Here is the discussion topic for Law & Order “Excavation” which aired on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Please feel free to add any feedback you have about this episode in the comments!
This was so well-written it was hard to believe it came from the same team that did the last season. Everything, from the cold open to the last scene w Liv and Carisi, was done well. The acting, from both cast and guests, felt believable. I never stepped out of the story including when the victim was recalling her trauma. It is a peeve of mine when I can 'feel the pretense'- the fake crying/fake telling of a story of rape- it's so cringe. Not an issue this week. I was w the episode the whole time as tho it was really unfolding.
I hv a special place in my heart for stories that validate 'old trauma'. I think it's hard for society to understand why a person is still handicapped by 'some old thing' and so, even harder for the survivor to find support. Years ago I was working in Canada during a SA case getting national attention. Every time the news covered it they would throw up a number for a SA centre in the area The footnote they did not add was that part of the admission criteria was that the assault had to hv happened within the last 6 months. They were a stickler to that even if it was over by a week. No doubt they were overwhelmed but ppl were being turned away. I wondered how that affected those survivors and their willingness to seek a diff avenue. Whether recent or decades ago- the stories of sexualized violence matter but it seems harder for survivors to receive compassion for a violation that sounds old. I'm always moved to see these stories handled on this show as tho the significance and level of injustice didn't diminish with time.
I don't think irl a case like this one goes to trial and gets a conviction but I was happy for the dream. A world to root for. The legal challenges were conveyed. They weren't shied away from. And the detectives tried to navigate these hurdles while still honoring the victim and what she was feeling. Liv was particularly good w providing her this balance.
Speaking of Liv- the intake interview she and Curry did w Maggie really brought out their differing backgrounds in policing. Curry has had years at IAB where it was important to focus on facts over emotion, to be suspicious, and to not let emotion keep her from analyzing the data. Benson has all these years at SVU where the victim's emotions are tantamount to the evidence. She knows that irrefutable facts tend to be scarce and don't usually tell the whole story so she listens out for other types of info as well- the demeanor of the survivor etc. I felt these differing perspectives showed up in how they were each handling the interview. Curry wasn't mean or indifferent but just unaware of such practices. I think this will be an area she grows in w time.
One last, albeit facetious, point- I couldn't help but notice the similarity in name of Maggie to Maddie from last season lol. Well, I think they explained Maggie's story far more effectively than Maddie's. Didn't feel gimmicky. It felt deep, honest and moving. I give this ep two thumbs up and hope we're in for more stories that feel as mature and captivating. This was a good one.
1 comment:
This was so well-written it was hard to believe it came from the same team that did the last season. Everything, from the cold open to the last scene w Liv and Carisi, was done well. The acting, from both cast and guests, felt believable. I never stepped out of the story including when the victim was recalling her trauma. It is a peeve of mine when I can 'feel the pretense'- the fake crying/fake telling of a story of rape- it's so cringe. Not an issue this week. I was w the episode the whole time as tho it was really unfolding.
I hv a special place in my heart for stories that validate 'old trauma'. I think it's hard for society to understand why a person is still handicapped by 'some old thing' and so, even harder for the survivor to find support. Years ago I was working in Canada during a SA case getting national attention. Every time the news covered it they would throw up a number for a SA centre in the area The footnote they did not add was that part of the admission criteria was that the assault had to hv happened within the last 6 months. They were a stickler to that even if it was over by a week. No doubt they were overwhelmed but ppl were being turned away. I wondered how that affected those survivors and their willingness to seek a diff avenue. Whether recent or decades ago- the stories of sexualized violence matter but it seems harder for survivors to receive compassion for a violation that sounds old. I'm always moved to see these stories handled on this show as tho the significance and level of injustice didn't diminish with time.
I don't think irl a case like this one goes to trial and gets a conviction but I was happy for the dream. A world to root for. The legal challenges were conveyed. They weren't shied away from. And the detectives tried to navigate these hurdles while still honoring the victim and what she was feeling. Liv was particularly good w providing her this balance.
Speaking of Liv- the intake interview she and Curry did w Maggie really brought out their differing backgrounds in policing. Curry has had years at IAB where it was important to focus on facts over emotion, to be suspicious, and to not let emotion keep her from analyzing the data. Benson has all these years at SVU where the victim's emotions are tantamount to the evidence. She knows that irrefutable facts tend to be scarce and don't usually tell the whole story so she listens out for other types of info as well- the demeanor of the survivor etc. I felt these differing perspectives showed up in how they were each handling the interview. Curry wasn't mean or indifferent but just unaware of such practices. I think this will be an area she grows in w time.
One last, albeit facetious, point- I couldn't help but notice the similarity in name of Maggie to Maddie from last season lol. Well, I think they explained Maggie's story far more effectively than Maddie's. Didn't feel gimmicky. It felt deep, honest and moving. I give this ep two thumbs up and hope we're in for more stories that feel as mature and captivating. This was a good one.
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