Law & Order SVU “Must Be Held Accountable” Recap & Review

At the end of part 1 of this story, Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable”, Detective Frank Bucci has gone off the deep end and has stormed into a session Rollins is having with Dr. Hanover. Rollins made a critical error by leaving her gun in her car, and she is defenseless when Bucci has his gun pointed at Rollins’ head.  He wants his kids safe and Steve Getz in jail. “Must Be Held Accountable” picks up where we left off.

I’m not a big fan of hostage or kidnapping story lines involving lead characters as 99.9% of the time they play out the same way – the person taken hostage or kidnapped is later released unharmed, after a long search or standoff. The process of tracking down Rollins was predictable and without suspense. After Bucci held two people at gunpoint, he gets what amounts to a slap on the wrist because he’s ex-NYPD, and Rollins and Dr. Hanover don't want to press charges. If anything, they should have been harder on him because he IS ex-NYPD. He also is rewarded for his actions by Getz being arrested. Carisi doesn’t want to put Rollins through any more distress, treating Rollins like she is a helpless woman made of fragile bone china who can’t handle standing up for herself and will shatter at the slightest touch.

While we’re on the subject of Rollins, during her kidnapping ordeal, she admits to some of her flaws. She told Bucci when she first met him she thought he was nice and she can’t handle nice. She explains her dad treated her mom like crap who spent her life chasing dirt bags as she thought that was she was worth, and Rollins thinks she is just like her. She’s worried her girls will grow up the same way, feeling like they don’t deserve to be happy. She admits she’s made plenty of bad choices, having two kids by two different dads, who were guys she slept with for no good reason. Basically, she is shaming herself. She complains about her career, being a third grade detective for 8 years. (Maybe if she wouldn't make careless errors like leaving her gun in her car...)  She did not admit to the gambling, an interesting, possibly telling, omission. We didn’t hear anything we didn’t already know about Rollins. Rollins seems to think that she’s made more progress with facing her demons with Bucci than with Dr. Hanover. This bothered me, as it implied that Rollins needed to be held captive by a man to admit her flaws.   Despite her ordeal, I still feel nothing for Rollins.

I was cringing early on when we had to deal with a scene involving Benson and Noah. I’ve never been a fan of these awkwardly inserted scenes just to make us aware that Benson is a mom and Noah has talent. But what annoyed me more was that Benson should know better than to be having a FaceTime or video call while walking at the same time. It’s not safe, it’s just as bad as texting and driving. Oddly, she stops when she takes the call from Rollins and sees she is distressed, so I guess we know who is really the important one in this relationship. I bet Benson didn’t even notice the dejected look on Noah’s face when Benson told him to show him his stuff in person when she got home.

Kat asks a loaded question, wondering as Rollins knows her kidnapper, was there any chance she was in on it or maybe lost perspective? Benson and Carisi looked at her with such disgust, but I think it was a fair question. Kat doesn’t know Rollins so it would be normal for her to ask an uncomfortable question. It was also beneath Carisi to later address her as “officer” in such a condescending tone. Carisi should have just stopped after his explanation and left off the “Is that okay with you, officer?”

As we saw in part 1, “Can’t Be Held Accountable”, Steve Getz hanged himself in his cell. This episode shows the same outcome. Kat raises a theory that Getz is not really dead, but based on what we’ve seen, he is, and at his own hand. It’s a shame that they showed Getz hanging himself as it would have been far more interesting – and maybe spawned a new story line later – to not show how it happened, raising similar questions as in the real-life death of Jeffrey Epstein. As Getz is dead and the victims won’t have their day in court, does that mean that the evidence collected about all those other people implicated is ignored? I would be interested in seeing how far up Getz’s influence had reached and/or how many others were sexual predators like Getz. Maybe this is saved for another day?

Here is the recap:

The episode opens with a brief recap of part 1 of this story, Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable”, including a replay of the final scene from that episode.

Rollins arrives at Dr. Hanover’s and thanks her for seeing her after such a long day, saying they were blindsided by the Getz case. Hanover says she has been following. Rollins starts to talk about it but the doctor wants to start with Rollins’ father this time. Rollins says it is no big deal, explaining he called and is getting married and wants her to bring her girls to the wedding. She said she shot it down. The door opens and Bucci storms in, startling the doctor who asks who is he? He pulls out a gun and when Rollins reaches for hers, she realizes she doesn’t have it. Bucci explains she left her gun in the car and she shouldn’t do that. He points it at her and Rollins asks what is he doing? He says he wants his kids home safe, and shouts he wants Getz in jail. Rollins tells him this isn’t the way. Bucci yells at her to sit down, and she complies. Rollins asks Bucci not to do this. He points the gun to her head and states he is way past that. He wants Getz in jail, asking if she hears him. As Rollins stares at the gun pointed inches from her head, Rollins calmly says okay.

Meanwhile, Benson exits a store and it’s Noah, and she explains she is just getting into the car. He says he just wanted to tell you that they asked him to do a part in The Nutcracker. Benson is thrilled. As Noah asks if she wants to see his solo, Benson sees a call coming in from Rollins and she tells Noah to show her at home. She cuts the call short and answers Rollins’ call, and Rollins tells her everyone is okay. Benson stops walking and ask what is going on and where is she. A voice says she doesn’t need to know that, and he says it is Frank Bucci. She tells him to take it easy, and Bucci says Getz as his girls and he has one of Benson’s. She tries to calm him but he says she won’t get Rollins back until Getz goes down. She suggests they talk about this, but he says he knows Benson and she gets things done and to do it. She tells him not to hang up and he counters that he is not negotiating. Benson looks stunned.

In her car, Benson calls Fin at SVU who explains he was just punching out. Benson states that he’s not, saying Bucci went rogue and he is holding Rollins and has a weapon. She doesn’t know where they are, and instructs him to call TARU and start location processing on their cars and cells. Fin thinks she was headed home and that Bucci may have followed her, and Benson says to alert ESU and she will meet them there now.

Back in Dr. Hanover’s office, Rollins and the doctor are sitting on the floor and cuffed or tied to a table, and Bucci smashes her phone. Rollins explains that won’t make a difference as the last ping will still be in the vicinity. He isn’t worried. He takes some pills and drinks some whisky. Rollins and the doctor try to talk him down but he still holds the gun to her head. She says she sorry and is scared and he tells her to just do what he asks her to do.

At the apartment of Detective Amanda Rollins at 355 West 117th Street on Thursday, November 21, Benson arrives with ESU Captain Sasso and she explains that Rollins’ cell is off and she doesn’t have a land line. She adds Bucci has a gun to her head and she has two small daughters and she is not taking any chances. He says they will move forward and establish communication inside. Fin, there with Kat, explains Rollins’ and Bucci’s phones are disabled and TARU said it would take an hour to triangulate. Benson asks about GPS for their cars and Kat explains they are checking license plate readers and EZ Pass. Fin says he is an ex-cop and knows how to go under the radar. Benson tells Fin to run his house, have his old squad pull his ten card and find out how many guns he owns and what type. Kat moves off to handle this. As ESU tries to look inside the building, Fin comments Bucci likes Rollins and doesn’t think he will hurt her. Benson coldly says that men kill women they like all the time and he knows that. Fin says he does know that. An ESU officer explains they got some images but it is unlikely they are inside; there are two sleeping children in a back bedroom and in another room a woman that Benson thinks is Rollins’ new nanny, Sienna. They see no one is in distress and decide to move in.

Inside, Benson, with Fin and ESU, knocks on the door and announces herself to Sienna. Sienna opens the door and asks if everything is okay. Benson asks if she and the girls are okay, and Sienna says they are sleeping. Benson asks if she knows where Rollins is, and Sienna replies no, saying she came home after work and had an errand and said she’d be back at 7:30. Fin comments he will call Carisi and see if he knows where she went. Rollins’ daughter Jesse asks where is her mother and Benson replies she is working.

Back in Dr. Hanover’s office, Rollins tries to convince him this is not the way but he is not buying it, saying anything she tries he is one step ahead and not afraid to go down for this. The doorbell rings and the doctor doesn’t know who it is, saying Rollins was her last patient. He explains she has a doorbell app on her iPad which is on her desk. Bucci looks at it and it is her son, saying he forgot his key. Bucci tells her to get rid of him before she does. The doctor explains to Dylan that she is in the middle of a group session and tells him to go to his pop’s in Brooklyn. He argues with her but she tells him to call Leo, she is busy. He is confused but she says she is hanging up now, and to go. Bucci cuts off the video. Bucci worries about Leo and the doctor says he is a drummer and he doesn’t notice things which is why they got divorced. She says the end game of a marriages takes its toll on everyone, and Bucci mentions being married to a psycho. He wonders what his wife was thinking taking his girls onto that boat with Getz. Rollins says she’s not thinking, he’s in a relationship where people don’t think. Bucci says he should have killed Getz in court but Rollins counters he’s not worth it. Bucci thinks it is for him if it saves his girls. Rollins asks what does him being in jail for kidnapping do for them, they need their father.

Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” Recap & Review

A “ripped from the headlines” (Jeffrey Epstein) story unfolds in “Can’t Be Held Accountable”, and this is definitely one story that needs more than one episode to tell.  As we see the pervert of the week, Steve Getz, hang himself at the beginning of this episode, we know what befalls him two months down the road. (Unless the sheet became untied!) It’s the process of getting to that point that will be very interesting if part 2 - airing when SVU returns in January - has the pacing and intensity of this well-constructed episode.

I was a little concerned early on when we find Rollins talking to Dr. Hanover about Carisi, seemingly wanting to place some sort of blame on him for why their relationship is troubled. She whines that Carisi didn’t even know there was a problem and when the doctor asks if Rollins told Carisi, Rollins thinks he should have known. I rolled my eyes. Typical Rollins, thinking the world revolves around her. I’m one of those people who see zero romantic chemistry between Carisi and Rollins, and still wonder if Rollins is upset because Carisi is not around to do her bidding. Rollins also lies again this week when she tells Benson she was at the shooting range when she really was with the doctor. If this happened on Rollins’ personal time, she doesn’t owe Benson an explanation of what she was doing, but if it’s work time, she should have at least told Benson it was a doctor’s appointment and leave it at that. Lying comes too easy to Rollins. Also, when a point was made of showing Rollins pulling her gun out of her car’s glove compartment, I knew this error in judgment was going to come back to haunt her. I’m not a big fan of Rollins, and it seems every week I find myself liking her even less. (This has nothing to do with Kelli Giddish, it’s Rollins that annoys me to no end.)

The case involves a rich businessman, Steve Getz, and his predilection for young girls. He’s got his eyes on Ivy Bucci and then later, her younger sister Milly. These girls are the daughter of Frank Bucci, who we first met in passing in the Law & Order SVU episode “Part 33” from season 20 (episode 14). He met Rollins while they waited to testify in court, so he now enlists her help – and the SVU’s – as he worries his daughter Ivy is the victim of a predator – Steve Getz. Bucci is unhinged most of the episode, and it’s obvious his anger and frustration will not end well.

Kat also creates some waves when she goes off-book and decides to pose as Ivy’s aunt – and Frank Bucci’s sister – trying to get an in as someone looking for a piece of the action with Getz. I can fully understand why Kat felt it easy to fall into this persona, seeing that her background is vice and she went undercover for SVU before she officially worked with them. Benson isn’t happy with this – Kat apparently likes to throw the rulebook out the window. It’s Rollins’ reaction to Kat changing plans that felt almost like jealousy, especially when Fin didn’t seem to react in the same manner as Rollins.

Carisi gets thrown off the deep end again with this case involving Getz - a rich man who apparently has deep connections with powerful or influential people. Hadid was right when she said he was to “green” for this case, but it’s more than Carisi’s inexperience. This is a case that had high probability that powerful people would be affected and subsequently try to derail it. Should SVU had staked out the place to see who walked in and out of Getz’s building to see who was compromised? Could they have installed someone undercover that looked very young but really was of age so they could at least get an idea of what was really going on in there? Kat going in as an adult wasn’t going to get much as far as seeing the real "action". When Getz was in SVU interrogation and his lawyer said they had parental permission, could SVU have asked to see that permission for Ivy Bucci? It’s clear they got the mother’s permission at the end of the episode, but I suspect they didn’t have any permission from Ivy’s mother for the initial encounters. Most importantly, if they said they had obtained parental permission, is that not an admission that they knew that Ivy and the other girls are underage? This confused me a bit.

The shocker to everyone is when the judge decides to make a nonsensical connection between the age of consent for sex (statutory rape) with the issue of the age for not needing parental permission for abortions. He gives Getz a pass on almost everything and then time served on prostitution, which can only make one wonder if the judge is either on the take or likes to enjoy Getz’s services as well.

Rollins’ leaving her gun in the car comes back at her when Bucci holds her at gunpoint in the doctor’s office. Bucci wants something done with Getz and we’ll have to wait until January to find out how Rollins – maybe with the doctor’s help – can talk their way out of this. The upside is, once Rollins gets Bucci calmed down, maybe SVU and the ADA will take some time to actually build a solid case and not rush it to an arrest and court within a period of only 3 days.

Stay tuned for part 2 when SVU returns on January 9, 2020.

Here is the recap:

Steve Getz sits in a prison cell and watches a cockroach crawl across his food. He ties his sheet around his neck and hangs himself.

Two months earlier, Ivy Bucci is walking down the street sees a dog and stops to pet it. A woman, the owner of the dog, stops Ivy and suggests she be a model, saying she is a scout for Steve Getz from “Gimme That Body Fitness.” She says he likes fresh healthy girls like her. Ivy tells the stranger her parents are separated and she is just with her dad. She also sounds interested in the modeling prospect and the woman gives her a business card.

Later at home, Ivy explains to her sister Milly and explains she is going to audition and says she can’t tell dad. Dad - Detective Frank Bucci -  enters and the girls clam up. They sit down to dinner.

Later, Steve Getz and the woman photograph Ivy with a group of young girls. The woman tells Ivy that Steve really likes her, and Steve tells Ivy they think she is their “Gimme That Body” girl.

Ivy attends a “Gimme That Body” party with the woman scout who introduces her to a man at the party with Steve.

Ivy keeps coming back, looking sadder every time. Along with other girls, she steps on a scale to be weighed. Steve continues to photograph her, having her remove more and more of her clothes. She balks when he asks her to drop her hands which are covering her breasts. Eventually she drops her hands. Later, she is laying down, crying, as Steve puts on a robe and puts $100 on her body. She cries.

Later, at home, Frank reminds her to take her lunch but she says she will just get something at school.

Back at Steve’s, Ivy, dressed in a clingy black dress, brings in another man, asking that he works with Steve. She tells him to sit and then guzzles some wine. She moves back to the man and starts to remove his tie.

Afterward, as Ivy races out of the house, the scout runs after her, telling Ivy she is looking good. Ivy says the diet is working. The woman asks that Ivy has a little sister, and when Ivy says her name is Milly, the woman says that Steve wants her to bring her next time. She hands Ivy more money.

At a later time, Ivy returns to Steve’s house with Milly in tow, another party in progress. Milly says the place is like a palace, and Steve asks her how old she is. She replies she is almost 13 and Steve looks thrilled, thinking this is wonderful. Ivy smiles.

Elsewhere, Rollins is in a session with Dr. Hanover. The doctor comments that he’s smart, kind, funny, and Rollins enjoys his company and he is good with her kids, then asks what is she missing? Rollins explains it is not like that, they are friends, and were partners until he left for the DA’s office. The doctor senses Rollins has unresolved feeling about this, but Rollins states she is over it, not that he even knew there was a problem. When the doctor asks if she told him, Rollins thinks he should have known. The doctor comments if that is because he knows her. Rollins sees what he doctor is doing, and when her phone buzzes, she tells the doctor she sees the doctor has another session and gets ready to leave. Rollins suggests next week they should talk about her dad; he called this morning. The doctor comments they haven’t spoke in…Rollins finishes the sentence, stating 15 years. As Rollins heads toward the door, the doctor calls it a “doorknob comment” that might have been worth being brought up earlier in the session. Rollins says nothing and leaves.

Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” Sneak Peeks

Here are sneak peeks from Law & Order SVU, “Can’t Be Held Accountable” airing on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 10PM ET on NBC. This is the fall finale. The videos feature Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, Jamie Gray Hyder, Nicholas Turturro as Detective Frank Bucci, and Vincent Kartheiser as Steve Getz.


My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” can be found at this link.


Please note: These videos have a limited life and may be removed at any time so catch them while you can!



SVU_2109_112119_Clip 2_ from Chris Zimmer on Vimeo.



SVU_2109_112119_Clip 3_ from Chris Zimmer on Vimeo.


Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” Photos, Updated Cast Photo

Here are advance photos for Law & Order SVU, “Can’t Be Held Accountable” airing on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 10PM ET on NBC. This is the fall finale. Also included is a season 21 updated cast photo. The photos feature Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, Jamie Gray Hyder, Nicholas Turturro as Detective Frank Bucci, Aida Turturro as Judge Felicia Catano, Fina Strazza as Milly Bucci, Grace Narducci as Ivy Bucci, Bree Turner as Granya Marcil, Paul Ben-Victor as Counselor Peter Abrams, Zuleikha Robinson as Bureau Chief Vanessa Hadid, and Vincent Kartheiser as Steve Getz.



My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” can be found at this link.

Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC 2019 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Photos by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC 2019 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/NBC 2019 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” Promo

Here is the promo for Law & Order SVU, “Can’t Be Held Accountable” airing on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 10PM ET on NBC.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” can be found at this link.








Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” Episode Information

Here are the details for a new episode of Law & Order SVU, “Can’t Be Held Accountable.”


Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” Air Date November 21, 2019 (10 PM ET/9C Thursday NBC)

A fellow detective asks the SVU for help when he suspects his two daughters are being groomed by a serial predator. Kat disobeys the Captain's orders. Starring Mariska Hargitay, Ice T, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino and Jamie Gray Hyder. Guest starring Nicholas Turturro, Vincent Kartheiser, Zuleikha Robinson and Amy Hargreaves.

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My recap and review of Law & Order SVU “Can’t Be Held Accountable” can be found at this link.


Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.