Law & Order SVU "Sorry If It Got Weird For You" Recap, Review, Discussion

Law & Order SVU "Sorry If It Got Weird For You" wasn’t weird for me.  In fact, I thought it was a solid episode, even though it was predictable.  One could tell from his first moment on the screen that Jackson Wright was completely self-absorbed and his vanity would get him in the end.   And it did get him in spectacular fashion, as Carisi asked the right questions that caused Jackson to go into a full-throttle woman-hating tirade.  Keep in mind there was zero evidence that a rape occurred and they still got a guilty conviction, mostly because Jackson couldn't keep his mouth shut.  I was expecting that something would come out that Jackson was actually playing with the algorithm or the software to hook up with specific people; I thought that would be clear evidence of his intentions.  But no, they didn’t take that route.  

We saw Carisi become fully comfortable in his skin as an ADA.  He knew exactly which button to push with Jackson and how to push it. Seeing him sit down with that self-satisfied smile after his cross-examination of Jackson was his confirmation that he nailed this case.  And when Benson tells him he’s a good man, he had to be on cloud 9.   His only problem is the dreaded “eight floor”, always invoked as a place containing narrow-minded bureaucrats. In my mind, I envision that’s where you step out of the elevator into a bottomless pit of blackness, with nothing but despair as your parachute. 

Rollins was out tending to her mother, who is in a cast.  (Carisi did just fine without her, it seems.)

The only odd thing in this episode is when Benson tells Lisa she could have been seriously hurt falling down the steps, Lisa comments  “god looks out for drunks”,  and Benson SMILED, albeit briefly.  The smile is odd because that’s how Benson’s mother died – drunk and falling down steps.  I would have expected Benson to have a serious face and then stop Lisa and tell her that is how her own mother died.  It would have been a great way for Benson to connect with Lisa on another level, not just about being raped. 

Here is the recap: 

Cress Gordon and CEO Jackson Wright announces the  launch of an update to their dating app, rebranding the name and profile from Mr. Wright Now to Mr. Wright Forever, built  on trust and safety. After the launch, Lisa seems uncomfortable around Cress and Jackson, who sees share  prices are surging.  Lisa stalls on telling Cress what is wrong.  She texts Detective Velasco on a dating app. 

Meanwhile, Fin tells Velasco overtime has been cut by McGrath and he has to punch out. Fin sees him on the dating app and they talk about on-line dating, Fin calling it Russian Roulette.  Later, Velasco meets up with Lisa in a bar and she’s already well lubricated with alcohol.  Later, he walks her home and when Velasco tries to assist her in unlocking her door, she freaks out, telling  him not to touch her. She screams, and then she falls down the steps.  Velasco calls for a bus. 

Benson arrives at the hospital where Velasco is waiting and he explains what happened.  He insists he just brushed her arm and she freaked out and fell down the stairs.  Benson says she’ll talk to Lisa and tells Velasco to go over his whole night with Fin. 

Benson speaks with Lisa who said Velasco did nothing wrong, she drank too  much tequila. Benson asks if she has any idea why she acted that way, and Lisa says not really. Benson comments she could have been seriously hurt, Lisa brushes if off, saying “You know what they say – god looks out for drunks.” Benson smiles.  Lisa continues to resist going into detail,  but when Benson gives Lisa her business card, Lisa pauses and then changes her mind, saying there is a reason she can’t say anything. It is her boss, Jackson Wright. She explains the dating app and Jackson encourages employees to use it. She matched Jackson and he said the app had spoken and if they don’t trust it,  why should the public.  She went on the date, in his penthouse, and they talked and had champagne and started kissing.  He started to get pushy and grabber her, she was shocked.  She tried to get away but the more she fought the more he seemed to like it. He threw her over the couch and pretty much raped her.  He didn’t even realize, it was like hate sex. She got out of there as fast as she could. She texted him the next day and said she wasn’t going to date him again, and he DM’d her and said “Sorry if it got weird for you.”  Her godmother, Cress, is partners with Jackson and she tried to tell her but she couldn’t do it. 

At the Mr. Wright Now headquarters,  Benson and Fin speak with Cress about the situation with Lisa and she seems to not believe it.  Fin mentions Jackson’s reputation and she calls it a marketing strategy and says he would never be violent. They just re-lauched the app saying it would be safer for women. Benson states her sense is that Lisa was assaulted.  Cress thinks it was someone else, and it happened before the safeguards were in place.  Benson explains the date and Cress said neither of them mentioned it.  Fin says they will talk to him and Benson adds she’d appreciate it if she didn’t give Jackson a heads up. 

At the penthouse of Jackson Wright, Benson and Fin arrive and Jackson has a female guest there.  They ask about his relationship with Lisa and he explains they went out on the one date. Jackson sees on the TV screen that his stock is crashing and he freaks out.  He gets on the phone  to Cress and messages she needs to call him. He changes the channel to see Cress having a press conference about sexual assault allegations against Jackson.  She says he paid lip service to the women using the app, and realized he is a predator. She resigns as CFO. 

At SVU, Carisi watching this with Benson, discusses this latest turn of events.  Carisi wonders if the two women are playing them and Benson thinks this is what Jackson will say. 

Later,  Jackson is making a televised statement, saying he knows what rape is, when someone says stop, he stops.  Benson and the detectives watch this at SVU, along with Carisi.  He makes it sound like it is a baseless attack.   Jackson’s lawyer gets on screen.  Fin explains to Carisi that Jackson is not denying the date and said the sex was consensual, adding Jackson said he had no idea why Lisa would think otherwise.  They think he is lying but Carisi questions the timing of this allegation,  along with the company going public, thinking it is suspicious.  Benson gets a message that Cress has agreed to come in to SVU.

Later, Cress speaks with Benson and Carisi and she says she found four women who stopped using the app after dating Jackson. Carisi hopes she didn’t contact them, and Cress says sorry, she had to know.  She told them it was market research. Benson explains they will need their names, and Cress says she can ask them to call her but she can’t give them the names, it would violate their confidentiality agreements.  Carisi mentions a warrant but cress resists.  Benson explains it would be wise for her to cooperate.

In the squad room, Velasco said three of the women said they had bad sex with Jackson but none alleged rape.  Fin says when Rachel and Cristina complained to Jackson by DM and they got a message back was some version of “I’m sorry if it got weird for you.”  Blair said when she DM’d him she got a response saying “equity in the company, a trip to Maui”, Benson calling it a bribe, Carisi saying it is a class D felony in Blair’s case. None of them want to press charges.  Carisi asks if this is solid and when Benson says it is, Carisi says he knows his next step.

In arraignment court,  Jackson’s lawyer Mr. Swope pleads not guilty for Jackson, calling it extortion. Carisi wants remand.  The judge listens to the defense’s argument and the judge ROR’s Jackson.  Lisa hears this and is stunned, Benson telling her if Jackson dares to call her to let her know. 

Carisi later tells Benson he got an order of protection. Benson asks how is Rollins, and Carisi says her mom will be in a cast for two more weeks.  Benson explains she told Rollins to take all the time she needs and to take care of herself first.  Velasco calls out to Benson, saying she needs to see this. 

Jackson is on video talking about his legal situation and he mentions that date Lisa had with an SVU cop and now it’s an assault.  He thinks Cress planned to submarine the company and put an illegal scheme in place to start her own dating app while demolishing him.  Carisi thinks if this is true, there goes their case.

The next morning, Benson arrives in the squad room and Fin and Carisi are there, Carisi saying Maxwell had martinis with Jack McCoy last night and heard that Jack would not prefer to get exculpatory evidence from a video rant.  Velasco says one of the business blogs uncovered a registration for a new dating app that traces back to Cress.  Benson says to get her in there now. 

In SVU, Cress is in interrogation with her lawyer and Benson and Carisi. Carisi says any investigation into corporate espionage is beyond his purview and Benson says they will tell the appropriate agencies they cooperated.  Cress explains after she spoke with Lisa she knew she had to resign and likely the allegations would be made public. She understands the timing of her dating app was a mistake but she didn’t twist anybody’s arm and Jackson is known for stealing other ideas.  She is still willing to testify and says Lisa knew nothing.  Cress says Jackson put a torch to everything she sacrificed for and now she’s in legal jeopardy?  Benson says this will be a rough road. 

In another  room, Velasco speaks with Lisa who says she had nothing to do with what Cress does.  She apologizes for freaking out on him and he says he will have to testify as it speaks to her trauma.  She asks about going on the stand and he says he’s never done that as an SVU  detective but you just have to tell the truth.  She asks how he likes on-line dating, and Velasco says he will take a little time off.  Lisa sees Cress and walks into the hallway and yells how could she do this to her?  Cress tries to explain but Lisa freaks out and says no one will believe her now. Benson has Velasco move Lisa away and Cress tells Benson she is so sorry. 

At Carisi’s office, with Benson and Velasco, they watch video taken by Jackson of  the Feds investigating Cress' Mr. Wright Now office. He thinks this proves his innocence.  Benson says Jackson knows how to play offense and Carisi says this is why the eighth floor wants to plead this out  to attempted rape 1, 3-1/2 years, and he goes on the registry. Benson thinks Lisa is credible and that has nothing to do with Cress.  Carisi worries Swope won’t go for it and Carisi would look weak.  Benson gets a call from a groggy Cress who says she is sorry and she wants to lie down.  Benson races to her place and finds her there on the floor unconscious. She tells Velasco to call a bus and Benson sees oxy there.  She asks Velasco for the narcan. 

Later, Carisi is at a food truck and Benson and Fin approach. Benson is thankful for the narcan and Cress was released a few hours ago.  Carisi is more worried about Velasco on the stand and that he may be over-prepped. 

In Supreme Court, Velasco is on the stand and talks about sexual assaults and Lisa’s behavior and her assault by Jackson.  Under cross, Swope brings up the dating app and him going back to Lisa’s apartment and her fall down the steps.  Velasco says she projected her sexual assault on him, and then admits he’s only been an SVU detective for 6 months.  Swope continues to try to discredit Velasco.  

Lisa is on the stand and she explains Jackson assaulting her.  They matched on the app and he was her boss, and they were told to believe in the app. She was afraid no one would believe her.  She knew nothing about what Cress was doing and did not profit by coming forward. It was never about money, she wants him never to be able to prey on women again.  Swope brings up the date with Velasco again and her drinking.  She says she was projecting and Swope scoffs that everybody is using that word.  He asks about her drinking on the date with Jackson and he implies she was drunk and was wrong about the assault.  She says this is not what happened. Swope asks if she can see how that would confuse the jury. 

Later, Benson speaks with Cress in her home, who says he just wanted out.  They discuss the case and she asks if Jackson is going to get away with it again, as he can talk his way out of anything. Benson says the trial is in trouble, if Cress doesn’t testify for the prosecution, the defense will call her. Benson asks if she is up for this.

In Supreme Court, Cress is on the stand about the app re-launch date and that Lisa was tense. She explains hearing about the assault and that she later spoke with Lisa and then worried about what the allegations would do to the company and how she reacted with the new app. She says she was offered nothing for her testimony and Lisa knew nothing about the new company.  Cress admits she panicked and wanted to salvage what she put into the company.  She regrets it caused people to doubt Lisa’s story. Under cross, Swope asks her about Lisa and not knowing about the date or anything afterward.  She admits she was close to Jackson and that she did not go to him after the allegations and she decided to go public without  bothering to get his side.  She said it had nothing to do with financial gain and didn’t go to him because she knew what his side of the story would be because he did the same thing to her.  Benson looks stunned as does Jackson.  Swope moves to strike the comment but Carisi comments this is Swope’s own cross. Swope says they are unsubstantiated allegations he is hearing for the first time. The judge calls for order and tells the jury to disregard and tells the bailiffs to clear the gallery. 

In chambers, Carisi and Swope discuss what just happened and Swope says this is highly prejudicial.  Carisi says he knew nothing about it, reminding Swope he himself opened the door.

Benson speaks with Cress who explained what happened, it was after Jackson’s wife died.  She made it clear she did not want to have sex with him but that is not what he wanted to hear. He left the room and came back and apologized saying he’d never do it again, that he and Mr. Right Now needed him and asked he to come on board as CFO.  She says it sounds like he bought her silence but he believes him when he said he was sorry.  She does  not think he meant it, saying there is something else she never told anyone. 

Back in chambers,  Swope wants a mistrial.  Carisi and Swope argue the issue with the judge; she says a mistrial is not necessary, curative instructions should suffice.  Carisi says the prosecution rests, and the judge tells Swope he is up.

Jackson is on the stand and he explains his history with Cress and his wife.  He denies the assault.  Under cross, Carisi asks about the dating app and Jackson says he is an expert on what women want.  He says that when he said the app had spoken, that he and Lisa should trust the algorithm and  they would enjoy each other’s company.  Carisi mentions Lisa’s response on the stand and Jackson dating other women and that some women rewrite history, saying dating is a minefield.  Carisi asks if some women do like it weird, and Jackson says maybe the women Carisi dates but most like a little kink.  Carisi mentions a few behaviors and Jackson agrees, and when Carisi continues to press on the “kinks”, the defense asks if this is just a cross-examination or kink-shaming. Carisi brings up Jackson’s wife and asks if he knew what his wife wanted, asking if he knew she wanted a divorce. He adds that in the months leading up to her death,  she was planning on leaving him.  Jackson tells him to stop talking about his wife.  Carisi doesn’t stop and Jackson asks where is this coming from?  He asks if it is from that lying bitch, then starts to yell at Cress.  He asks if she is jealous  because he had her once and threw her back or because he banged her precious goddaughter?  He yells that they are all lying, that’s what women do.  He rants on, adding when they don’t get what they want, they cry rape.  The jury looks on in disgust.  He continues to rant even though the judge tells him to sit down.   Swope requests a break and Carisi says there is no need, he’s through with him.  Carisi sits down, pleased with himself. 

In the courthouse hall, Carisi speaks with Cress about what happened in there. He says he wanted the jury to see who he was. She always knew his anger was there and she brought Lisa into his world. She never thought he would do it to her. 

Later, the jury finds Jackson guilty of rape in the first degree.  The judge remands Jackson to Rikers until sentencing. He looks like he cannot believe this. Lisa looks thrilled. 

In the courthouse hall, Benson congratulates Carisi and asks if he is heading home. He replies no, he’s going to go to Rollins’ mother’s, it’s pretty chaotic up there. Benson says it really does take a village, doesn’t it? They step into the elevator and Benson says, “You are a good man, Dominic Carisi.”  As the elevator doors  close, we fade to black.