Law & Order SVU “Fast Times @The Wheelhouse” Recap, Review, Discussion

“Fast Times @The Wheelhouse” was one of those predictable episodes with cookie-cutter characters who didn’t interest me one bit.   I don’t want to go as far as saying I hated it, only that I didn’t find it up to their usual standard.  While watching, I found myself groaning and eye-rolling more than normal.  It was partly because of the one-dimensional,  cookie-cutter characters, but also for the corny rebranding of The Wheelhouse AND Willa noticing how much Carisi likes Rollins. (I am groaning as I wrote that.)  A huge eye-roll goes to Noah just happening to stumble on Willa’s video (such luck!).  It’s good to know Noah is out there watching for this kind of stuff, what would Benson do without him? (Sarcasm intended.)   

Peppered in this episode were references to a case uncovered by Stabler (in the Law & Order Organized Crime episode “For A Few Leke More” ) involving sex trafficking of young girls. For those people who aren’t watching that series, the references will be lost on them. For me, it pulled me away from the SVU case and felt like a distraction. So you’re not distracted while reading about the SVU case, here’s what happened: Jet explains to the SVU that Sgt. Bell wants them to find waitress Rita Lascu based on information acquired by Stabler. An informant, Elvis Baktashi (last seen in Law & Order SVU episode “Welcome to the Pedo Motel” ) later tells Benson that Rita is being trafficked and she is not the only one. At the end of the episode, Benson tells Bell and Jet that a shipment of new prospects is coming in from Albania – 12 under-age girls. The plane lands at JFK in 8 hours. Bell and Jet have been informed and they will make sure Stabler is part of the crew picking up the girls. Bell thinks they will need Benson’s on-going help – and Benson says “always.” (Cue an eye-roll.)

Here is the recap: 

The SVU case involves a young female “influencer”, Willa Bartola,  who is raped by Liam and Tate Rivers while at The Wheelhouse, a place where influencers can gather that is run by Diggy Wheeler.  She posts a TikTok video about the assault but quickly removes it (she got too much on-line hate).  Magically, Noah happens to see it right before it is removed and alerts Benson. Benson and Rollins speak with Willa who explains how she was brought in to the Wheelhouse, got drunk, and how the brothers locked her in the room and raped her.  Later, Willa meets with Rollins and Carisi, the latter who reminds Willa she did not report this right away or get a rape kit.  He also quickly suggests that Willa should talk to the boys while they listen in. Willa explains she got a text from Diggy saying he wants to apologize, and Carisi wants her to text Diggy back.

Willa goes back to the house for Diggy's apology.  Jet, helping the SVU,  manages to get an invite to the house, and is there to monitor the action. While Diggy tries to talk his way out of this situation, saying the guys said it was consensual, Liam and Tate barge in and intimidate Willa into saying - in a streaming video -  it was not true and she was just "playing", and Benson tells Rollins and Jet to move in.

Liam and Tate are questioned in the station with their lawyer.  They also meet with Diggy and his lawyer. An incriminating email made by Liam and Tate is posted on line and Jet sees it, and this leads to arraignment court. The guys are warned not to litigate this issue on social media. Of course, Liam and Tate ignore this the minute they are released.  They’ve got a group of fans waiting outside the courthouse who pelt Rollins and Carisi with food and other miscellaneous stuff. 

Carisi later asks the judge for a gag order but the judge instead admonishes the guys for posting things about the case on line and warned them for being charged for inciting a riot.  Diggy seems to be trying to comply and he also tries again to apologize to Willa.  Clearly, this guy is clueless. 

The trial commences, with Benson testifying in support of Willa, in addition to Willa’s friend Kevan, and Willa herself.  Willa is portrayed as a someone who is only out to get more followers. 

Later, Diggy posts a video saying that Liam and Tate did rape Willa.  This threatens the case being ruled a mistrial, but the judge denies the motion. Diggy gets on the stand and is portrayed a someone who has feelings for Willa and was jealous that she gave the two brothers more attention.  He has a bit of a meltdown and when told to be silent by the judge,  he continues to spout off, and is taken away, charged with contempt. 

The jury finds the defendants  not guilty for unlawful confinement, and not guilty for rape in the first degree.  It’s obvious one juror is looking at Tate and Liam sympathetically. When Diggy makes a comment about her and the brothers,  Carisi later comments that he noticed something going on with her. He discovers the brothers were messaging the juror before the verdict,  and were giving her access to The Wheelhouse.  He also later finds the brothers bribed another juror. When Liam and Tate are confronted with this, the judge tells them that if this turns out to be true, they could be looking at double digits.

Later, Benson and Rollins explain to Willa the guys cut a deal for 7 years and could be out in five. Willa states they will be so old, eliciting quite a look from Benson and Rollins.  All Willa wanted as an apology, adding Diggy offered her a place – with Kevan - in the rebranded Wheelhouse. It will be a new collective, like a survivor’s squad, a place for survivors of sexual assault, discrimination, and mental health issues.  She thinks Diggy did right, and so did Carisi. She tells them to thank him for her, adding that he is one of the good ones and can see how much he likes Rollins.

Rollins and Benson are walking with Willa, they tell her that the brothers took a deal, they will get five years. Willa says she was invited to be a member of The Wheelhouse from Diggy, with her friend, to rebrand.

Benson meets with Bell and Jet, her informant told her a new shipment of Albanian girls arrive at midnight. Bell tells Benson they may need her ongoing help with this, And Benson replies "always". As Benson watches them leave, we fade to black.