Law & Order SVU “Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing” Recap, Review, Discussion

The season 22 finale of Law & Order SVU “Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing”  delivered some surprises to viewers that helped prop up a relatively dull case.   It’s the personal stories that made this episode enjoyable and provided an excellent ending to this short season.  The episode finishes on an uplifting note – something that we all needed after the last tumultuous year (in reality).   The cast,  writers, production crew, and everyone who was involved in delivering each episode this past season deserve our deepest thanks for giving us all something to cry about, laugh with, cheer on, and reflect upon.  I know that every episode was done with the utmost care and with appreciation for those fans that watch every week.  There isn’t anything else like it on network television that can compare to this dedicated group of people!

Here’s a quick recap of what happened in this episode, with my comments: 

The SVU gets involved when a tenant of the Holt Tower complains that she thinks one of the female tenants is using her apartment for prostitution.   Long story short – she’s not a prostitute, but a woman who is being trafficked for sex in exchange for living in a lovely apartment.  She’s not the only one – we find that the person who lived in the apartment before her was also used for the same purpose.  The SVU investigates and find that Dr. Catalina Machado, the founder of “Proud Life,”  is the mastermind behind the scheme.  She thinks she’s gotten these women out of danger and gave them  the opportunity to have a home and to be safe. Clearly she’s misguided.  Her lawyer offers up the involvement of the Deputy Mayor, a former HUD Secretary,  three congressmen and senators for starters.  Hopefully this wolf in sheep’s clothing – and those that have participated in the scheme in various ways – all will pay the price. 

Deputy Chief Garland is facing pressure from his Chief (who is a major jerk, by the way) and other colleagues for his deposition in the Jayvon Brown case  in which he spoke of institutional racism within the NYPD.   They turn their back on him, both literally and figuratively.  He’s showing physical signs of the stress. He gets a dressing down during a Comstat hearing, and gets a warning from his father (who is retired but with friends in the NYPD) that the “old guard” may  be coming for him.  I fully expected Garland to keel over during the episode (he didn’t). At least he is taking a few days off so a doctor can run some tests.  It’s a perfect set up for this  high-pressure situation to continue to affect him into the next season. 

Carisi has been asked to officiate at Fin and Phoebe’s wedding ceremony and this brings out some negativity with his girlfriend Nicole.  She thinks marriage is designed to transfer ownership of the woman from the father to the husband.  Carisi explains to Benson he told Nicole that by his age, he thought he’d be married and have kids. It seems this discussion with Nicole went downhill from there.  Yes, we knew that relationship would be doomed. 

The most interesting and meaningful segments of this episode were near the last quarter hour.   Fin and Phoebe’s wedding celebration turns into a non-wedding celebration as they decide not to get married that day.  They are not breaking up,  but know they have a good thing going, and, as Fin says, “Why let the government spoil it?”  They decide to go ahead with the party.   This opens up all kinds of possibilities for Fin and Phoebe next season. 

But it’s what happened at the end of the episode that was the most talked about: THE KISS.   Carisi reads to Rollins what he originally was going to say when he officiated at the wedding:  that Fin and Phoebe will always have each other’s backs and if they had to, they would take a bullet for each other, and a bond like that never goes away.  Rollins looks at Carisi with longing affection and then gets teary-eyed.  When Carisi wipes her tears, she looks at him and then moves in and kisses him – and he returns it with  a bit more passion.  HOORAY – it’s about time!  This relationship is perfect for the both of them now.  If they take it further, this would bring Rollins much stability in her love and family life, and Carisi would get a wife and kids – an instant family – that he so desires.  And it would be a family in which he is already very comfortable.   Personally, I’m  not much of a Rollins/Carisi “shipper” but I think that moving these two together in a more intimate relationship is the best way to go at this point for both of their characters and their lives. 

Benson also looks on at all the happiness around her and she and Stabler discuss how Fin an Phoebe met.  Benson explains Phoebe is a cop and Fin’s first partner.  Benson and Stabler share a “look” and then Benson makes a toast to him “To partners” as the view pulls away and the episode fades to black.  I suspect fans expected more here (as we saw with Rollins and Carisi) but the story of Benson and Stabler isn’t ready for that at this point in time.  There are still more seasons of SVU and Organized Crime and stories to be told. Who  knows what will happen in the future?