Law & Order SVU “Silent Night, Hateful Night” Recap, Review, Discussion

After watching Law & Order SVU “Silent Night, Hateful Night”  I came to a conclusion:  I’m glad they suspended production of Law & Order: Hate Crimes.   If it would be anything like this SVU episode, a weekly dose of this kind of story would get tiresome quickly.  I’m already tired of it.  Until the last few minutes, this episode was predictable and devoid of suspense, and I became bored quickly.  The acting was stiff; it seemed like the actors were reading off their lines as quickly as possible, as if they were trying to stuff too much information into the short time they had.  As a result, I couldn’t build any concern for, or connect with,  the victims of the hate crimes. I felt the episode was more of a vehicle to put Rollins and Declan Murphy together for a case, and for Benson to have to use her weapon in a shocking ending. 

The private discussion that Rollins and Declan had together was lifeless and clinical. Rollins said she wanted a baby, but with the bland “walking on the street” scenario and dialog from Declan, I got the impression there was no solid *romantic* connection with her and Declan, other than your standard office fling. (In case you forgot, it was revealed in Law & Order SVU “Community Policing” ” that he was Jesse’s father.) I was surprised they had Declan bring up the fact that he was her boss at the time, and allow Rollins to excuse the boss/subordinate relationship as her being an adult. Considering Rollins' past with a boss in Atlanta who raped her (see the episode Law & Order SVU “Forgiving Rollins” ” ), it should be concerning that in this case Rollins simply gives him a pass on what could have been considered sexual harassment, or at least, a highly inappropriate relationship. 

With the number of people working this case – SVU, Hate Crimes, the FBI – the episode felt cluttered with too many moving parts.  I liked Jason Biggs appearing in the episode but felt his character got lost in the shuffle.

I found it slightly amusing that when Benson was questioning Tom Nolan, all she had to do was stand up, loom over him, slam on the desk, and ask Tom a few times where is his wife to get him to crack like a dropped egg.  

Something about the way they confronted Susan and Robert in the park felt off.  They started the confrontation with a large number of people in the area.  There was no obvious attempt to clear the area when it was apparent guns could be drawn and there was a threat of a bomb.   Then, without fully understanding how the pressure cooker bomb was triggered to detonate (assuming he HAD a bomb), Benson shoots Robert while he appears to be reaching for something.  I don’t think Benson had much of a choice here – she had to shoot and assume that Robert – or Susan -  had no trigger already in his/her hand.  My only issue is that,  depending on how Robert had the bomb set to detonate - IF he truly had a bomb -  it could have gone off at any time. With all the people nearby, the casualties would have been great.   I don’t know what the proper procedure is to address these kinds of threats, but this one felt ill-planned to me. 

Here is the recap: 

On Christmas Eve,  a  racist nut-job rants in a manifesto, and a surge/spree of hate crimes occurs.  Benson is called in by McGrath after a church service with Noah.   Later, at another location,  McGrath explains the head of the Hate Crimes division is “out” and the new Captain just arrived,  so Chief McGrath has offered the SVU to “augment”.  The Hate Crimes staff is now headed by Declan Murphy (who formerly worked with SVU and is the father of one of Rollins’ children).  The Hate Crimes team also includes Sergeant Hasim Khaldun (who has also worked with SVU in the past), Detective Andy Parlato-Goldstein,  and Detective Mia Ruz. 

While Rollins and Declan work one of the scenes, a man (and his dog) speaks with the two of them and of course he gives off vibes he is involved. 

They track down and speak to a young boy (Dalen – a minor) and a few others involved in one of the attacks and suspect at some point that not all the cases are connected. But Declan thinks someone is making a statement. Chief McGrath continues to act impatient, as if he just wants it over with.  Benson thinks they are looking at two different puzzles.  

A mosque in Williamsburg just got bombed and the teams are on the scene.  It was a pressure cooker bomb.  Another type of bomb was located at a Jewish old age home that didn’t go off. 

Rollins and Declan walk down the street together and talk about their daughter Jesse. Declan bemoans missing so much with  Jesse but Rollins offers an explanation that SHE wanted a baby and SHE could raise her by herself. Declan explains he went undercover for 6 years in Serbia and Croatia – sex trafficking, refugees, modern day slavery – and he was in so deep he was gone.  They pulled him out, faked his death, and was in mandatory rehab 3 times.  He also comments he was her supervisor and what he did – Rollins corrects him  to say “we”, adding she is an adult – he regrets that for him to leave like that was the biggest mistake of his life. Rollins says it took her time to think about it but it’s working out and she and Jesse are happy.  The run into the  man with the dog again – he gives his name as Don Johnson -  and they are immediately suspicious.  Rollins gets a cell number off the dog tag. 

Later they check the man’s background – his name is Darko Pavic - and decide to surveil him.  They also find someone leaked the footage of the synagogue hate crime (with the minors) and Declan assumes McGrath did it – Fin agrees – and now Dalen has been exposed despite their promises to protect him.  They get additional information on Darko; he immigrated from Serbia at 3, lost a lawsuit to his Jewish landlord, and seems to like  World War II documentaries.  They also hear he was just shot by someone on a motorcycle. 

Rollins and Detective Ruz speak to Darko in the hospital and when  Ruz steps away, Rollins flashes a white power symbol and gets Darko to allow her to take his apartment keys to care for his dog, and to get his cell phone number. 

Later, in the apartment, Rollins, along with Fin and Khaldun,  find a closet full of pressure cooker bombs.  Fin gets them all to back away and to call the bomb squad. 

 

At the SVU, the FBI question Darko about the bombs and he says they aren’t his.   Darko claims he doesn’t know the ranting racist on the manifesto video.  The SVU and Hate Crimes team get info on his phone.  Declan also hears that there are likely 4 bombs unaccounted for.  They inform the FBI and convince them to let the SVU and Hate Crimes interrogate Darko.  Benson and Declan question Darko and use his love for his dog to get him to talk about the other accomplices. He gives up the code names of AJ and Northstar and told where he got the burner phone from. 

They get information from the store owner that 5 burner phones with prepaid service plans were purchased.  At SVU, they view that security cam footage near the store, showing the passing off of the phones to the others. They don’t see the motorcycle in the video.  Ruz brings info in on when the phones were turned on and one also went on with an Ohio area code around the time Darko's was turned off. That number belongs to  Antonio Juarez – AJ -  from Defiance Ohio.  

They speak to Antonio’s wife in Defiance and she tips them off he may be in Brooklyn with his ex-wife.  Later, at that location, they arrest Antonio.  They threaten him with the death penalty if the bomb goes off and he gives them the location. They ask about the other bombs and he explains they all have different contacts, and he tips them off to his.  They set up a meet and arrest Tom Nolan. 

In SVU interrogation, they bring up Tom's wife Susan and show him a video of the manifesto man, with Tom’s wife in the video, appearing in the mirror.  When Benson looms over him and repeatedly asks where is she - slamming on the desk - he cracks and says he doesn’t know but they weren’t supposed to use credit cards but Susan used her sister’s. 

They track Susan to a hotel and find from the concierge where Susan and "Northstar" were headed – Washington Square Park. 

At the park, Benson, Declan, and the detectives catch up with Susan and “Northstar” – AKA Robert - and a confrontation ensues.   Robert swings his backpack off his shoulder and when he says he has a bomb and moves to reach into his coat pocket, Benson shoots him in the head, dropping him to the ground.  Susan thanks her, saying they just gave the movement the martyr they need.   Declan asks Benson if she is alright, and she says she was but now she is shaking.  Declan comments he wishes he says they all get to go home, and Benson finishes, saying that she fired her weapon and they have 10 hours of paperwork ahead of them. Declan adds, “Merry Christmas.”  She nods and whispers, “You too.” The Hate Crimes group walks off, leaving Benson standing there with a stunned and concerned Fin and Rollins. As Benson looks away sadly, we fade to black.