“Collateral Damages” lived up to its name, with one high powered official, Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham, getting caught with a massive amount of child porn. As Hank isn’t very well liked, his troubles don't bring much sympathy. But his family is hit hard with the collateral damage. Hank’s wife – revealed as SVU favorite Pippa Cox – is now on shaky ground with her job and their children must live with the shame and embarrassment for years to come. Yet Hank, the slime ball that he is, is initially more worried about saving his own guilty skin. Somewhat predictably, he attempts suicide, and Pippa finds him in time, saving Hank’s sorry life. It’s only after this event that Hank gets some sense and cuts a deal with Barba to plead guilty. This was an excellent, well-written episode with plenty of drama, taking two unrelated characters and crafting a tragic story line for both. Playing out in the background were interesting stories for the main cast as well.
Sergeant Dodds is still recovering from his gunshot wound, and his father, the Deputy Chief, was putting pressure on him to take a position with the joint terrorism task force. While his father is pushing him higher up the ladder, Dodds sounds unsure he wants to climb any further. He likes working with the SVU. The question: as Andy Karl will be playing the lead in the stage musical version of “Groundhog Day” and will likely not have time for SVU at some point, how will Dodds leave the squad? Will he eventually take his father’s advice, or will he have an unhappy ending?
In addition to the secretive marriage of Pippa Cox and Hank Abraham, we find that Benson and Tucker’s (likely secret) relationship has progressed. As Benson and Tucker head into a bar, Benson sees what looks like a crowd of younger people having fun, and decides to go somewhere else. I don’t think there was anyone in there that she recognized; I think she may have wanted to be somewhere quieter, more relaxing, and maybe more intimate. As they walked off to find another place to get a drink, Benson hooks her arm into his. I am not sure if I am happy for her or revolted over this relationship. Tucker (AKA "Mother Tucker") has been such an ass to her in the past, but I know their relationship has changed over time. Even though I know we’re talking fictional characters here, I never had any desire to see these two people have a romantic relationship as I never felt that kind of chemistry between them. But I’m willing to go with the flow here and see what happens.
Jessica Phillips, who played Pippa Cox, was exceptional in this episode. As usual, Raúl Esparza was fantastic in portraying Barba’s disgust and frustration with Hank Abraham. Josh Pais has always done a fine job as the annoying Hank Abraham, and he's done it so well that I'm happy to see his character get his comeuppance.
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:
Andy Karl – Sergeant Mike Dodds
Robert John Burke – Captain Ed Tucker
Jessica Phillips – Pippa Cox
Josh Pais - DCPI Hank Abraham
Peter Gallagher - Deputy Chief Williams Dodds
Danny Johnson - Teddy "Brown Sugar" Hawkins
George Morfogen – Mr. Marcowicz
Susie Essman - Counselor Arlene Heller
Sarah Mezzanotte - Amber
Ned Eisenberg - Roger Kressler
Stephen Bradbury – Judge Colin McNamara
Mayank Saxena – CCS Officer
Peyton Lusk - Jordan Abraham
Jadyn Tattoli – Lia Abraham
Alexander Driscoll - Daniel Pullman
Adam Lim - Guo Chang
Jessica Sharples – Naomi
Bill Kochs – Reporter #1
Dawn Yanek – Reporter #2
Teddy "Brown Sugar" Hawkins is taking photos with fans and selling his barbecue sauce. Rollins arrives, working undercover as “Crystal” with her “niece” Amber. Teddy thinks Amber is a bombshell and Amber seems amazed it is famous boxer Teddy Hawkins. Benson and Fin are monitoring nearby, and when Benson worries if “Amber” knows what she is doing as she looks young, Fin explains Amber is from the academy and that Rollins prepped her and primed Teddy. Fin radios to Carisi, asking if he “has eyes” and Carisi says he thinks Teddy is not wasting any time. Teddy offers “Crystal” and “Amber” long island ice teas and when Amber asks if she needs an ID, he says not when she is with Teddy. While they drink, we can see that Rollins’ necklace includes a camera and Fin and Benson can observe and record. Amber is enamored with Teddy’s boxing belts, and he comments the ones displayed are replicas and offers to show them the real ones. They agree to follow Teddy downstairs to see them. Carisi worries to Benson and Fin that if they go downstairs he will lose sight of them, but Fin assures him they still have visual on Rollins’ cam.
In SVU interrogation, Counselor Heller, representing Teddy, says this is harassment and that Hawkins was set up. Carisi counters that he didn’t hear him say no. Hawkins says when the woman approached him with her foul come-ons, he decided to gather evidence. Rollins asks if this is why he asked her niece to get on her knees. Hawkins replies he wanted to see how far they would go before he made a citizen’s arrest. Carisi laughs. Meanwhile, along with Benson in her office, Barba is watching the interrogation and he turns off the sound, asking dryly who is this exemplary human being? Benson says it is Teddy “Brown Sugar” Hawkins, the former boxing champ and the current face for all those shopping mall barbecue joints. Barba asks if he realizes how much trouble he is in, and Benson says not yet; he’s been doing this for so long he thinks he is bulletproof. Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham enters and claps, saying, “There they are, my two favorite people!” He says he has good news for a change. Barba takes a breath and says word travels fast. Abraham comments they have Hawkins on attempted rape and asks what else, what about child porn? Benson states that TARU tossed his home computers and this is clean but they did find some bad sites on his restaurant service but they can’t prove that he accessed them. Abraham comments that still Hawkins is a big get, and that One PP wants him schlonged, perp-walked, cuffed, and his punim on every cable news show in the country. He tells Benson well done and he leaves the office. Barba stares forward and when Benson comments with sarcasm that she got an attaboy from Hank Abraham, Barba adds with a blank face, “Cue the apocalypse.” Benson turns the audio back on, and Rollins and Carisi continue to question Teddy who claims entrapment. Benson enters and tells Heller to get her client camera ready as it is time for his perp-walk. She tells Teddy he is about to trend world-wide, and she points to the front entrance, saying the press is en route. But Teddy caves, and whispers to Heller. He says they have Teddy all wrong, he is a hero and will get them the real bad guys. Heller says Teddy will expose an on-line pedophile ring, and to tell Barba to stop admiring himself in that glass and come in and do his job.
At the Physical Therapy Clinic at Mercy Hospital on Wednesday February 10, Dodds is undergoing therapy when his father Deputy Chief Dodds arrives, who complains his son is not returning his father’s calls. Sgt. Dodds says he is doing better, rubbing his arm, asking how is he? His father said he just had breakfast with the head of the joint terrorism task force and suggests Sgt. Dodds switch gigs, saying everyone knows about his heroism. Sgt. Dodds says he got shot, but his father reminds him it was in the line of duty and the word is he took a bullet for that rogue detective from Chicago. Sgt. Dodds questions who is spreading that word, and his father says to never mind that, this is his ticket up and out. When Sgt. Dodds says he just got to SVU, his father says that was just a stepping stone, part of the 5-year plan, and if he wants his lieutenant’s bars, to go JTTF, that is where the juice is now. But when Sgt. Dodds says he is just getting comfortable, his father tells him to never get comfortable, and as soon as his shoulder is better, back on the ladder.
Back at the SVU, Teddy is talking about himself in the third person, and says he wants to do the right thing, stating people offer him videos all the time and he can help take those guys down. Heller says Teddy does not view this material, he just knows people who do. Barba asks if she is saying her client doesn’t download this stuff yet the people that do trust Teddy implicitly? She says right, and comments since they have less than a flawless case – undercovers drinking and stripping – the smart move is to go after the real creeps: the distributors in the act of uploading. Barba sighs, and tells Teddy the charges aren’t going away but the more he cooperates, the more generous Barba will be with sentencing recommendations. Heller asks him to hold off on the arraignment; it is better that the people he is reaching out to don’t know he has been arrested. Teddy explains these guys don’t post the juicy stuff until after midnight.
Later, the police knock down an apartment door and Carisi enters and nabs a man uploading. Fin does the same in another man’s apartment. Fin calls Benson and Barba who are at the SVU squad room and says Pullman is in custody and is crying like a bitch. Barba makes the two men off the board and Benson tells Rollins that Carisi is on his way to her. Rollins says they should have saved him the trip; it’s almost 1AM and maybe the person with the ID “babybanger” on the “cradlerobberz” web site took the night off. Carisi arrives and he and Rollins are ready to call it a night when suddenly they see activity. Carisi comments that is bad luck for him, in another minute they would have been out of there. Inside, Carisi breaks down the door to find an old man inside, not online, and confused about why they are there. The detectives see no computer as they explain why they are there and Rollins asks where is his modem. The old man seems clueless but Carisi sees a box which Mr. Marcowicz says his neighbor said he put in for his cable. Carisi sees it is emitting the signal going next door. Marcowicz says a nice family with two kids live there. Rollins and Carisi step into the hall and the door from the apartment next door opens, and Pippa Cox is shocked to see them there, saying she heard something. Rollins and Carisi are just as surprised to see her, and Rollins asks if they can come in, saying their cells are down and asks if she has a computer they can use. Pippa lets them in, saying her husband is still up and in his office and is sure he won’t mind. Carisi asks is her husband has his own home office, and Pippa says he needs it, adding :you know him, always working.” Rollins whispers this is a police matter, then she and Carisi open the doors to find Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham there, on his computer. He tries to close out the screen and asks what are they doing here? Carisi says they were just about to ask the same questions, and orders him to step away from the computer. He complies. Rollins looks back at the computer which now shows a photo of his family.
Rollins accesses the computer while Carisi is on the phone with Benson. Pippa asks what is going on, and Hank says nothing, it is departmental business and to stay out of this. She backs away. Hank tells Carisi he assumes Benson told them to walk out of there, and Carisi states that she is on her way. Hank claims this is an innocent mistake, he clicked too many buttons. Carisi raises his voice and counters that they caught him in the act of distributing child porn. Hand says he has a secure modem from the NYPD, and Rollins stands up and states this is why he caches Wi-Fi from his 80-year- old neighbor. Hanks says this gets crazier and crazier, but Rollins seems sickened by him and says she is going outside to wait for Benson. She leaves, and Hank tells Carisi that he doesn’t want to put the two of them in a bad position, he knows they are just the messengers, but this could go wrong in a lot of ways. Carisi says he hopes that is not a threat, and Hank just glares back at him.
Outside, Benson arrives. Fin is there waiting with another Sergeant and Benson asks that Sergeant to turn off his flashing lights on his car. He complies. Fin says he was halfway home when he got Rollins' call and figured Benson could use the back up. She thanks him and says they are still in the apartment. Fin asks if computer crimes is there yet, and Benson says almost, asking for time to get Pippa and the kids out.
