Here is the discussion topic for Law & Order SVU “Prima Nocta” which aired on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Please feel free to add any feedback you have about this episode in the comments!
Having Kelli in this episode at least made it feel like the SVU I like so much - chemistry with the characters. At this point Cpt. Curry adds nothing. Velasco - is he even on the show any more? Did I miss something? The case was hard to believe. I gagged every time they called Rollins "professor". It was...okay, but not their best.
The only saving grace of this episode is Rollins' return. I wish Rollins would return as a main character again!
The 25th season has been disappointing, to say the least (but I did enjoy "Children of Wolves" -- Hargitay's episode). I know it's highly unlikely, but I want Warren Leight to return for a 3rd stint as the series' showrunner. If Graziano continues as showrunner for season 26, I may not watch anymore (I do not enjoy his episodes.
I enjoyed this ep. It was really good. And that's in spite of some questionable moments like Rollins interviewing the vic on her own or the ADA and his wife being part of the honey trap. The case was much better than the one where the victim was worried abt prosecuting her rapist cuz he was Black. The anger in my being that night! I was so mad!
Compared to other shows I find the acting can be more of a miss than a hit on SVU. The opening scene- I felt like I was watching Peter and Kelli run lines w some child actors. And I don't think the issue is simply that children are involved. Countless movies and shows hv scenes w children that feel believable but this felt like it didn't hv a natural flow. Felt very 'put on' esp by the adults. This scene could hv been cut down by a lot imo
Later, w the 1st vic giving her outcry to Liv- also felt very much like acting. And this is def just a me thing but of all the instances for bad acting to occur I really hv a problem when it's a 'vic' telling their story. There's just an icky feel when I can read the moment as fake, fake crying and all. Just easier when I can stay in the scene and experience it as if the moment is really unfolding. Her scene w Amanda at the hospital was much better. And so were the scenes w the other victims. I was able to stay in the story. (1/2)
I found Liv likeable in this ep. Liked her interactions w the survivors. There were unspoken moments that highlighted her relatability w them- Joseph being a product of rape and Jenna showing up at the end w her hair cut like Liv did after Lewis. Didn't need spelling out to show Liv gets them on a personal level as much as she does thru professional training.
This ep seemed to be setting the stage for a Rollins return w the extra time needed to find herself expiring in the fall. I hope if this is so, meaning an end to this season's cast of newbies, that they at least get an ep to wrap up their stories and that they don't get 'Churlished'. I'm guessing next week is Agent Sikes wrap-up ep. I hope Curry gets one too. Bruno, I really hope he stays. I really like this xter.
The ending- chef's kiss. It was short but complete as a check-in. It was better than some of the Liv-Amanda scenes from when she was still on the squad. I think this one would hv been appreciated by fans of this friendship. I also like this version of reality where Liv and Amanda are still close friends and are staying in touch 'off-screen'. This as opposed to the insinuation last season that they had not seen each other in several months and Liv did not know abt A's pregnancy until she was practically ready to deliver. I prefer a world where they hv remained close friends after all the work it took for them to trust each other. (2/2)
I hv more or less ignored Capt Curry on the show but i will rant abt her now. In the beginning there were these little 'quirks' abt her that not only added some levity to the show but I think helped make Curry her own individual person and not a rubber stamp Black character. I was fine w it. But these quirks hv now become my qualms. In the absence of anything else abt her she has become a bit of a cartoon character.
I thought the idea of having 2 captains working in the same unit, w one now becoming the subordinate of the other, a bit of a reach. Add to this the idea that a Black female officer has risen up thru the ranks to seniority to just give that up- even more far-fetched. But I was willing to roll with it.
As it was presented I can see a world where the move could hv mutual benefit for both her and Liv. For Curry, an opportunity to work on some rigidity (that no doubt allowed someone like her to succeed in NY but is now starting to hold her back). I really liked the scenes w her & Liv comparing desks. Amusing but also seemed to be setting the stage for some of their dynamic and perhaps some of their conflict. The coming together of Liv's no rules approach to Curry's rigid need for rules and order could create some tension but ultimately some balance and an opportunity for both women to learn from each other. For Curry, an opportunity to take risks and add some meaning to her work past the status of being captain. The 2 capts thing could slide for some of this interesting content.
But the route they went, in order to make this structure work, was to make Curry so green at the job that a uni might offer more to the squad at this pt. I mean, she is basically more of a newbie than Muncy and Kat. She just doesn't irk Liv w her attire or other shenanigans.
A scene that really paints this is where a uni comes in and interrupts C and Bruno and says, "Capt Curry, a det...is here to see you." She addresses C directly but it's clear B was in command. He walks out w her and takes charge asking the first question. Even tho she does ask a ques eventually she seems more like an observer than the snr officer among them. B leads that convo even tho the uni- and by extension the det- came looking for Curry. I love, btw, that B just assumes this is smthg for him to be involved in. Like the visit could hv been a personal one but he just strut right out w her to find the detective.
All this criticism said, this ep was a little better. She felt more involved in the case and she was not there just to provide humor. Still, she doesn't come off as someone w agency in the squad. I think all the lost detectives- Churlish, Kat, Muncy...were handling more responsibility by now.
Her xter in previous eps seemed to be for comedic relief but I think it stopped being funny a while back. I compare her to Vargas on OC. His dynamic w Stabler offers levity to the show but they hv done this without undermining his value to the main xter and to the squad. He is very capable and his presence has helped Stabler a lot. He has standing even w the banter between him and Stabler. Curry is nothing like this. She has been more for comedy w little to no standing, offering nothing of substance to Benson or the rest of the squad. I'm guessing Amanda returns in S26 in her place. I just hope we get a good ep for Curry before then and she isn't just vaporized never to be heard abt again.
Having Kelli in this episode at least made it feel like the SVU I like so much - chemistry with the characters. At this point Cpt. Curry adds nothing. Velasco - is he even on the show any more? Did I miss something? The case was hard to believe. I gagged every time they called Rollins "professor". It was...okay, but not their best.
ReplyDeleteThe only saving grace of this episode is Rollins' return. I wish Rollins would return as a main character again!
ReplyDeleteThe 25th season has been disappointing, to say the least (but I did enjoy "Children of Wolves" -- Hargitay's episode). I know it's highly unlikely, but I want Warren Leight to return for a 3rd stint as the series' showrunner. If Graziano continues as showrunner for season 26, I may not watch anymore (I do not enjoy his episodes.
I enjoyed this ep. It was really good. And that's in spite of some questionable moments like Rollins interviewing the vic on her own or the ADA and his wife being part of the honey trap. The case was much better than the one where the victim was worried abt prosecuting her rapist cuz he was Black. The anger in my being that night! I was so mad!
ReplyDeleteCompared to other shows I find the acting can be more of a miss than a hit on SVU. The opening scene- I felt like I was watching Peter and Kelli run lines w some child actors. And I don't think the issue is simply that children are involved. Countless movies and shows hv scenes w children that feel believable but this felt like it didn't hv a natural flow. Felt very 'put on' esp by the adults. This scene could hv been cut down by a lot imo
Later, w the 1st vic giving her outcry to Liv- also felt very much like acting. And this is def just a me thing but of all the instances for bad acting to occur I really hv a problem when it's a 'vic' telling their story. There's just an icky feel when I can read the moment as fake, fake crying and all. Just easier when I can stay in the scene and experience it as if the moment is really unfolding. Her scene w Amanda at the hospital was much better. And so were the scenes w the other victims. I was able to stay in the story. (1/2)
I found Liv likeable in this ep. Liked her interactions w the survivors. There were unspoken moments that highlighted her relatability w them- Joseph being a product of rape and Jenna showing up at the end w her hair cut like Liv did after Lewis. Didn't need spelling out to show Liv gets them on a personal level as much as she does thru professional training.
ReplyDeleteThis ep seemed to be setting the stage for a Rollins return w the extra time needed to find herself expiring in the fall. I hope if this is so, meaning an end to this season's cast of newbies, that they at least get an ep to wrap up their stories and that they don't get 'Churlished'. I'm guessing next week is Agent Sikes wrap-up ep. I hope Curry gets one too. Bruno, I really hope he stays. I really like this xter.
The ending- chef's kiss. It was short but complete as a check-in. It was better than some of the Liv-Amanda scenes from when she was still on the squad. I think this one would hv been appreciated by fans of this friendship. I also like this version of reality where Liv and Amanda are still close friends and are staying in touch 'off-screen'. This as opposed to the insinuation last season that they had not seen each other in several months and Liv did not know abt A's pregnancy until she was practically ready to deliver. I prefer a world where they hv remained close friends after all the work it took for them to trust each other. (2/2)
I hv more or less ignored Capt Curry on the show but i will rant abt her now. In the beginning there were these little 'quirks' abt her that not only added some levity to the show but I think helped make Curry her own individual person and not a rubber stamp Black character. I was fine w it. But these quirks hv now become my qualms. In the absence of anything else abt her she has become a bit of a cartoon character.
ReplyDeleteI thought the idea of having 2 captains working in the same unit, w one now becoming the subordinate of the other, a bit of a reach. Add to this the idea that a Black female officer has risen up thru the ranks to seniority to just give that up- even more far-fetched. But I was willing to roll with it.
As it was presented I can see a world where the move could hv mutual benefit for both her and Liv. For Curry, an opportunity to work on some rigidity (that no doubt allowed someone like her to succeed in NY but is now starting to hold her back). I really liked the scenes w her & Liv comparing desks. Amusing but also seemed to be setting the stage for some of their dynamic and perhaps some of their conflict. The coming together of Liv's no rules approach to Curry's rigid need for rules and order could create some tension but ultimately some balance and an opportunity for both women to learn from each other. For Curry, an opportunity to take risks and add some meaning to her work past the status of being captain. The 2 capts thing could slide for some of this interesting content.
But the route they went, in order to make this structure work, was to make Curry so green at the job that a uni might offer more to the squad at this pt. I mean, she is basically more of a newbie than Muncy and Kat. She just doesn't irk Liv w her attire or other shenanigans.
A scene that really paints this is where a uni comes in and interrupts C and Bruno and says, "Capt Curry, a det...is here to see you." She addresses C directly but it's clear B was in command. He walks out w her and takes charge asking the first question. Even tho she does ask a ques eventually she seems more like an observer than the snr officer among them. B leads that convo even tho the uni- and by extension the det- came looking for Curry. I love, btw, that B just assumes this is smthg for him to be involved in. Like the visit could hv been a personal one but he just strut right out w her to find the detective.
All this criticism said, this ep was a little better. She felt more involved in the case and she was not there just to provide humor. Still, she doesn't come off as someone w agency in the squad. I think all the lost detectives- Churlish, Kat, Muncy...were handling more responsibility by now.
Her xter in previous eps seemed to be for comedic relief but I think it stopped being funny a while back. I compare her to Vargas on OC. His dynamic w Stabler offers levity to the show but they hv done this without undermining his value to the main xter and to the squad. He is very capable and his presence has helped Stabler a lot. He has standing even w the banter between him and Stabler. Curry is nothing like this. She has been more for comedy w little to no standing, offering nothing of substance to Benson or the rest of the squad. I'm guessing Amanda returns in S26 in her place. I just hope we get a good ep for Curry before then and she isn't just vaporized never to be heard abt again.