A “ripped from the headlines” (Jeffrey Epstein) story unfolds in “Can’t Be Held Accountable”, and this is definitely one story that needs more than one episode to tell. As we see the pervert of the week, Steve Getz, hang himself at the beginning of this episode, we know what befalls him two months down the road. (Unless the sheet became untied!) It’s the process of getting to that point that will be very interesting if part 2 - airing when SVU returns in January - has the pacing and intensity of this well-constructed episode.
I was a little concerned early on when we find Rollins talking to Dr. Hanover about Carisi, seemingly wanting to place some sort of blame on him for why their relationship is troubled. She whines that Carisi didn’t even know there was a problem and when the doctor asks if Rollins told Carisi, Rollins thinks he should have known. I rolled my eyes. Typical Rollins, thinking the world revolves around her. I’m one of those people who see zero romantic chemistry between Carisi and Rollins, and still wonder if Rollins is upset because Carisi is not around to do her bidding. Rollins also lies again this week when she tells Benson she was at the shooting range when she really was with the doctor. If this happened on Rollins’ personal time, she doesn’t owe Benson an explanation of what she was doing, but if it’s work time, she should have at least told Benson it was a doctor’s appointment and leave it at that. Lying comes too easy to Rollins. Also, when a point was made of showing Rollins pulling her gun out of her car’s glove compartment, I knew this error in judgment was going to come back to haunt her. I’m not a big fan of Rollins, and it seems every week I find myself liking her even less. (This has nothing to do with Kelli Giddish, it’s Rollins that annoys me to no end.)
The case involves a rich businessman, Steve Getz, and his predilection for young girls. He’s got his eyes on Ivy Bucci and then later, her younger sister Milly. These girls are the daughter of Frank Bucci, who we first met in passing in the Law & Order SVU episode “Part 33” from season 20 (episode 14). He met Rollins while they waited to testify in court, so he now enlists her help – and the SVU’s – as he worries his daughter Ivy is the victim of a predator – Steve Getz. Bucci is unhinged most of the episode, and it’s obvious his anger and frustration will not end well.
Kat also creates some waves when she goes off-book and decides to pose as Ivy’s aunt – and Frank Bucci’s sister – trying to get an in as someone looking for a piece of the action with Getz. I can fully understand why Kat felt it easy to fall into this persona, seeing that her background is vice and she went undercover for SVU before she officially worked with them. Benson isn’t happy with this – Kat apparently likes to throw the rulebook out the window. It’s Rollins’ reaction to Kat changing plans that felt almost like jealousy, especially when Fin didn’t seem to react in the same manner as Rollins.
Carisi gets thrown off the deep end again with this case involving Getz - a rich man who apparently has deep connections with powerful or influential people. Hadid was right when she said he was to “green” for this case, but it’s more than Carisi’s inexperience. This is a case that had high probability that powerful people would be affected and subsequently try to derail it. Should SVU had staked out the place to see who walked in and out of Getz’s building to see who was compromised? Could they have installed someone undercover that looked very young but really was of age so they could at least get an idea of what was really going on in there? Kat going in as an adult wasn’t going to get much as far as seeing the real "action". When Getz was in SVU interrogation and his lawyer said they had parental permission, could SVU have asked to see that permission for Ivy Bucci? It’s clear they got the mother’s permission at the end of the episode, but I suspect they didn’t have any permission from Ivy’s mother for the initial encounters. Most importantly, if they said they had obtained parental permission, is that not an admission that they knew that Ivy and the other girls are underage? This confused me a bit.
The shocker to everyone is when the judge decides to make a nonsensical connection between the age of consent for sex (statutory rape) with the issue of the age for not needing parental permission for abortions. He gives Getz a pass on almost everything and then time served on prostitution, which can only make one wonder if the judge is either on the take or likes to enjoy Getz’s services as well.
Rollins’ leaving her gun in the car comes back at her when Bucci holds her at gunpoint in the doctor’s office. Bucci wants something done with Getz and we’ll have to wait until January to find out how Rollins – maybe with the doctor’s help – can talk their way out of this. The upside is, once Rollins gets Bucci calmed down, maybe SVU and the ADA will take some time to actually build a solid case and not rush it to an arrest and court within a period of only 3 days.
Stay tuned for part 2 when SVU returns on January 9, 2020.
Here is the recap:
Steve Getz sits in a prison cell and watches a cockroach crawl across his food. He ties his sheet around his neck and hangs himself.
Two months earlier, Ivy Bucci is walking down the street sees a dog and stops to pet it. A woman, the owner of the dog, stops Ivy and suggests she be a model, saying she is a scout for Steve Getz from “Gimme That Body Fitness.” She says he likes fresh healthy girls like her. Ivy tells the stranger her parents are separated and she is just with her dad. She also sounds interested in the modeling prospect and the woman gives her a business card.
Later at home, Ivy explains to her sister Milly and explains she is going to audition and says she can’t tell dad. Dad - Detective Frank Bucci - enters and the girls clam up. They sit down to dinner.
Later, Steve Getz and the woman photograph Ivy with a group of young girls. The woman tells Ivy that Steve really likes her, and Steve tells Ivy they think she is their “Gimme That Body” girl.
Ivy attends a “Gimme That Body” party with the woman scout who introduces her to a man at the party with Steve.
Ivy keeps coming back, looking sadder every time. Along with other girls, she steps on a scale to be weighed. Steve continues to photograph her, having her remove more and more of her clothes. She balks when he asks her to drop her hands which are covering her breasts. Eventually she drops her hands. Later, she is laying down, crying, as Steve puts on a robe and puts $100 on her body. She cries.
Later, at home, Frank reminds her to take her lunch but she says she will just get something at school.
Back at Steve’s, Ivy, dressed in a clingy black dress, brings in another man, asking that he works with Steve. She tells him to sit and then guzzles some wine. She moves back to the man and starts to remove his tie.
Afterward, as Ivy races out of the house, the scout runs after her, telling Ivy she is looking good. Ivy says the diet is working. The woman asks that Ivy has a little sister, and when Ivy says her name is Milly, the woman says that Steve wants her to bring her next time. She hands Ivy more money.
At a later time, Ivy returns to Steve’s house with Milly in tow, another party in progress. Milly says the place is like a palace, and Steve asks her how old she is. She replies she is almost 13 and Steve looks thrilled, thinking this is wonderful. Ivy smiles.
Elsewhere, Rollins is in a session with Dr. Hanover. The doctor comments that he’s smart, kind, funny, and Rollins enjoys his company and he is good with her kids, then asks what is she missing? Rollins explains it is not like that, they are friends, and were partners until he left for the DA’s office. The doctor senses Rollins has unresolved feeling about this, but Rollins states she is over it, not that he even knew there was a problem. When the doctor asks if she told him, Rollins thinks he should have known. The doctor comments if that is because he knows her. Rollins sees what he doctor is doing, and when her phone buzzes, she tells the doctor she sees the doctor has another session and gets ready to leave. Rollins suggests next week they should talk about her dad; he called this morning. The doctor comments they haven’t spoke in…Rollins finishes the sentence, stating 15 years. As Rollins heads toward the door, the doctor calls it a “doorknob comment” that might have been worth being brought up earlier in the session. Rollins says nothing and leaves.
