As I despise – and don’t watch – reality competition shows, I was dreading the episode “Assaulting Reality” which was based on a “Bachelor” type show. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this episode, likely because it almost felt like the closest we would ever come to an SVU comedy. The corny dialog from the “Heart’s Desire” show and the whole premise of how the show was staged is exactly why their real-life counterpart shows are unwatchable to me.
Apparently they are also unwatchable to Benson and Tucker, who saw the show while in a bar, both drinking what looks like coffee. Maybe this means that Tucker’s previous comments to Benson about drinking has been taken seriously. But Rollins does watch the show, at one point getting tears in her eyes. Maybe Rollins looks for that Disney-princess like scenario for her own life. Carisi, also at Rollins’ apartment, thinks no man would ever want to hear this, so they have some work to do if they want the relationship to progress further. Carisi was there making dinner but he’s also the one who seems to be paying the most attention to baby Jesse. Rollins, on the other hand, is sitting on the sofa cuddling with her dog. I was slightly surprised when Benson, upon finding out that Carisi was at Rollins’ place cooking dinner, didn’t give them some kind of warning later about getting into a relationship as they are colleagues. Rollins and Carisi may only be very good friends so Benson may not have anything - yet - to warn them about. Seeing that Benson is in a relationship with Tucker, she may not feel that she has any room to criticize, either.
While on the subject of Benson and Tucker, while I am willing to let this relationship play out and have said before that their relationship lacks a romantic spark, I felt a little nauseated when Benson commented that his dinner plans at her place sounded romantic. Maybe it’s because I just saw an old SVU episode the other day where Tucker was being such a major jerk that it brought back my dislike for him and made me wonder how she could ever be in a relationship with a man who seemed so bent on destroying her career.
It was amusing that Fin, his real life counterpart having a reality show of his own, commented that reality shows are all fake. Also amusing was when Barba said his mother says the show will do anything for ratings. If anything, this applies just as much to shows like SVU as it does for a reality show.
Law & Order and SVU “repeat offenders” Wendie Malick and Michael Gross were perfectly cast for the roles of the show executive producers and I think their performances added to the comic tone of this episode. Larisa Oleynik also did a fine job as the frazzled Lizzie, who tried to keep the show together but had to contend with two domineering bosses who eventually made her the scapegoat.
Here is the recap:
Cast:
Mariska Hargitay - Lieutenant Olivia Benson
Ice-T - Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Raúl Esparza - ADA Rafael Barba
Peter Scanavino - Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr.
Guest stars:
Robert John Burke – Captain Ed Tucker
Michael Gross - Jeffrey Prince
Wendie Malick - Regina Prince
Larisa Oleynik - Lizzie Bauer
Mather Zickel - John Valentine
Rachael Emrich - Gigi Danson
Comfort Clinton - Melanie Connor
Caprice Benedetti - Tammy Ledder
Adam Gregory - Ryan Ledder
Jordan Bondurant – Graham Turco
Shannon Thornton - Ashley S.
Ava Lange as Ashley B.
Adam Perry - Emmett Weaver
Jones Miller – Mrs. Connor
Host John Valentine welcomes audiences back to the show, Heart’s Desire in NYC. It is week 6 and the competition is down to three men and four women; one of the women will be going home after the broadcast. Melanie and Gigi are competing for Ryan and Ryan will chose his “heart’s desire” tonight.
Meanwhile, Benson and Tucker are in a bar, both drinking coffee, and the show is playing. Benson asks the bartender to turn the show off, and Tucker suggests throw the TV out. Benson asks who actually watches this show?
In Rollins' apartment, she is glued to the TV show. She is sitting on her sofa with Frannie the dog as Carisi is there holding baby Jesse. They watch Melanie and Gigi discuss Ryan and Carisi comments about Gigi throwing shade. Rollins says Gigi is a total witch; she and Frannie are team Melanie. Melanie says Ryan is the guy of her dreams. The show plays the video of Gigi and Ryan on a “steamy” helicopter ride. John then asks Melanie about her date with Ryan, which she describes a quiet but the truly connected. A video of their carriage ride in the park is shown, Melanie saying she felt like a Disney princess. Carisi comments that no guy wants to hear that. He asks Rollins if she is crying, and she shakes it off, saying no but Carisi comments she is so busted. John asks Melanie what happened when they got back to the triplex, and when Melanie just smiles, John shows a video of the action. The others ask if they want a drink but they indicate they are good. Ryan tells Melanie that John gave him the “Dream Suite” key and Melanie says she is dizzy and she kisses Ryan. They go to the suite and he opens the door, Melanie saying she is not sure about this. They head to the bed and the crowd cheers at the activity. John tells Melanie that was a big step for her, and she says it wasn’t that big of a step. He asks if she is sure, then suggests they see what happened a little later in the evening. Melanie, and the audience, sees a video of her in bed with Ryan, taken with a night vision camera, and while she looks shocked, the audience applauds. Upset, she stands up and says she doesn’t remember any of this. Meanwhile, Rollins and Carisi both look stunned. Back at the show, John asks Melanie if she remembers going to the Dream Suite with Ryan, and she admits yes, but says she is a virgin and would have never slept with him. Producer Lizzie Bauer, off camera, orders them to cut to a commercial now. John stands up and says they will be back as Melanie shouts out “Did Ryan rape me?” Back at Rollins' place, Carisi asks Rollins if she just saw what he just saw. Rollins says Melanie wasn’t acting, asking if they just aired a rape.
The next day at SVU, the team watches the video of Melanie and the rape accusation. The papers have headlines of the shocking allegation. When Carisi comments he is surprised this hasn’t happened before, Benson asks her to please tell him he doesn’t watch this show. He says no but last night was his first time; he was making dinner and Rollins put it on. Rollins rolls her eyes and Fin question that Carisi is “making dinner.” Rollins gives an eye roll again and Benson gives them both a look as Fin comments that maybe they were distracted but they know that reality shows are all fake. Rollins replies not last night, saying they want drama and fairy tells but not rape, adding they cut away as soon as Melanie started to freak out. Benson asks if Melanie reported it, and Rollins wonders if the producers let her make a call as they don’t allow access to the outside world. Carisi adds it is like Stockholm Syndrome, and with all the headlines and all the calls they are getting from concerned viewers and the Chief of Ds’ wife…and Rollins finishes that they should at least ask a few questions. Benson agrees and tells them to go talk to Melanie but she is interested in “our” reality, not theirs.
At the Heart’s Desire triplex at 539 West 22nd Street on Tuesday, April 5, Carisi and Rollins are inside and Rollins notices the hot tub where Ashley B. slapped Graham in the second episode. There is filming going on, and girls are cavorting in bikinis. Lizzie Bauer enters, stating she is co-producer and asks how can she help the NYPD. Carisi explains they are following up on the accusation that Melanie made on the air last night. Lizzie explains they have been getting calls about it too but asks that they know nothing happened and that the show is heavily scripted. Rollins states they still need to speak to Melanie. Lizzie comments that the executive producers are talking to the network and asks if they can wait until they get here, and Rollins answers with a firm no. Lizzie looks unsettled and says that Melanie is close to the final round, adding that she spoke with her last night and if she wanted the police involved they definitely would have made that happen. Carisi insists they need to hear that from her. Lizzie says, “Uh huh” as she leads them up the stairway.
