Law & Order SVU “Accredo” Recap & Review

Law & Order SVU “Accredo” was ripped-from-the-headlines, drawing from the news story of a group called “NXIVM” which  was charged with trafficking women and using them as slaves. (The episode also had a dash of influence from the series “The Handmaid’s Tale.”) They couldn’t have picked a better person to play Arlo Beck, the leader of the group: Law & Order “repeat offender” Sebastian Roché. (He previously appeared in Law & Order “Patsy” (season 10 episode 7) - one of my favorites – and Law & Order “Discord” (season 4 episode 3).)  It was a given that he’d be the one at the head of the problem, but that didn’t make the episode any less enjoyable. It was predictable that he’d be controlling women under the guise of making them think they were the ones being empowered;  he played that role perfectly which made this a worthwhile watch. 

One of the women in the group -  Lilah -  seems to think that being empowered and in control means having her own business and hiring only women. This is not empowerment; if she can’t even have a man work for her, she’s admitting she still isn’t confident in herself. She also had no problem killing for a man.  She was a perfect patsy for Arlo and she'll be working out her issues in prison.

This episode had a balanced blend of detective work and personal issues; sorry, no Philip Winchester. Whatever legal work was needed from the DAs office happened outside of our view, but that did not detract from the story.

Arlo did have the perfect read on Rollins, but Rollins wasn’t allowing that to slow her down. If anything, it only strengthened Rollins' resolve to hold Arlo accountable. While on the subject of Rollins, I hope she doesn’t have to notify anyone in person at One PP that she is pregnant. If this was the case, there is NO WAY anyone would believe Rollins saying Benson didn’t know about it, seeing that Rollins already looks well into her pregnancy.  (She also admits to Benson that Dr. Al Pollack is the baby's father, the "doctor" part impressing Benson.)  Rollins also got violent with a suspect and  later gives Benson a story about violence in her own home when she was younger.  Benson chastises Rollins for her behavior in interrogation but it's not a harsh reprimand, likely cutting Rollins some slack due to her pregnancy.  Carisi and Fin also seemed frozen in place when Rollins acted out,  as if they didn't think there was anything wrong with it.  I don't like it when there doesn't seem to be any repercussions to a detective becoming violent.

Benson is working hard to get herself into shape; she is now exercising with a trainer. I could have done without the mental image of her doing squats while cooking dinner, however (wink). She’s also wearing a fitness tracker. Her next problem will be Noah. I’m still not sure if he’s just being bratty or he is showing tendencies of going full psycho. It’s possible that he is lashing out because Benson spends more time on the job than with him. Seeing that his biological mother was an addict, he could develop all kinds of mental/behavioral problems from that – or he could be completely normal. They are setting the stage for something, and I’m not sure which direction I would find more interesting. Being normal wouldn’t give them a very meaty story.

Benson gets in wrong,  in my opinion,  when she tells Arlo he is the worst kind of predator. They’ve shown far worse in previous episodes, and any predator dealing with kids is probably the most heinous.  I can only assume that Benson said this to try to rattle Arlo,  but he didn’t seem to take her words very seriously. At least Benson’s speech worked on his lawyer, Claudia;  I don't think that was Benson's  initial intent.

The 10 PM air time has allowed the show to provide more adult story lines with slightly more adult language and more gruesome crimes. Granted, the language doesn’t come anywhere near what one can hear on streaming shows or on cable, but for SVU it may seem a shock to some fans. I think it’s a welcome change and fits the type of work done by the SVU and the environment in which they work.

One question – Carisi mentions that TARU got Lilah’s GPS information from her fitness tracker. After last week’s episode – “Revenge” – made such an issue about a law saying that a warrant is required to get GPS information from a person’s phone, how did they get the warrant for Lilah’s tracker, especially when her phone GPS placed her away from the crime scene? Once they get the phone, does that give them full access to any apps on the phone and the data that is stored in the cloud from those apps? I was also curious as to how they even got her phone in the first place; I don't recall them getting a warrant for it or Lilah giving her phone to them.  With Stone having so many issues in “Revenge” getting the GPS data, it simply seemed way too easy for them to get their hands on her phone in this episode and I don't know what justification they used to get it.    Did I miss something?

I’m really liking what I’m seeing from the writers and production team as of late. It’s not just the interesting stories and well written dialog, but it’s also the location shots and the pacing of each scene. I enjoy episodes that are visually interesting, and spending less time confined in the 4 walls of the interrogation room or in the courtroom is a plus for me. This episode hit all the right buttons for me.

Update October 23, 2018 - a deleted scene from NBC has been added after the recap.

Here is the recap:

Benson is exercising with a trainer, but can’t come the next day as she has a parent-teacher conference. She can’t come at 7 PM as she spends time with her son. She jokingly suggests the trainer move in with her and make her do squats while she cooks Noah dinner. She says she will text time.

Meanwhile, Lilah Finch begins speaking at the Accredo Female Entrepreneurs Workshop. Claudia is the hostess and she explains how the group gave her power. Lilah asks a woman – we later find she is named Vicki - to share her story, and she says how it helped her make her stronger. Later, Lilah suggests to Vicki that they go to lunch but she can’t, saying she is busy. At home, Vicki tells someone on the phone to stop calling her and that she is hanging up. As she is getting ready for a bath, she hears a knock on the door and looks to see who it is.

At SVU, Benson is in her office sitting at her desk and comments to Rollins she did 12,251 steps today, then tells Rollins not to ask her about her pulse. Rollins explains that Fin and Carisi both have Knicks tickets but if she is more than happy to stay if Benson needs her. Benson tells her to go; Benson promises to be out of there shortly as she promised Noah she would have dessert with him. Rollins states she doesn’t want any special consideration. Benson replies Rollins is pregnant and can hide it with clothes but…and Rollins says they will have to notify One PP. Benson explains she can give her a week, max. Benson gets a phone call and asks the caller if homicide was notified. She says she is on her way. She tells Rollins it is a rape/homicide in SoHo and it sounds brutal. Rollins says she will come with her and Benson tells her no. But Rollins reminds her she said she had a week, and Benson sighs.

At 93 Thompson Street on Thursday, October 11, Benson and Rollins are on the scene at Vicki’s home. Her bathtub overflowed and alerted the neighbors. She was mutilated, her ribcage cut out. The scene is gruesome and Benson tells Rollins to get back but Rollins pushes forward, saying she is fine, but she quickly looks like she is going to throw up and she quickly moves off.

Later, Fin is on the scene as Benson explains that Vicki was stabbed multiple times in the chest and torso and sexually assaulted with a table leg. They don’t know who she is, there is no ID, cell, or computer in the loft and no mail in the mailbox. With the sexual component, homicide wants the SVU to take the lead. Fin says he will check the traffic cams and canvas the area. Carisi asks Rollins if she is okay; she says it is just hormones. She thinks the attack was personal, describing it to Carisi. She got something on the address; the owners of the house are Richard and Laura Shane with a Connecticut area code. Benson tells her to have them meet them at the morgue.

At the office of the Chief ME on Friday, October 12, Laura and Richard speak with Benson and Rollins. Their daughter Abby lives there when she is working out of town. They asks her to make an ID by a photo but Laura wants to see her. It is not Abby. They do not know who she is. Laura tries to call Abby again but is going straight to voice mail. Abby is doing one of those dystopian horror stories in Pennsylvania where women lose all rights and get hung from trees. Rollins asks where.

At 2551 Long Pond Road in Poconos, Pennsylvania on Friday October 12, on the filming scene, a woman speaking with Fin and Carisi identifies the victim as Vicki Parson. She moved in a week ago after breaking up with her boyfriend Brad who was stalking her. She says her mom ran off when she was five and her dad died last year, she was messed up. She seemed better lately, confident and happier. She joined a women’s empowerment group.



Back at the SVU, Fin tells Benson Vicki was negative for semen and DNA and the time of death was between 9 and 10. No prints. Rollins says her last call came from a burner and her cell went dead at 8:50. No social media presence and she closed her Facebook account. Carisi adds she just quit her job and dumped her boyfriend. Fin comments the female empowerment class did the trick – Carisi adding until last night. Fin says her girlfriend says Vicki was feeling bad about herself until she joined the ladies group, Rollins stating her last ten checks were made out to Accredo Inc. It is all about female empowerment, “a safe space where goddesses can speak their truth and live their dreams.” Benson hopes she opened up to them.

At Accredo House at 4691 Palisade Avenue in Riverdale, NY on Friday, October 12, Carisi and Rollins approach the huge home. Rollins asks who knew there was so much money in insecurity. Carisi comments it is the sign of the times; you can always tell society’s priorities with the best sellers. The 70s was the joy of sex, the 80s is getting rich, the 90s is staying young. Rollins says now is female empowerment, and Carisi adds it is what women want. Rollins knocks on the door and a woman answering thinks they are there for Arlo Beck’s lecture. She says they are late but asks them to come in. They tell the woman they are here to talk about Vicki Parson. Arlo is inside, giving a motivational talk to a group of women. After he praises Claudia, he welcomes Carisi and Rollins and, noticing she is pregnant, congratulates her and says she is beautiful, adding it suits her. He says she is conflicted by it and terrified of losing control and being vulnerable. He says she has been hurt badly in her life and he is sorry about that. Rollins looks slightly unsettled and Carisi quickly introduces themselves as NYPD and they have a few questions. He glances back at Lilah and she joins him as they move to another room.

Arlo explains that Vicki took classes and workshops and was living in the house for a few weeks on an intensive program. Lilah, the coordinator, helped Vicki settle in. They last saw her yesterday at a workshop in the city. Carisi explains she was murdered and they want info on her ex-boyfriend Brad. Lilah says it is Brad Simon who was line cook at Lucky Dog. Arlo explains Brad is why Vicki came to Accredo, he was abusive. Lilah adds he hacked her Facebook account last week and posted intimate photos. She shows them to the detectives and the message which said “Payback you fugly bitch for what you did to me, now everyone can see what a slutbag you are. This is just the beginning. You deserve to die.”

Later, at the restaurant, Fin and Carisi speak with Brad and explain she was murdered. He denies killing her but they show her what he wrote on Facebook.

Back at SVU, Brad is in interrogation with Fin and Carisi and he gives them an alibi, it was a block away. He has no receipt and says he and Vicki used to go there all the time. He still denies killing her. He admits he was angry. They explain the attack and he has no idea what they are talking about. Carisi shows him a photo from the crime scene. Carisi asks if he cut out a tattoo or another guy’s name, and Brad asks for a lawyer.

Benson is observing with Rollins and asks what else they have on Brad. Rollins has nothing but Benson thinks the Facebook post is enough for a warrant, adding Fin and Carisi will do it. Rollins says she can still do her job, but Benson asks if she still wants to move furniture, ‘cause she doesn’t. Rollins seems to agree.

At Brad’s apartment on Saturday, October 13, Carisi and Fin enter, Fin asking what the warrant covers. Carisi states any evidence of the relationship (Fin thinks this means everything). In the kitchen, Fin sees a knife missing on the holder but finds what he thinks is the missing knife in the dishwasher. Carisi, in the bedroom, calls out to Fin; he’s found shoes with blood on them and blood on the jeans. Fin thinks the guy would be off the hook if he just did his laundry.

At SVU, Rollins updates Benson that the blood on the shoes is a DNA match to Vicki’s; nothing on the knife. Fin states they may have a witness on Brad’s alibi; a security camera shows him leaving with a woman. But it’s outside the time frame, Benson wondering that he could have killed her before he went to the bar. The woman he is with is part of Vicki’s group. She has a tattoo on her rib cage in the same place where Vicki’s was cut out.

At another time and at Accredo House, Benson and Rollins speak with Gina who is shocked the man was Vicki’s ex. She came to Accredo because of how she dealt with men, she would let him take control At Accredo they are forced to face their fears and she took control. They went to his apartment and he passed out. She got there after 9:30 but noticed no blood on his clothes. She wonders that he killed her before she met him. Rollins brings up the tattoo, which she says looks more like a brand of A H and M. Arlo and Lilah approach and Arlo says it was Vicki’s idea, she wanted a symbol of her progress and something she would never forget. They thought it was a great idea, and Lilah has one as well. Arlo says they would love to help and Benson says then he wouldn’t mind if they took a look around. Arlo agrees, if it will help put Brad behind bars. Benson says she will take the inside.

Inside, Benson pulls out a book from the bookcase, “The Feminine Mystique” and Lilah comments Arlo has read every one of the books there. She makes comments about hypocritical men who support feminism, and Benson states she runs her unit. Lilah asks who runs her? Meanwhile, Arlo helps Rollins one of the other rooms where men beds are at. Lilah continues to explain to Benson about her own experiences at work, and that after Arlo she gave them her notice and runs her own shop and only women work for her now. Arlo tells Rollins about the women who come to him having sexual problems and Rollins counters she is sure he is happy to cure them. Arlo says they cure themselves, he’s just a coach. Benson asks Lilah is Arlo asked Vicki to quit her job, and Lilah states Benson doesn’t get it: Arlo doesn’t tell them to do anything, they find the strength within themselves. Rollins asks if Vicki has sexual issues and Arlo says she wasn’t living her life to its potential, personally and professionally, kind of like Rollins. She says, “Excuse me?” and Arlo asks why does a woman become a cop – to establish power over men. Why? Because men have A, disappointed her and B, demeaned her. Rollins counters with C, at a woman believes the scum should rot in prison. Arlo comments it’s the lies we tell ourselves. He asks if she is not married to the daddy, either. She quietly scoffs and walks away.

Afterwards,  Benson and Rollins leave,  and Benson mentions Arlo has a degree in classical civilizations and astrobiology from Cambridge. He is a former badminton player and deferred a post doc position at NASA to move to the Amazon where he lived with a tribe for 3 years to study the true meaning of happiness. Rollins says he fudged the bio to get with women. Benson adds he started Accredo with a woman named Marina Basso. They didn’t meet here there.

At the residence of Marino Basso on Monday, October 15, Fin and Carisi finds she was married to Arlo for 2 years and are now divorced. She says Arlo was smart and empathetic. She did not know about the branding. He is possessive and many other things and charming. She has nothing to do with Accredo anymore and she found Arlo had been sleeping with Lilah. What pissed her off is that he said he was for her own good, for her to get over her own jealousy issues. Nobody is that charming.

Back at SVU, Benson and the detectives discuss what they know and Benson wonders about the checks Vicki wrote to him (totaling $20,000). Carisi finds a yoga event to meet the women of Accredo looking for new recruits, and Rollins calls them victims.

Fin and Carisi arrive at the yoga event being led by Lilah who says they have been advised not to talk to the police any more. Another woman points out a man who is standing nearby with a camera. Fin and Carisi approach him and he says he is going to find something on the Accredo cult. They brainwashed his wife, Gina Goodrich. He shows them photos of her with Arlo and Lilah. He wants his money. Fin and Carisi look at more of his photos and see Vicki on one, laying on the ground with Gina’s foot on her head. Fin tells him he is taking the memory card and the man says to be his guest.

Later, Fin and Carisi bring Gina into interrogation and show her the photo of Vicki on the ground, and she states it is part of the process, it is called starting over. She denies killing her, saying they pay to earn self-respect. Carisi implies she could have murdered her but she denies it again. She says Vicki was her serf and she was Vicki’s lord and Vicki had to do whatever she wanted or she would not advance to the next level of realization. Vicki thinks they are making fun of her and Carisi says they are trying to help her. Rollins, observing, says “screw this” and walks into the room. Rollins shouts for Vicki to get on the damn floor and pulls her out of her chair and then puts her foot on her body, asking if she feels empowered. Fin and Carisi stand stunned and Benson storms in and tells Rollins to stop. Rollins says Gina wants to feel demeaned, she will demean her. Carisi tells Benson it will be a lot worse in prison, and Fin brings up what her husband said about the money. Benson tells Gina that Arlo is a con man and Rollins asks Gina that Arlo took a lot more than money from her. Rollins gets in her face and Benson chastises her. Fin asks if she killed Vicki and Gina says she just did what her lord told her to do. She put blood on Brad’s pants and sneakers. She got the blood from Lilah; because Vicki was going to leave them and betray Arlo.

Afterwards, Rollins is snacking in the break room and Benson enters, saying her behavior was unacceptable. Rollins comments when she was growing up she had a TV in her room and Family Ties was her favorite. She would turn the volume all the way up so she could not hear the screaming or cussing downstairs. He father (?) threw a vase at her mother and it shattered into a million pieces and it was before he beat the crap out of her. Rollins wasn’t mad at him, she was mad at her for letting him…she trails off. Rollins knows she was out of line, it is the story of her life. Gina ratted out Arlo, only for blackmail. Benson says to get into Arlo’s inner sanctum the girls have to give collateral, the deed to the house, naked photos, and the brand – AHM – stands for At His Mercy. All they have is Gina’s word, no forensics. She gets a message from her trainer, saying he will yell at her for not running today. Benson comments they checked on Lilah’s phone and she never left Accredo. Rollins says her phone didn’t. Benson realizes Lilah wears a fitness tracker and the app uploads the data to the cloud.

Later, Carisi says TARU found the GPS puts Lilah in the vicinity of the loft but the graph of her heart rate info may show she went up the stairs in the loft and then up again during the time of the murder. Benson tells Carisi to pick her up.

While Lilah is leading an event with other women, Fin and Carisi arrest her. Arlo looks on.

At Rikers Island on Tuesday, October 16, Benson questions Lilah who denies doing anything wrong. Benson continues to press, painting Arlo is a bad light, as if he has abandoned her. Benson brings up that empowerment and strength is in her and she is smart enough to make the right decision. She tells her to be smart; be silent and spend the rest of her life in prison or make a deal and testify against him and maybe she can get out by the time she is 50. Lilah comments that if Vicki went to the cops she would have nothing, and nobody. She couldn’t face her fears, and Benson asks what is she scared of? Lilah says she is scared of being alone.

Back at SVU in interrogation, Benson and Rollins speaks with Arlo and his attorney, Claudia. Rollins says the DA agrees with Gina’s and Lilah’s testimony and they have second degree murder. Arlo asks that Lilah confessed, Benson saying Lilah will not have to be alone for the next ten years as she admitted to killing Vicki on his orders and Gina on planting the evidence on Brad. Arlo tries to diffuse things but then asks Rollins whoever put that baby in her belly, does she love him? Benson tries to stop the questioning but Rollins wants to continue. She tells Arlo she doesn’t love him; she doesn’t know a lot about love but does know that Arlo is a con man, sex trafficker, and murderer and his con is over. He brushes it off. Benson adds the worse thing is and what really pisses her off is not that he cons women out of their own money or that it’s in their best interests to sleep with him, not that he demeans or humiliates them, what disgusts her is that he makes women feel good about themselves and feel empowered and invincible. She sees he is intelligent and empathetic and makes women feel safe and feel heard, and because they trust him, they share their deepest insecurities and weaknesses with him. His lawyer is looking like she knows what Benson is talking about. Benson says Arlo uses those vulnerabilities to destroy them. She says he is the worst kind of predator there is. He gives her a few claps, saying that was beautiful. Benson tells Rollins to arraign this prick.

After the arraignment, Rollins confronts Claudia outside the courtroom and tries to work on her, admitting she is a damaged person too. She tries to get Claudia to find “real strength” to fight Arlo. Claudia storms off.

Meanwhile, at SVU, Benson, with a “Dissent” mug on her desk, does a video call with Noah who is whining about homework. Benson explains the teacher wants him to practice his spelling words, and he shouts NO and when Benson chides him, he hangs up on her. Rollins walks in and asks Benson if everything is okay, and Benson says she didn’t realize there is a stubborn sixes phase. Rollins gets a call from Claudia and tells Benson that Arlo posted bail and is on the way to the Westchester County airport. Benson says she will call county police on the way.

At the airport, police are on the scene and Claudia tells Benson and Rollins they are lucky, the ex-wife forgot to fuel up the private jet. Benson walks up to Arlo and his ex who are standing, cuffed, by a police car. Benson says they are thinking of all the women they just saved. Arlo starts to comment and his ex tells him to shut up. Rollins thanks Claudia, but Claudia thanks Rollins. Benson orders the police to get Arlo and his ex out of there. As Benson and Rollins walk off, Rollins says she will notify One PP that she is pregnant and say that Benson didn’t know. Benson tells her she doesn’t have to do that, and Rollins says she does, and it is going to kill her to sit behind desk but it’s only a few months. She says the father is Al Pollack, a cardiologist. Benson says, “Doctor. Nice.” Rollins replies they will see. Benson says she is happy for her, if she hasn’t said that before. Rollins says she knows. As Rollins moves to get into the car, Benson looks off and then gets in the car as we fade to black.



Cast:
Mariska Hargitay - Lieutenant Olivia Benson
Ice-T - Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Peter Scanavino - Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr.
Philip Winchester – ADA Peter Stone


Guest stars:
Sebastian Roché - Arlo Beck
Sarah Carter - Lilah Finch
Lili Simmons - Gina Goodrich
America Olivo - Claudia Bell
Tara Westwood – Marina
Lance Daniels –
Lexi Lapp - Vicky Parson
William DePaolo – Clayton Rogers
Sara Masterson – Abby Shane
Chase Burnett - Tyler Goodrich
Rebecca Watson – Laura Shane
Jeffrey M. Bender – Richard Shane
Ngoli Okafor – Wyatt
Alice Hamid – Nanette
Ryan Buggle – Noah


Deleted Scene from NBC





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