Update May 17, 2024
I'm making the time to comment on the Law & Order SVU season finale. I can't let this season ender go by without releasing some of the pent-up displeasure I have with the episode and the season as a whole.
First, the speed at which they resolved this case strains credulity, especially after having some sort of group symposium to discuss the difficult case. And why did Benson need all her detectives, plus Carisi, and Carisi's boss, to be there? So each one of her detectives can utter one sentence apiece? Couldn't one detective - or better yet - just Benson, be able to relay the story to the group? And why would Carisi and his boss need to be there; shouldn't the pressure to solve the case be coming from One PP? I know it was probably just to bring on Carisi's new boss to annoy all of us, without adding to the solving of the case.
Fin getting shot was something I didn't expect, but I really didn't expect that he'd let it slide AND that the hospital and Benson let it slide as well. Clearly the hospital should recognize the difference between a gunshot wound and being cut by a mirror, and it should have been reported. I understand Fin feeling sorry for the kid, especially since the kid's father was wrongfully jailed, but I'd want to report it just to get the guns out of the house where that child lives.
Olivia Benson becomes even closer to sainthood as, while bullets fly all around her and everyone else goes for cover, she gets in her car to help an officer who'd been shot. It's like Benson has a death wish, or that she thinks no one else can save anybody but her. Making Olivia Benson the center of the SVU universe on every episode is making this show dull.
The ending was...horrible. I'd already had enough of the Maddie storyline, and Benson attending her birthday party was too much for me to bear. Adding salt to the wound, Benson gives the necklace that Stabler had given to her - with so much thought behind it - to Maddie's mother. I don't think Stabler gave Benson that necklace for it to be passed on - and returned - like a good luck charm after it works its "magic". And that phone call between Benson and Stabler - how much more lifeless could that dialog have been?
I hope that next season they can get this cast stabilized and bring back episodes that utilize the entire ensemble, and avoid the weekly "Olivia Benson" show. In my opinion, they should keep Fin and Bruno (Kevin Kane) and - gasp - bring back Rollins (Kelli Giddish). (I can't believe I said that.) I'm indifferent to Velasco (Octavio Pisano) but I'd be open to someone new in his place. Something is missing with the cast and they need to get things back in balance, and the one thing that can help is bringing back someone the fans know and like (like Kelli) to glue things back together.
Wth did I just watch? Lol Gonna need a re-watch on this one to decide for sure cuz as of now I just feel clouded over w annoyance. One thing is for sure- Maddie will be around in future seasons. I mean they're "family now". I will hv my fast forward button ready.
ReplyDeleteFinally, a decent episode! It's not necessarily my favorite episode, but it did make sense, and it's better than many others in this season.
ReplyDeleteThe most worthy episodes this season are "Duty to Report," "The Children of Wolves," "Prima Nocta," "Marauder," and this episode. Unfortunately, the 25th season of SVU, which was supposed to be a milestone season, did not live up to the series' legacy and its potential. I'm starting to lose interest as many episodes were duds this season.
Something needs to change and fast for this series to do well next season. The problem is David Graziano. I miss Warren Leight's episodes and his time as showrunner. Does anyone else agree? I know it's highly unlikely, but after Graziano's disappointing run, I would like Leight to return for a 3rd stint.
And, also, I would like Kelli Giddish to return as Amanda Rollins. I also want more courtroom scenes, too!
Chris (and others who want to comment) -- how do you feel about this season? Which Law & Order series (original, SVU, or OC) had the best season this year? I would say (from best to worst) is the original, OC, and then SVU.
The ending with Benson and Maddie ruined it for me. The overall story wasn't great, although Fin did have that altercation with that kid that got him shot which was a surprise. Other than that, the case was solved ridiculously quick and that ending scene with Benson and Maddie - awful. AWFUL! I cringed at it and rolled my eyes. And then I laughed at it. Probably not the effect they were looking for.
ReplyDeleteAnother season/story arc with someone who wants immediate action all the time. First it was Chief McGrath, now it's now Trial Division Chief Russell. 25 seasons has shown that people like that don't make good leaders and don't last long in the L&O universe, because their subordinates end up arresting and jailing the wrong people just to keep their bosses placated.
ReplyDeleteBenson needs time off from her too-handsy role as Captain. I never saw Cragen or Van Buren arrive on scene to shoot at suspects or play superhero to drag injured people away. And she spends more time worrying about Maddie and her family than her own son or detectives.
This ep's purpose was not only to end the season but to double down on all its main criticisms: the excusing of the 18 yr old rapist, the Maddie stuff, the "why is Benson doing everything" stuff. It was all doubled down on
ReplyDeleteInstead of a rapist, it's now a child firing a weapon at a cop. And I'm not saying he should be thrown under the jail for that but gimme a break w the free pass. As ppl continue to document many instances of excessive force by police, it's hard to believe that there's a scenario where the cop, who doesn't know this person from a can of paint, decides to cover the incident up. If this had happened irl I would hv questions abt the cop. Do we know for sure that he has not been molesting the child, for example? Why so quick to conceal this? Of course Fin would never do smthg like that to a child. I'm just saying irl I'd be side-eyeing the cop.
And there is a meaningful way to explore restorative justice but to do that I think it should hv had its own dedicated episode. Just throwing this in on the side failed. What Fin did here wasn't restorative justice, it was a free pass.
The story wasn't believable but even less so the execution. Watching it, my only 'alarm' was, "are they writing Fin off the show??" But apart from that, nothing abt the shooting scene felt like some intense moment. And God forgive me but I did chuckle a little at him passing out at the precinct. I shouldn't be comparing notes but I just know the OC version of this would hv had me holding my breath. It would hv had me so worried for this xter even if he had just been introduced in the scene before. My heart rate was at baseline level the whole time. I was more worried abt IceT taking that drop to the floor than for the xter of Fin
The convo between Liv and Fin was another load of rubbish. "He is a product of divorce" as if that is some exceptional situation to be in and a qualifier for gun violence. Really? The capacity to stalk an officer and then shoot him stems from having divorced parents? Even so, that doesnt explain the need to hide the incident. To me, the show really needs to work on the difference between explaining beh and excusing it.
I liked the actors in this scene. They were good together and some of the banter was ok. When they got to justifying why Fin is concealing the truth they lost me. I'm surprised Liv agreed so easily. (1\2)
I've seen so many comments questioning "why is Liv doing this, of course Liv is the one to..." And here we go. That whole hostage situation was all Liv. She was the one to rescue the shot cop, maneuvering around the hail of bullets. She was the hostage negotiator. She was the one to secure and comfort the hostage. There's a team there yes but every pivotal moment was handled by Liv. I will say, tho, that this whole thing bothered me the least. I think I'm properly conditioned now to expect Liv to save the day. I'm not mad at it at this pt But it did feel like it was done to insist on smthg that fans complain abt over and over. That, I myself hv complained abt lol
ReplyDeleteAnd then of course, Maddie. My "fed-upness" is not with the survivor. But the handling of her story from jump seems to be more abt Liv than it is Maddie and in a way that really didn't lead to any new discovery of Liv as a viewer. It's been handled in a way that makes the whole thing exhausting. This whole thing w Maddie feels like Liv needs a break from the job. Again, my frustration is not w Maddie. The show has explored similar cases countless times but smthg abt this one has just been off-putting. I still remember Liv running out on a survivor in her office to go be by Mrs Flynn side. If they must continue w Maddie I hope they at least give this story some effort. As it is, I hv to wonder why this victim? That was my question when it all started and I really can't say it's been answered. Why Maddie to get so much of Liv's time? Why Maddie's Mom to get Stabler's necklace (that will always be product placement to me btw). She's not the 1st mother of a vic that "has been thru a lot." So why her? I am tired of this Maddie thing. I hope it at least develops into smthg meaningful even if it's a proper deep dive into Liv's mind. Those therapy sessions were an annoyance in themselves. Sigh.
I wish SVU was more able to do complexity in storytelling. The ideas around first-time young offenders, trafficked women, the hero liv, who takes seriously her duty to hope, are all good ideas. But the approach has been so superficial it ends up having the opposite effect of being compelling. The DA should not hv a neon sign over her saying "our new villain" The exposition at the beginning could be done in ways other than every det taking a turn at saying smthg about the case, and perfectly coordinated at that.
It's a shame that for such a huge and rare milestone- 25th season- that this is what we got. I genuinely wish I had better things to say but this season was a big let down. And it leaves me really questioning the current motives of the show. This whole season felt like a snark of the fans instead of smthg written to support fans. It def feels like they're trolling us. (2/2)