbed him. She stated she just wanted her father to love her. Before this reveal, Benson compared the situation to ripples created by throwing a rock into a pond, destroying everything in its wake, by her father throwing an “insidious rock” into Laurel’s family which covered all of the family. Benson, in her whisper tones, said they are all collateral damage, and Laurel notes it is like Benson. Laurel knows she is going to prison, finally admitting what really happened. More likely she will be going to a mental hospital.  Who knows what will come out after a medical expert questions Laurel?

The advance photos released for this episode included some images of Benson with Noah, yet those scenes were nowhere to be found. I assume we’ll eventually see a deleted scene covering those photos.

Update December 8, 2017 - a (long) deleted scene has been added below.
Update December 12, 2017 - another deleted scene has been added below.
Update December 15, 2017 - another short deleted scene has been added bellow. 

Cast:
Mariska Hargitay - Lieutenant Olivia Benson
Ice-T - Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Raúl Esparza - ADA Rafael Barba
Peter Scanavino - Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr.

Guest stars:
Melora Walters - Laurel Linwood
Joanna Going - Leah Linwood
Chris Cafero – James
Crystal T. Johnson – Meg
Lana Young – Mrs. Drayson
Kayla Diaz – Nancy
Tailyn Sandhu - Linda



Deleted scene added December 8, 2017 (Several minutes long)



Deleted scene added December 12, 2017


Deleted scene added December 15, 2017





All Content (Recaps, Review, Commentary) Copyright © allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Intent” Promo

Here is the promo for Law & Order SVU “Intent” which will air on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 9PM ET on NBC.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Intent” can be found at this link.







Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.


Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” Photos

Here are advance photos for Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” which will air on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 9PM ET on NBC. The photos feature Mariska Hargitay, Melora Walters as Laurel Linwood, Joanna Going as Leah Linwood, and Ryan Buggle as Noah Porter-Benson.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” can be found at this link.











Photos by Michael Parmelee/NBC 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” Sneak Peeks

Here are preview clips from Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” which will air on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 9PM ET on NBC. The videos feature Mariska Hargitay, Peter Scanavino, and Melora Walters.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” can be found at this link.


Please note: these videos have a limited life so catch them while you can!






Note: These two clips added November 27, 2017

SVU 1907 Clip1_h264_sd_16x9 from Chris Zimmer on Vimeo.



SVU 1907 Clip2_h264_sd_16x9 from Chris Zimmer on Vimeo.









Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Law & Order SVU “Intent” Episode Information


Here are the details for a new episode of Law & Order SVU, “Intent.”

Law & Order SVU “Intent” Air Date December 6, 2017 (9 PM ET/8C Wednesday NBC)

The cops get tangled in an elaborate online hoax that leads to the rape of a popular social media star. Meanwhile, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) sets firm ground rules with Sheila (guest star Brooke Shields). Also starring Ice T (Det. Odafin Tutuola), Kelli Giddish (Det. Amanda Rollins), Raúl Esparza (ADA Rafael Barba) and Peter Scanavino (Det. Sonny Carisi). Also guest starring Gage Golightly (Katy Miller), Steve Howey (Andy "The Monster" McPherson), Tenea Intriago (Heather Parcell), Ryan Buggle (Noah Porter-Benson) and James Monroe Iglehart (Shawn Tompkins).



# # #


My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Intent” can be found at this link.

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.




Thursday, November 9, 2017

Law & Order SVU “Unintended Consequences” Recap & Review



I’m on the fence about “Unintended Consequences”. Overall I enjoyed it; the story line was a welcome break from the constant “rape of the week” theme and the interesting case moved at a fast pace. What detracted a bit was too much focus on the Benson-Noah-Sheila story line and one completely unrealistic scenario.

When the episode opens, we see a young girl being abducted, and then another girl is found sexually assaulted and dead of a drug overdose. The investigation is speedy, starting with a visit to Narcotics by Fin where he identifies the drug dealer - Andre “Hackapulco” Johnson. Fin and the detectives quickly arrest him and bring him to SVU interrogation. This is where we get Benson’s comment “I’m the bitch that’s gonna smack your pretty face next time I hear you say “ho”, which sounded absurd rather than threatening, coming from her. They quickly find the identity of the dead girl – 15-year-old Natalie Curtis – who was also pregnant and was supposed to be in a drug rehab facility. The parents haven’t seen her in 3-4 months. (What kind of parents put their teenager in rehab and then don’t see him/her for months?) The parents explain that Natalie broke her ankle and the doctors gave her oxycontin and she quickly became hooked, then switching to heroin after the doctors cut her oxy off.

We later discover that the kidnapped girl at the beginning of the episode was Kristi Martin, the kidnapping arranged to get her into rehab.

The detectives uncover that Dr. Dennis Barkley, the head of the rehab facility Lux Residential Treatment Center, is taking advantage of "Obamacare's" improved coverage for addiction issues and Barkley is inflating medical bills and medical procedures to bilk the insurance companies. In tandem with the Altbrook Sober House, the addicts find themselves bouncing back from the sober house to the treatment center, creating a easy way to keep the “customers” in the system, generating more opportunities for more (fake) charges to the insurance companies. Later, Barba comments the “unintended consequences” is what will happened as a result of the doctor gaming or cheating the system; the doctor will find himself in violation of the RICO statutes – racketeering, drug dealing, insurance fraud.

The unrealistic scenario: Rollins goes undercover (this means wearing a skirt and dowdy clothes) by attending an opiate addiction seminar at Lux, headed by Rosemary Taylor, Lux’s social worker and “den mom”. Rollins strikes up a coversation with Rosemary, and Rosemary hires her on the spot to be her assistant. What person would hire a stranger to be their assistant – without a background check or even a drug test, considering this is a rehab facility - and give them virtually immediate access to patient records?

When Benson hears of what Rollins found in accessing and downloading some records,  she’s livid that Rollins conducted an illegal search. I'm a little confused here as it almost sounded like Benson had no knowledge of Rollins' undercover situation.  If Benson didn't know, how did Rollins explain her absence at SVU to work the job?  If Benson DID know of the undercover operation, did Rollins disregard any ground rules Benson gave her?  Rollins explains that the insurance companies are being raped, using Kristi Martin’s records to show the inflated medical billing. Benson reminds her the records are inadmissible but then she thinks of inevitable discovery.  Rollins and Carisi eventually get to Rosemary’s previous assistant, and discover Lux's connection to Altwood Sober House. The sober house is also where they find a 19-year-old in charge there - Anthony Parker – who appears to be trading sex with him for drugs, and he’s the father of Natalie Curtis’ baby.

Rollins confronts Dr. Barkley on the billing issues, his lawyer and Benson present. Benson also brings up the sober house connection and states they will prove it in court. But Barkley’s having none of it, storming out after saying that these drug addicts won’t make credible witnesses. This eventually leads them back to Rosemary, and when they clue her in on the connection between Barkley and Atlbrook sober house, she seems in denial. The detectives later see on surveillance video that Anthony Parker helps move the girls from one facility to the other. After they see this connection, Rollins gets a phone call from Rosemary and when she and Carisi get to Lux to meet with her, they find Rosemary sitting there calmly with Dr. Barkley laying on the floor. He’s dying from a drug overdose of fentanyl, with Rosemary admitting to administering it to him. He dies, and Rosemary says they can arrest her.


The Benson-Noah-Sheila story line seemed to break some great momentum that the SVU case was building, and I found myself wishing they’d left these scenes out of this episode. Benson is giving Sheila more time to spend with Noah, allowing her to read Noah a bedtime story. Sheila reciprocates later by giving Benson a child’s baseball mitt that belonged to her daughter, and Noah’s mother, Ellie. At the end of the episode, Benson brings Sheila back to her apartment, telling Sheila that in this town, “a good babysitter is hard to come by.” Noah hugs Sheila and calls her grandma and Sheila is thrilled. Benson gets a mixed look on her face, first smiling and then looking a little sad. (By the way, what did Benson give Noah for breakfast? I couldn’t quite make it out. It looked like broken up…something.) Now all we have left with this story line is to wonder when Sheila will “kidnap” Noah. The way Law & Order SVU works, we can only assume this is where the story is headed!



Cast:
Mariska Hargitay - Lieutenant Olivia Benson
Ice-T - Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Raúl Esparza - ADA Rafael Barba
Peter Scanavino - Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr.

Guest stars:
Brooke Shields - Sheila Porter
Peter Scolari - Dr. Dennis Barkley
Annie Corley - Rosemary Taylor
Gus Birney - Kristi Martin
Christiane Noll - Sarah Curtis
Robert Eli - Glen Curtis
Kathryn Kates – Judge Marlene Simons
Noah Gaynor – Anthony Parker
Logan Rose Nelms – Isla Danby
Jason Cadieux – Brett Erikson
Antino Crowley-Kamenwati – Andre “Hackapulco” Johnson
Angela Oh – Katherine Lee
Joshua Pagan – Tom Higgins
Anthony Cason – Henry Gold
Ella Cardelfe – Debbie
Anna Dale Robinson – Blanche
Khadija Griffith – Martha
Charles Techman – Owen
Danny Schoch – Male Nurse
Ryan Buggle - Noah Porter-Benson






All Content (Recaps, Review, Commentary) Copyright © allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” Promo

Here is the promo for Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” which will air on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 9PM ET on NBC.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Something Happened” can be found at this link.







Second NBC promo added 11/17/2017



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.