Law & Order Organized Crime “Forget It Jake; It’s Chinatown” Recap, Review, Discussion

The season 1 finale of Law & Order Organized Crime, “Forget It Jake; It’s Chinatown”  ended with a bang.  It was an action packed  episode that made the hour move very fast. The thing I liked about this series were the frequent  twists, turns,  and surprises. Just when I think I  have it all figured out, it doesn’t go as I expected.  The series provided a good balance of action, suspense, and interesting characters. They started with a great foundation and I’m looking forward to how (or if) they build on it next season

Even though they were taking great pains to protect Angela, I assumed someone would eventually get to her.  I also suspected that someone on Bell’s team would be working against Bell, but I pegged the somewhat brainless Freddie Washburn to be the guy. I completely forgot that Morales had an issue with his sister and needed money– I can’t recall exactly what was the problem, but I assume it was medical. (If I get the details I’ll update this.)  I suppose if I’d been paying closer attention, seeing Morales as working for Wheatley would not have been so much of a surprise.  What I don’t understand was why Benson was called – I assume by Wheatley texting to her as Stabler – to meet them at Angela’s room.  Why did Benson need to be there, was it to see Morales?  Maybe we’ll find out next season.   Angela looked in bad shape but I suspect she’ll make it. By the way, was the entire hospital floor cleared to protect Angela and if not, where was everyone?  Was she only being tended to and/or protected by one person?  I thought that Danielle Moné Truitt was excellent in her role as Sgt. Ayanna Bell,  and her final scene in the hospital corridor with Morales was her best this season. 

Something I couldn't quite grasp in that final hospital scene, though.  Morales was pushing Angela's bed when Benson passed him in the corridor.  It  appeared he was pushing her into another room straight ahead.  But then Morales steps out from another room from the right.  Was that simply a weird camera angle or was there another person there to which Morales handed off Angela? If so,  where did that person go?  I've watched that scene a few times and my eyes and brain still can't make sense of it. 

Wheatley must still have people working to support him in high places in order for him to get that cell phone into his new jail cell.  But he may not have enough support if Richie was able to order a hit  on his father.   Richie’s sister Dana seems to have faded into oblivion for now – unless she had some hand in getting the hit on Wheatley that we didn’t see. 

A bit corny was the scene where Wheatley first sees Benson, calling her a knock-out. Scenes like that sometimes made me  dislike the cartoonish way Richard Wheatley was presented.  For the most part, though, I thought Dylan McDermott was just right for the role. 

Stabler’s PTSD affects him and he gets help. The scene with the therapist seemed to suck the momentum out of the episode briefly, however. 

Bell’s wife’s nephew’s issue with the police seemed to have been nothing more than a vehicle to alienate Bell from the police and have them pull support from her in the previous episode.  At least in this episode, Benson mentions that a thread on social media helped to gain support for Bell and her team and put pressure on the US Attorney Baldi not to cut Wheatley too good of a deal. 

All in all, a solid end to a solid first season.

 

Here is the recap: 

Stabler and his children, along with Sgt. Bell, are present when the litany of charges are read against the Wheatley family (Richard, Richie, and Dana):  23 counts of aggravated enterprise corruption, money laundering in the first degree, and criminal sale of a controlled substance. Richard Wheatley was also charged with 2 counts of murder in the second degree for the murder of his father, Manfredi Sinatra (which surprises Richie), and Kathleen Marie Stabler.  Wheatley gives the judge some sass, saying it is because his children are black, but the judge isn’t having it. They all plead  not guilty. The judge remands them all.  

Angela is hidden away in a hotel room, being guarded by Freddie Washburn. He is taking every precaution to make sure no harm comes to her, controlling anything or anyone that comes into her room, including her attorney Ellsworth Lee. Lee mentions that a couple people thought that the woman Wheatley might have been referring to when he previously met with Angela was Captain Olivia Benson. 

Wheatley meets with his attorney Althena Davis about the RICO charges.  He wants to assume they have all the records, and she thinks it will take up to a year to get this moving and if he has a card to play, he should play it now. 

Bell, Stabler and the team hear from the prosecutor ADA Ann Frasier that Wheatley wants to cut a deal with Assistant US Attorney Vince Baldi, who is also running for Governor.   Stabler calls Baldi clown, Wheatley wants a federal trial, but Stabler thinks Wheatley wants a “get out of jail free card” and cut a deal.  Wheatley is being transported downtown the next day for a meeting with Baldi. 

Later, Frasier, Stabler and Bell barge in on Baldi in a restaurant. They later discuss how much time and effort  Bell has put in on getting Wheatley and Stabler brings up that Wheatley murdered his wife. They don’t want him to get any breaks.  Baldi says he wants what they want – justice – and if Wheatley can help them achieve that on a grander scale, he is obliged to consider it. He  says it is only a meeting. 

Later, in his room, Stabler has an attack of PTSD and calls Bell, She visits him and they talk it out. 

Meanwhile, while in jail, Richie connects with a gang and after facing some resistance,  arranges to  meet someone. 

Angela Wheatley is still hidden away in the hotel room. There is a change in the “guard” from Diego Morales back to Freddie Washburn.  Despite the controls on everything coming into the room, Washburn brings shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer for Angela as she doesn’t like what was provided to her.   

Richie meets with a top member of the gang in the shower and a  arranges a hit on his father. He’s upset that Wheatley killed his father – Richie’s grandfather,

Angela is distressed, but gets ready to shower while Washburn and Lee watch TV. They hear a thud and when they get into the bathroom find Angela on the floor, foaming at the mouth. 

Stabler meets with his therapist to discuss his PTSD.  He gets the call about Angela. 

Back at the OC squad, Bell states Angela is lucky to be alive; they found a lethal dose of novichok in her blood – the stuff the Russians have used.  Despite the strict controls on what comes into Angela’s room, they realize that Washburn ordered the beauty items at Angela’s request, using  his personal phone which was not encrypted. Someone hacked it and arranges to poison the items. 

Stabler and Bell meet with Wheatley to get him moved to the meeting. Bell and Stabler realize that the detail taking Wheatley is not secure enough and decide to tail them as they move Wheatley to the meeting with Baldi.  During the trip, the vehicles with Wheatley are ambushed and a shootout ensues.   The drivers are shot and Wheatley is also hit with flying glass.  Bell calls for backup and Stabler gets Wheatley out of the car. As Bell and Stabler and Wheatley move for cover, Wheatley is hit by bullets.  As they race inside, it looks bleak as they are corned by shooters, who Wheatley says are not his. As Bell and Stabler see backup arriving, they stall, implying they are willing to trade for Wheatley.   The backup police shoot one of the shooters and arrest the other.   Wheatley is bleeding but rather than take him to the hospital, they are told they are not going to the hospital. they have to ride with him in the ambulance and delivery him to the US Attorney’s office on the order of higher-ups. 

As the ambulance arrives,  Stabler and Bell find Benson and a group of other officers waiting.  Benson explains someone started a thread on social saying that Baldi was trying to big foot Bell’s case.  They are there to stand with Bell.  As Wheatley walks by, Bell thanks “Liv” and Wheatley hears the name.  He  stops and gives Benson a look and says to Stabler he now completely understands, calling Benson a knock-out.  He then says “poor Angela, though” and says it is a pleasure to meet Benson.  She glares at him and tells them to get him out of there.  He asks if that is a yes for dinner and thanks Stabler and Bell for saving his life. 

With Baldi, Wheatley explains that he can give them people within the Kremlin that orchestrated attacks on government computer systems and can walk him right through the guy’s front door, virtually.  He also mentions a trip to Japan and a dinner with another man and says he can detail how the pandemic is being monetized all the way with his associates from Puglia to all across Asia and Africa.  Baldi asks for a few minutes to tend to something. 

Baldi meets with Bell and Stabler and Frasier who pressure him to not use the murder of a police officer’s wife as a bargaining chip in his deal.  They want Baldi to take the RICO charges and let them prosecute Wheatley for Kathy’s murder. 

Afterward, as Wheatley is being led out of the building, he said he had a good outcome but there was a minor setback but nothing he was too concerned about. Bell says they will make the murder charges stick and Stabler says Wheatley is going to his swanky new digs at the  Metropolitan Correctional Center. He tells Davis to make sure all his necessities are there and she says it is already taken care of.  He says he hopes Angie is okay, saying his lawyer said she had a little tummy ache.  Stabler  gets him into the car. 

Wheatley gets into his cell and immediately looks for, and finds, a cell phone. He calls his wife and says he needs her to do something for him. He tells her to go into the wine lair and says to bring up the launch pad. He asks if she see the Tor browser than says he will dictate a message to her and he wants her to enter it exactly as he says: “O. I’m in trouble. Can you please come meet me?”

Stabler and Bell arrive at the hospital and say they are there to see Susan Johnson in room 516.  The receptionist clears them in.   Benson has just stepped out of the elevator on that floor and an orderly passes her in the hall, pushing someone (it’s Angela) on a bed. She calls out “detective” as she thinks she recognizes him.   But he does not acknowledge her and keeps moving. She gets on her phone and calls Stabler and when he answers, she says she thinks she saw one of her detectives there dressed as an orderly.  He asks where is “here” and she replies she is at Briarwood, he told her to meet her, she got his text.  As Stabler and Bell step into the elevator, Benson hears moaning coming from room 516 and finds a man bound and gagged on the floor, stripped.   She pulls out her gun,  As Stabler and Bell step out of the elevator,  Benson tells Stabler to go to his right.  Someone is pushing Angela into another room. Bell calls out to Morales, and  Morales steps out from a nearby doorway.  He turns around and says he made a mistake.  Stabler, Bell and Benson draw their weapons.  Bell asks what is going on, and Morales says he doesn’t know, he messed up bad. He has a gun and says he shouldn’t have taken the call but he did.  Bell asks how much did he pay him, and Morales says 2 million, but he has his sister, he will take care of her.  Bell tells him to calm down. Morales explains she idolizes him and what will he do now?  He puts the gun to his head and says he wants his job back. Bell says no, no, but he tells her to stand back.  She tells him to put the gun down, and says he does not go out that way. Morales shakes his head and tells Bell he needs her right now.  She says she is here,  But he quickly points his gun at them as if to fire, but Bell fires first and shoots at Morales, twice. He falls to the floor and is not moving.   They race into Angela’s room and Benson pulls a needle out of Angela’s arm.  She tries to get Angela to respond as Stabler picks up the phone and calls for a code blue in room 538.   Angela whispers for them to help her.  Bell asks Angela to stay with them and they need her.  Stabler looks at Morales on the floor and stands in the hallway and screams “I NEED HELP!” as we pull back and cut to black.