Law & Order SVU “Diss” Recap & Review

The big guest star in “Diss” was billed as Snoop Dogg, but he didn’t have much of a story in this episode. The real performance was delivered by Orlando Jones, playing the rapper “Snake” who is in a “diss” war with Snoop Dogg’s character, RB Banks. Snake’s wife was attacked – but not sexually assaulted – and while things seem to point to a feud between the rappers, the attack has nothing to do with it. Lucky for the SVU, they were there to intervene in what could have been a gun battle.

When the rappers are ruled out, the story got a little confusing for me and I momentarily had trouble connecting the dots. The SVU for the most part was chasing down Dallas’ attacker, but Fin was on his own mission. Part of it was tied to the current case, part of it was tied to an old murder, and part of it was tied to the death of his mother. I figured early on that Carisi questioning some random "lookie-loo"  on a bike on the scene, highlighting the model of his bike,  would turn out to be key in their investigation.

This episode was a nice feature for Ice-T, giving Fin a deeper back-story after all these years. We learn that he saw his mother killed in a shooting outside a bodega, and as his father had been involved in illegal activity, Fin was sent to live with Snake’s mother, Jo Anderson, for a short while. The current case also gives Fin a chance to close the loop on a murder that happened years before involving his friend Snake.

The story had cookie-cutter rapper stereotypes, which disappointed me. I also found interesting the commentary on the dark side of social media and celebrity stalkers. Clearly, social media is critical to the survival of some shows and has helped keep SVU alive, yet the show frequently likes to bite the hand that feeds it. Yes, we get it, social media has a dark side. When Benson was talking about celebrity stalkers, I had a twinge that made me feel Mariska speaking from experience. I feel sorry for celebrities who get hounded by rabid fans. Sometimes I think some fans need to take William Shatner’s advice and “get a life.” A big plus with this episode was that it was visually interesting!

Here is the recap:

A woman - Dallas Monroe -  gets pulled over by police. They tell her to step out of the vehicle. They push her against her car and one officer says to be sure to frisk her for drugs. One officer gropes her. Looking worried, she says if they want to have some fun, to at least let her look at them. One officer comments “What did I tell you?” The woman turns around and then kicks one of the cops and takes his gun, ordering the other cop to give her his gun. He complies. She orders them to the ground and they comply. The scene changes to a music video of this event, a director yelling to “cut.” The director talks sex appeal, but the singer says she is talking police brutality, black lives matter, and me too. He says as long as she’s shaking that booty while she’s talking, he’s good. Her daughter Lexi asks if they can go to Dave and Busters now, and Dallas says daddy has his concert tonight, and another man offers to take Lexi there. She asks Bill about Veneshia opening for Snake’s concert, and he asks that Snake didn’t tell her, and she says he didn’t. Lexi asks if Wallace can take her, and Dallas agrees, telling Wallace to take her home before. She moves to leave the set.

Later, Wallace gets Lexi home and notices something is not right. He enters cautiously and pulls out a gun. He calls out for Dallas. He finds her on the floor in blood, unconscious.

Afterwards, EMT’s take her away in an ambulance as a crowd has gathered outside her home. Benson, there with Rollins, asks if that is really her, and Rollins replies yes. She adds she fought back and she shouldn’t have. She was struck multiple times in the back of her head, has bleeding behind her ears with a possible skull fracture – they have to do tests. Benson asks an officer if she was raped, and the officer states they will have to run a kit but her robe was torn. Carisi speaks with a possible witness outside and he said it was dark, he wasn’t looking. Carisi complements him on his bike, which he says is a Mongoose. He asks if he can go and Carisi lets him. Benson approaches and asks if the person knew anything, and Carisi says he is just a lookie-loo. Benson comments she hates celebrity cases, and Carisi mentions the singer has 10 Grammys and 25 nominations; the president could be on the gurney and get less media attention. A reporter asks Benson if it was Snake and Benson replies no, no comment. Carisi moves the reporter’s microphone away as they enter the home.

Inside, they look over the scene. There is a glock which they will run for prints. It was under her body. Fin comments there was no sign of forced entry and the alarms were off, the security cameras were hacked last week. Rollins says a neighbor walking her dog at 8:15 saw Dallas in a heated squabble with her husband Justin Anderson – AKA Snake. Benson comments she knows who he is, and Fin doubts that he did this. Carisi says maybe not but he wouldn’t be on that; the Third has already investigated two domestic disputes at this address in the last month. Fin says the bodyguard said Snake is in concert at the Apollo.

At the Apollo Theater at 253 West 125th Street on Monday, April 22, Fin and Carisi arrive backstage to the concert in progress. Snake pulls Fin out into the stage and Fin gives Snake the news. Snake tells the crowd the show is over, it’s a family emergency. The crowd is not happy and Snake leaves the building.

As they leave the Apollo with a crowd and paparazzi there, Carisi asks Fin if he knows Snake, and Fin explains they grew up together, their moms were best friends. Carisi says he could have told him that. They get in Snake’s limo and question him and they mention the argument the neighbor said he had with Dallas before he left. He denies laying a hand on her. Carisi brings up previous visits by police, and Snake says when Carisi gets a woman, we’ll see if they yell now and then. When Fin asks if that is all he did was scream, Snake asks Fin “you too?” and asks what the hell happened to him. Fin states they are just trying to find out why they were arguing. Snake explains it was about Veneshia, there were reports they were together which were false. Carisi notices the injuries on Snake's hand, and asks how he go that bruise. Snake claims he got into a fight with a pappo who was too close to Lexi and he was protecting his daughter. He asks Carisi if that is alright with him, calling him “wonder bread.” Fin asks that it made the news, and Snake explains his manager paid off the pappo, Amir Khoury. He adds when he left Dallas, she was fine.

Now at the hospital, Rollins explains to Fin, Carisi, and Snake that Dallas has brain swelling and had to be put in a medically induced coma. A rape kit was sent to the lab. When Snake questions the rape kit, Fin explained they decided to cover their bases. Snake tells Fin whoever did this is about to die, and Fin tells him, “C’mon cuz”. Snake sees Dallas and moves to be with her. Carisi wonders to Fin if this is a good idea; he knows Snake is his buddy but he is still a suspect. When Rollins asks about Fin knowing Snake, Fin explains he hasn’t seen him since he was 16. Carisi thinks Fin thinks he is innocent, and Fin says they need to talk to the paparazzi. Carisi asks what if Snake runs for it, and Fin replies that Rollins is there, wondering where will he go? He asks Rollins if she is good and she nods. Fin and Carisi leave.

At La Central Restaurant at 518 West 27th Street on Tuesday, April 23, Amir says Snake hit him and then paid him. He says he wouldn’t be shocked if Snake beat up Dallas. Fin explains Snake was on stage at the time, Amir comments that OJ was in Chicago. Fin asks for proof, and Amir states Snake is a celebrity and people cover for them. He implies Snake has a temper, saying guys running for saint don’t spend a lot of time in Enfado’s Playground. When Fin asks what is that, Amir explains it is a rage room where they can let it all hang out. Amir runs off to get photos of some celebrity.

Afterwards, Fin and Carisi speak with someone at Enfado’s who says Snake comes there under a pseudonym and gets a deluxe room with a male or female dummy. Carisi asks if they record the sessions and she says they live in an age of litigation and she wouldn’t be caught without it. She brings up a video of Snake and he is beating up a female dummy, calling her Dallas and saying he will kill her.

Back at the hospital, Snake kisses a comatose Dallas. But Fin brings out the cuffs and tells Snake to stand up. Snake asks that they talked to Amir, and Carisi says they also talked to Enfado’s Playground. Snake is irate, saying it is a mistake and this is not how it looks. Fin orders him to turn around, and he cuffs him and leads him away.

In the SVU interrogation, Fin shows him the rage video and Snake explains a rage joint which is for release and is better than taking pills. Snake tells Fin he doesn’t know his life, and Fin comments it’s real rough being rich. Fin shows him a magazine cover indicating marital problems, and Snake screams it is all lies. Fin retorts “until it aint.” Snake tells Fin to get out of his face, and Fin asks if he is going to hit him like he does Dallas. Snake continues to get irate and Stone and Benson are observing. Stone worries Fin is not the right detective for this, and Benson explains she will talk to him. Stone asks if Benson thinks Snake did this, and she thinks when a wife is assaulted the first stop is always the husband. Fin continues to pressure Snake and calls him a disgrace, Snake gets in Fin’s face, telling him to look in the mirror, and Fin pushes Snake, causing Benson to come in and try to move Fin away. Benson quickly moves Benson into her office as Snake tells her to come get her boy.

In Benson’s office, Fin says this is the only language guys like this understand. Benson tells him he is taking a step back on this case, and when he says okay hands off, she tells him to take a break now. He walks out. As he exits Benson’s office, he sees an older woman at the front desk and he says, “Damn.” He smiles and says, "Jo! Haven’t seen you in a long time” and she slaps him on the face. He is stunned, but then says they need to talk in private.

In the interview room, Jo is upset, saying she took Fin in for six months when his mom died. She mentions all the things she did for him, like he was one of her own. She is upset he arrested Snake without as much as a phone call. She questions his loyalty. He says there is no point to this but she says she is Snake’s momma and has to do something. He asks if she can tell him what is going on with Justin and Dallas and what is happening in the household. She said when Justin first made it,  the riff raff wouldn’t leave him alone but Dallas changed all that and cleaned him up good. She doesn’t get to see him as much as she likes because Dallas makes the rules. Fin asks if Snake is threatened by her success and Jo says he would never raise his hands to her. Fin says it does not look good for Justin right now, and Jo says he has to fix this, he owes them – and her. Fin tells her to go home and take care of Lexi and he will call her. Stone and Benson have heard this, and Stone says now Snake’s mother asks Fin to lie for him and he wants him off the case. Benson says she will take care of it.

Fin leaves the interview room and asks Benson if she saw that. Benson comments Jo called him family. Fin says his old man ripped off the neighborhood drug dealers and the OG’s figured it out. They shot at them when they came out of the local bodega. He and his pops were untouched and his mother died in the street on the corner of Adam Clayton Powell and 116th street. Benson comments she is so sorry. Fin explains Jo took him in until his grandparents moved back from Fayetteville and she kept him out of the system. Benson tells him that doesn’t mean he can cover for Snake. Benson’s phone buzzes and it is Rollins. Benson tells her she is on her way and tells Fin that Dallas is awake. Fin asks about Snake, and Benson tells him to keep him in the cage, and she is sorry.

At Mercy Hospital at 365 West 32nd Street on Tuesday, April 23, Dallas tells Benson and Rollins that Snake never laid a hand on her. She won’t deny he was mad when he left but someone else did this to her and she can prove it. After he left, she face-times with her mother who is in a nursing home in Boca. They will see Justin was already at the Apollo. She recalls when she got off that phone, she went to be and she heard something downstairs and thought it was Lexi and Wallace. There was a man standing in the room wearing a mask and gloves. That’s when she ran to get the gun from behind the bar. He just hit her and hit her and hit her. She cries. Benson asks if she was raped and Dallas cries and says she says she knows they are famous but they are just people. It is just part of the deal they make with the world. Benson says no, no one deserves what happened to her. Dallas says there is a whole world on Twitter that would disagree with her. She explains that Justin and RB Banks are in a diss war and they bad mouth each other in their raps. They don’t mean anything by it, it is for publicity and sales but there are fans who take it seriously. A nurse comes in and tells the detectives that is enough for today and Dallas needs her rest.

Back at SVU, Fin gets off the phone and Benson tells him the nursing home confirmed that Dallas face timed with her mother around 9 for 5 minutes. Fin says NYPD says Snake arrived at the Apollo for sound check at 8:45. Benson says the bodyguard discovered Dallas around 9:30, and she tells Fin to cut him loose. Fin breathes a sigh of relief.

He lets Snake out of the cage and tells him he didn’t do it. Snake says with sarcasm he appreciates him. Fin offers him a ride to the hospital but Snake says he can get their on his own. Fin comments there is a lot of press outside, and Snake says it is safer than him.

Meanwhile, Rollins shows Benson something posted on Dallas’ Instagram page 2 weeks ago. Snake is using a smart lock visible in the video and Snake is seen putting in the code. This could be how the perp got in but the video got over 200,000 likes. Benson thinks they could be looking at a stalker. Rollins explains the manager is getting a list of people Dallas has had any trouble with in the past. Carisi tells them to listen to something, saying “Come at me again. I’m gonna side step you. Teach that black Taylor Swift wife of yours a lesson.” He explains it is a rap by RB Banks that dropped last week. Benson comments is sounds like a lot more than publicity. Rollins noticed Banks liked that Instagram post. Carisi says that gives him means. Benson tells them to talk to him.

At Mic Check 1-2 Studios, 401 West 50th Street on Tuesday, April 23, Carisi and Rollins speak to Banks who says he knows why they are here. He says that bitch got what she deserved, Rollins asks that he realizes they are cops, and Banks says yeah but he hasn’t done nothing. Carisi mentions the lyrics and Banks asks if he’s heard her sing. Rollins mentions the diss war but says it sounds personal, and Banks says Snake accused him of having a ghost writer, saying that is personal to him. When the attack occurred he says he was at home, all night, alone. He says his doorman can vouch. He says he doesn’t want to be rude but he has things to do and way more customers before he gets to them. He tells them to beat it, and goes back to the music.

Back at SVU, Benson tells the detectives the rape kit came back negative. Stone walks in and asks them to explain why their investigation is on the front page of the newspaper. The headline on the New York Ledger says “DISS WAR HEATS UP”. Fin says this is not good, it could pop off, hoping Snake doesn’t do something stupid. He suggests they get to Banks’ studio.

Later, Benson and Fin wait in the car outside the studio. Fin says Jo is at the hospital with Dallas and Lexi and Snake took off when he heard the headline. Fin says all the Bentleys and private jets and it is still hard to get past disrespect. Benson nods, and asks how is he doing. Fin says he is pissed and embarrassed, a lot of things. The door to the studio opens and people walk out. Fin comments it’s Banks leaving the building. Benson, looking in the rear-view mirror, sees an SUV arrive and she comments “and here we go.” Benson and Fin exit the car and Benson calls out “NYPD. Drop the gun!” Banks looks at her, and Fin adds, “Drop it. Don’t make me shoot you.” The SUV tries to drive off but Carisi and Rollins block the vehicle’s exit and Carisi yells for the occupants to get out of the car. Benson orders Banks “NOW!” and Banks throws down the gun. Carisi tells the occupants of the other vehicle to exit nice and easy, and Rollins orders them to put their hands up. Snake yells to Banks that Banks did this, and Banks yells back, asking if he was coming to take him out. Snake asks what does he think? Banks says he did it, and when Snake asks that he doesn’t deny it, Banks replies that the bitch got what she deserved. Snake pulls away from Rollins and lunges for Banks but Carisi stops him and holds him back. Benson cuffs Banks and he and Snake glare at each other. She leads Banks away.

At SVU in interrogation, Benson questions Banks and says she heard him confessing. Banks says he was referring to his rap. Benson scoffs and tells him to try again. Benson says his alibi video confirms he wasn’t home the night Dallas was attacked. Banks asks if she is really going to make him do this, and she says it is either that or he goes straight to Rikers. He says his ass is going to fry if this gets out. Benson says it is up to him. Banks says he didn’t touch her. Benson says okay and stands up and moves to leave. He tells her to check it out, he can’t use his bitch as an alibi because he wasn’t with his bitch. Benson comes back into the room and says she will need the name of his other bitch, dropping a pen and paper onto the table. He asks if she is trying to ruin his happy home, and then he begins to write. Fin watches.

Later, Fin is with Dallas and Snake at their home and asks if it is a good idea to bring her home. Snake says he has a doctor on call and now Fin knows so he can go. Dallas says Fin is just trying to help. Fin says regardless of what Banks says, he alibied out and didn’t do this. Snake tells him to go and find who did this. As Fin leaves he sees Lexi playing a video game and she says she plays with Grandma Jo. Her father told Jo to leave as mommy told him to.

At West 133rd Street on Wednesday, April 24, Fin speaks with Jo and he wants to know about her and Dallas. She said she and Dallas used to be good but it is about money and that Justin will piss it all away if she isn’t tying the strings. He bought Jo a place about 10 years ago and it needed fixing up so she went to Bill Maples the business manager and he wrote her a check as usual for $250,000. Dallas must have found out about it because when she went back to ask for more money to finish the job he told her no. She didn’t want to start anything between Dallas and Justin. She says later and then leaves.

Back at SVU, Rollins tells Fin she went through Jo’s bank accounts and she’s like to see Jesse and Billie take care of her like that. Three months ago Jo wrote a check for $250,000 to Vic Lewis. Fin thinks that is her contractor but Rollins says there are no contractors under that name listed in the city. Fin asks if she has an address. She says yes, and she is coming with. Fin says he can handle it, but Rollins says she knows he could of he was still running point on this case. Fin sighs.

At Fancy Meeting You Hair at 301 East 136th Street on Wednesday, April 24, Vicki tells Rollins she never heard of Jo. Rollins says no offense but it doesn’t seem like she’d get a whole lot of $250,000 checks around here. Fin describes Jo Anderson and Vicki asks if she said she was investing and Fin says he’d says she has better taste than this. Vicki says she was entitled, with all this “me too” stuff flying around. Fin asks if it was her and Snake, and she says about a year ago she was at a show at the Garden and she found herself backstage and his manager Timmy invites her to his hotel suite. She needed the cash to start this place. She got to Jo, she couldn’t get close to Snake. She offered her the money and told her to keep it all quiet. She didn’t want Dallas her man playing around, it might tarnish the royal couple image.

Later, Snake, there with Jo, tells Fin and Rollins he never cheated on Dallas. Rollins shows him Vicki’s photo and that her mother has been paying her a whole lot of money for nothing. Snake looks at Jo. Snake says it was one time, saying the thirst is real. Jo tells him to shut up. She says Vicki came to her and she didn’t want to see his face next to hers on the cover of people magazine. Snake asks where she got the money and Jo says she went to Mr. Maples. Fin asks about Timmy, and Snake says he passed on ’06.

Back at SVU, Rollins says Snake’s former manager Timmy was killed in a head-on in January of 2006. Fin says there is no way he hooked up Snake and Vicki last year. Rollins asks why would she lie about that, and he wonders if she was high, stupid, or it was just because she was talking to the cops. He says it is a natural reaction like a tic. As he leaves SVU, a tech shows him information on the gun found under Dallas and the prints were hers. It matches an 18 year old unsolved murder of a gangster Malik Harper. He thanks her. He looks back at Rollins who is on the phone in the squad room and he leaves with the file.

At a bar, Fin speaks with the detective on the case. He doesn’t recall the case. Fin tries to jog his memory and recalls the location was above a rib place and this jogs his memory.  Malik's girlfriend threw a plate of ribs at him when he told her Malik was dead, calling her a crazy white chick and pregnant.

Back at SVU, Rollins tells Benson she looked deeper into Dallas’ socials and sees the same bike in two photos. Carisi recognizes the bike as a Mongoose and says he talked to the owner at the crime scene, and Benson recalls the lookie-loo. Carisi brings out a photo and he got a name of Andreas Harper. Fin says nothing as Benson says to bring him in.

Later, in SVU interrogations, Andreas tells Benson he just went to check the scene as he had a delivery on the block. She shows him the other photos of his bikes and says none of the food delivery services have a record of him. He says he is a huge fan and figured if he hung outside long enough Snake would come out and talk to him. Benson says she had a cousin who traveled halfway around the world to see Jerry Garcia. She understands rock stars are like gods to fans. She asks how come he stalked Dallas. If she was a real fan he’d have tickets to the Apollo months ago. He insists he was there for Snake but she says this isn’t her first time with stalker. She’s seen them all, from the sad guy who just wants a selfie to a psychopath who has a fantasy about living together happily ever after with his target as soon as she gets to know him better. She asks what happened, asking if Dallas told him to hit the bricks and he just lost it. He asks doesn’t he get a lawyer or something, and Benson says sure he does, but not to forget to show them the bicycle lock she was going to take to the lab and if there is any of Dallas’ DNA on it they don’t have anything to talk about. She leaves the room.

Meanwhile, walking down a street, Fin speaks with Vicki and says he told her he is not on the case. He mentions Andreas and they will charge him with assault on Dallas; he knows he is her kid. She says nobody says he wasn’t and he has no reason to hurt Dallas. Fin mentions revenge, to get back at who killed his father, Malik Harper. Vicki stops walking and says nobody knows who killed Malik, least of all Andreas. He wasn’t even born yet. Fin asks that she knows Snake killed Malik, and Vicki says she doesn’t know what he is talking about. Fin says she convinced Jo that he did, and Fin says he is from here, he knows how this goes down. Vicki says he knows she is not going to say anything, and Fin says she said something to Jo. Vicki yells that she owes her and there is no way she is going to help them put her son in jail. She walks off.

Later, Fin speaks with Andreas at the jail. Andreas says his lawyer says not to talk to cops but Fin says it will not be used against him and everything will be just between the two of them. Andreas asks what kind of a cop is he, and Fin says one that saw his mom get shot dead in front of a bodega, and he saw who pulled the trigger. Andreas asks if he went to 5-0, and Fin says no, that’s now how it’s done. He laid awake every night thinking about payback and revenge. Andreas asks if he got it, and Fin says he killed his mom, the person he cared about most in the world; he wanted him to feel the same pain and killing him was not enough. Andreas says he should have suffered, and the says she should have died. Fin calmly asks Dallas, and Andreas said he would have hurt then. He shouts that it wouldn’t have been enough, but he would have hurt. Andreas goes back inside.

Later, Fin buzzes at Snake’s home, and on the speaker, Snake says he has nothing to say to him. Fin says that’s good, because he will talk and Snake will listen. Snake buzzes him in. Inside, Fin compliments Snake on his home, and Snake doesn’t want him wasting his time. Fin says he did it and deserves all this. Snake asks if that’s what he came here for. Fin explains he came to talk about his mother. Snake says she was a good lady. Fin says he has to ask him a question, asking if he should have turned Yusef in after he saw him kill his mother. Snake scoffs and says that is not how it’s done; if Yusef and his boys thought he was a snitch he would have been dead before dinner. Fin replies true, that’s not how it’s done. Snake adds the cops aren’t about to change that. Fin says it didn’t do anything for that kid who attacked Dallas, but everything you do in your past will eventually come back on you. Snake says he wouldn’t know. Fin questions that Snake rolled with Malik Harper back in the day, and Snake says damn, he hasn’t heard that name in years. Fin says he was dead about 18 years ago, and Snake comments “tough break.” Fin adds the crazy thing about Yusef is 30 years after he killed his mom, he gets a call up to 127th Street and there he is, stretched out on the concrete facing the garbage, two in the back of the head. Snake asks if he caught the dude, and Fin replies n, he didn’t break his back looking for him either, adding Yusef was a piece of trash, just like Malik. Snake wonders if Fin thinks whoever killed Malik did it in self defense, would it make any difference, and Fin says if the shooter could prove it, he wouldn’t be charged. Snake says they’d never believe it, not him. He says Fin knows how it is, it’s where they are from. Fin also says “that’s where we from” and says he has to remember one thing: everything he does in his past will eventually come back to bite him. Snake nods. Fin tells him to take care of those ladies upstairs, and Snake replies, “church.” They hug each other.

Fin walks out of the building and a guy on a bike stops him and asks him if Snake lives there. Fin says no, he still lives Uptown. As Fin walks away, he adds, “And always will.” He puts on his shades and walks off 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:
Snoop Dogg – R.B. Banks
Orlando Jones - Justin "Snake" Anderson
Amber Stevens West - Dallas Monroe
Deandre Sevon - Andreas Harper
Lee Sellars – Mitch Connelly
L. Scott Caldwell - Jo Anderson
Elizabeth Tate - Victoria Lewis
Marty Grabstein – Amir Khoury
Malik Reed – Wallace
Sulekha Ebelle – CSU Tech Vega
Sarah Boatright – Riley
Milan Marsh - Lexington “Lexi” Monroe
Mitchell Cetuk – Officer Clark
Nathan Scherich – Officer Miller
Zac Jaffee – Bill Maples
Linus Ignatius – Sven
Vanessa Bontea – EMT
Matthew Dunivan – LMZ Reporter
Justyn T. Henry – Kid #1
Kayla Cruz - Veneshia





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