It’s rare that I can describe an episode of Law & Order SVU in one word, but in the case of “Internal Affairs” I can: perfection. This episode delivered a suspenseful story peppered with just the right amount of personal drama and it kept me interested all the way to the very end. It was also visually exciting, getting the detectives out into real world settings, making the story itself feel more real.
In “Internal Affairs”, the SVU team is approached by the Internal Affairs Bureau’s infamous douche bag Lt. Ed Tucker, in an unusual situation where Tucker needs their help. The case - inspired by a real life case of NYPD officers acquitted of rape - had the SVU team dealing with the prospect that those who were sworn to serve and protect are really rapists and abusing their power in other ways. The SVU team found it annoying at having to work the case at the behest of Lt. Tucker, who has been nothing but a pain in the ass to SVU over the years. Brian Cassidy gets sucked into the case by Tucker with the promise of getting his detective shield back by working undercover to expose the dirty cops. In true Tucker form, he isn't concerned that his actions put Cassidy’s life in danger and doesn't seem in a hurry to keep his promise.
We also got a look at Benson and Cassidy’s new apartment, which, according to an article from Entertainment Weekly, says the apartment is “in the 50′s on the West Side in some sort of new construction.” (I’ll defer the debate to the experts in New York real estate/rentals on whether the view out the window matches the location and whether Benson & Cassidy could realistically afford the place.) The new apartment looks fresh and modern. It’s a huge improvement over Benson’s previous apartment, which always had a lonely and depressing look, recently made worse by the abuse that Benson suffered there at the hands of William Lewis. The new apartment is an apt symbol for Benson starting a new phase of her life, maybe one that seems lighter and brighter. A big question remains – is Cassidy Mr. Right or simply Mr. Right Now? While Benson and Cassidy did have a past relationship, it wasn’t a long, lasting one. We can only wonder if this time around the relationship will be something more meaningful.
Of course, a new apartment can’t erase what Benson does for a living. She can’t escape the dark nature of her day job, which sometimes brings her in contact with the lowest of the low. This case creates an uncomfortable situation for Benson when she has to listen to Cassidy play his undercover role to the hilt, giving the appearance he is still fast and loose with women. At the end, however, they both seem to be in a good place.
A promo appeared during the episode to tease next week’s episode and John Munch’s retirement. Seeing Munch carrying what seemed like a box of his belongings gave me a flashback to seeing Lennie Briscoe do the same in Jerry Orbach’s final Law & Order episode, a scene which still tears me up a bit just thinking about it. I am not looking forward to Munch leaving SVU, as I suspect it will mean another sad scene that will stick in my memory for years. Cragen also tipped off that he hits mandatory retirement in 6 months, so he may be out before season’s end. These developments should be no shock to fans if they paid any attention to the fact that two similar publicity photos for the cast were released at the start of the season – one which did not include Richard Belzer and Dann Florek. As far as the reasons for Munch’s retirement – Cragen said the Mehcad Carter case hit Munch pretty hard – I would have thought the reason would have been that Benson’s abduction and torture would have hit Munch even harder. (A side note - while Munch is retiring from SVU, he will continue to be a recurring character on the show, according to TVLine: “Law & Order: SVU Vet Richard Belzer Switches to Recurring Status, As Munch Retires” )
It was also interesting to see Dr. Lindstrom give Benson a replacement necklace for the one she always wore which is still in evidence. It was a nice gesture but I wondered if it was appropriate for him to give a patient a gift. As Benson later admitted that she had directed many rape survivors to the doctor, I decided to look at this gift as being from one friend (not doctor) to another. Outwardly, Benson does seem to be projecting a look of happiness by wearing a bright patterned dress, unlike her usual bland detective attire. Hopefully, her happiness is beginning to reach deeper than what we see on the surface.
Here is the recap:
Cast:
Mariska Hargitay – Detective Olivia Benson
Ice-T – Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Richard Belzer – Sergeant John Munch
Dann Florek – Captain Don Cragen
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Danny Pino - Detective Nick Amaro
Raúl Esparza - ADA Rafael Barba
Guest stars:
Dean Winters – Brian Cassidy
Bill Irwin – Dr. Lindstrom
Robert John Burke – Lt. Ed Tucker
Marc Menchaca – Office Michael Groves
David Conrad – Officer West
Nadia Dajani - Officer Ryan Quinn
Lance Roberts – Lt. Terrence Wood
Megan West – Tanya Jenkins
Matt Wood – Officer Kenneth Parker
Osh Ghanimah – Cabbie
Danielle Dallacco – Gretchen Lyons
Jack Ferry – Suit #1
Danny Schoch – ESU Cop #1
Trace Lysette – Lila
At Dr. Lindstrom’s office, he tells Benson this is a good place to stop. She agrees, and mentions next week, to which Lindstrom reminds her he will be away. She jokes about having abandonment issues but assures him she can survive. He knows she will, and then he says he got her something to remind her of that. He hands her a box, saying that she had commented the one she used to wear was being held as evidence. She opens the box to find a duplicate necklace. She thanks him, her voice cracking.
At the Bronx courthouse in the locker room, Cassidy is arriving for the day and Officer Michael Groves comments that Cassidy is late. Cassidy bitches about the time it took to get there Groves comments that the NYPD stands for Now You are Persecuted Daily. Groves looks around, and then hands Cassidy a small envelope, telling him it is a safety deposit box key and asks Cassidy to hang on to it. He adds that Cassidy doesn’t need to know where the box is at yet, and if anything happens to him, a friend will tell Cassidy where the box is, and that Cassidy should take the contents to the New York Times. He comments that since he turned on them at the 12th he is being followed. Other officers enter the locker room and they tell Groves not to move. They restrain him and Groves yells to out Cassidy but they quickly taser Groves. As Groves falls to the floor, Cassidy quickly pockets the key and shuts his locker door.
Later, at Benson and Cassidy’s new apartment, Cassidy unpacks a cattle skull. Benson, carrying in another box, begins to comment about the new place when Cassidy interrupts and says it looked bigger when it was empty. Benson replies that they will figure it out. Cassidy stops and looks around, seemingly distracted, and Benson asks if he is OK. He apologizes, saying it is a work thing. Benson asks if he wants to talk about it, he’s allowed. Cassidy explains that Mike Groves, a cop on his shift, they came for him and tased him and hauled him off to Bellevue on a psych hold. He was acting paranoid and then they did come for him. Groves told him he was exiled to the Bronx for making noise about his former precinct the 12th for cooking the books. Benson seems to agree on Groves being transferring the whistleblower but questions that he was sent to the rubber room. Cassidy adds that after the 12th got rid of Groves he didn’t get the hint and he went to IA. Benson cringes that they drove him crazy and then sent him to the psych ward, and Cassidy thinks maybe they did it to discredit him and that Groves is actually crazy and wonders if he should got to IA and tell them what he saw. Benson’s mouth drops open and she questions going to IA, reminding him that they took his shield and wonders if he wants to rattle that cage. Cassidy wonders if Groves is telling the truth. Benson suggests he go to the PBA, and when Cassidy seems surprised at this, she suggests a lawyer or family. She tells Cassidy for once in his life, he should take care of himself…and whispers “and me.” He says OK and kisses her on the forehead.
The next day at SVU, Rollins ask Benson how was the move, and Benson says good, she hasn’t had a roommate since the Academy. She adds she can’t believe how many t-shirts Cassidy has. Rollins suggests that Benson can winnow them down a few at a time, he won’t notice. Lt. Tucker from IAB enters SVU and Rollins asks what he is doing there, and Tucker cracks it is nice to see her too, and asks if Cragen is in. Cragen walks out of his office and addresses Tucker, asking what brings him to SVU. Tucker asks if his office is free and also asks Benson to come in. As she walks into Cragen’s office, she tells Tucker she was just talking about him last night. He says enough of the small talk; he has a problem and he needs their help.
Benson says, “IAB needs SVU’s help? You gotta be kidding me.” Tucker retorts it is not his dream, either. He says he can tell them to look at compstat issues from the 12th, some of the cops are losing complaints. Yesterday a key witness who had been an officer in the precinct, had been forcibly institutionalized and medicated. Benson looks at Tucker with a blank face as Cragen comments about it being at the 12th's request, feeling that was hardball and he looks at Benson. Tucker said the officer was deemed a danger to himself or others. Benson asks what that has to do with them, and he explains that among the stats that saw a drop were sexual assaults. He adds they have investigated a few but their whist blower, whose credibility is now shattered, claims he knows a woman, Tanya Jenkins, who reported a rape to him and it was never entered into the complaint system. He hands Benson a file, and she looks at it and says she is confused, this is a complaint AGAINST Tanya Jenkins for assaulting a cabbie. Tucker replies that there may be more to it than that and he needs them to check it out. Benson is shocked, asking now, noting this was from Christmas and questions how long IAB has been sitting on it. Tucker says he will do his job, she should do hers, and that Jenkins is a possible rape victim and Tucker thought Benson would be sympathetic to that.
Afterwards, still in Cragen’s office, Rollins comments that she hopes Benson told Tucker to shove that file where the sun don’t shine. Cragen tells Rollins that wouldn’t be politic. Amaro asks that some cop is accused of assault because some cop in the cuckoo’s nest in says Jenkins is a rape victim – he thinks IA is setting them up. Cragen admits that is always a possibility, advising them not to put words in the vic’s mouth, just dot their Is and cross their Ts. Benson reminds them they have all heard rumors about the 12th and if somebody is covering up rapes, they need to go down for it. Fin cracks that he does not like this already. Cragen replies that makes 5 of them, and tells Fin and Rollins to go talk to the cabbie and tells Benson and Amaro to talk to the woman and report to him, for reasons that should be obvious; he will middle with Tucker.
Outside the precinct, Amaro questions that Benson thinks Cassidy went to IAB, and she explains that Officer Groves – Tucker’s witness – Cassidy was with him when Groves got tased. When Amaro adds that the next day Tucker comes to SVU and asks what Cassidy said to her about it, Benson says she can’t get hold of him. Amaro asks if Tucker knows they are living together, and Benson shoots him a look and then throws him the car keys, telling him to take 6th, there is less traffic. She gets in the car
At 20th Street and 9th Avenue, Fin and Rollins speak with the cab driver who said Tanya was puking and said she had no money. He threw her out and she started swinging at him and the cops pulled up, who suggested he file assault charges against her. He dropped the charges a week later because she did not say anything and he did not want to go to court. He does not know if she was arrested, he drove off and they dealt with her. He adds if this girl is accusing him of doing something now, she is lying.
Meanwhile, Benson and Amaro speak with Tanya Jenkins who says it was her fault, she had been drinking and she is going to meetings now. Amaro explains she is not a suspect, they want to know what happened to her that night. She replies they can just tell “them” she said nothing happened and it is all cool. She starts walking away as Benson asks to tell who. Tanya says she was confused and she was wrong, she was drunk and got in a fight with the cabbie. She says she has to go. As she leaves, Benson and Amaro discuss what really happened that night and Benson suspects something did happen that night. They wonder that if they were trying to keep stats down they told her that she could be charged with assault, and if she was raped, he is still out there. Amaro notes that West and Quinn were the responding officers that night and asks if there is any chance they will be straight with them.
At the 12th precinct at the office of Lt. Terrence Wood, Benson and Amaro discuss the cabbie’s complaint and if Tanya said anything to the arresting officers. West and Quinn are just about to start so Wood calls them in. West and Quinn explain that Tanya was a mess and West says they weren’t really looking at the cabbie as Tanya was drunk and disorderly. He adds that with binge drinkers, they have a “catch and release” policy, and Wood explains he tells them to make sure the person gets home safe. When Amaro asks that they took her home, Quinn explains Tanya would have been easy prey. Benson comments that the cabbie had her address and wonders if there was a chance he came back. West comments maybe, and who knows, this girl was so wasted she wouldn’t remember anything that happened. Quinn agrees.
Back at SVU in Cragen’s office, Rollins asks if they think the unis buried the rape. Benson replies that something happened to Tanya but she is being pressured to deny it, Amaro adding the officers went out of their way to say Tanya was too drunk to make a credible witness. Benson comments they also wanted them to know they drove her home that night. Cragen asks if there is any chance it was the cabbie, and Fin says none, he tracked his fares. He had an airport run after the cops took Tanya and he sat at JFK until he caught a fare to Westchester. Cragen tells them to check the 911 calls and see how they compare to the precinct logs and see if somebody called in a sexual assault that somehow dropped off.
As they walk out of Cragen’s office, Amaro suggest to Rollins that they check the logs. Benson says she can stay, but Rollins tells her to go home, Amaro adding it may be good to catch up with Cassidy.
Back at the apartment, Benson is still unpacking as Cassidy arrives home, saying it was a bitch of a day at the courthouse. She said she tried calling him and he explains he tried calling her back but they kept missing each other. Cassidy comments that the place looks great. Benson explains Tucker’s visit and that Groves may have been on something about the 12th. She asks if he went to Tucker about it and he says no, but Tucker came to him to work undercover at the 12th. Cassidy said no, because neither he nor Benson trust Tucker. Cassidy asks what Tucker wants with SVU, and Benson explains that two officers from the 12th may have coerced a sexual assault vic into dropping the charges so they are working the case. Cassidy questions that it is OK for her to work IA but not him? Benson gets a message and says she has to go. Cassidy asks now?, and Benson explains Rollins found something on the rape case. She apologizes and says she will be back as she speeds out of the apartment, leaving Cassidy there drinking a beer.
Rollins apologizes for dragging them all back in, and Fin replies says she is not, that is her thing. Rollins explains they checked the 911 calls and there are no assaults but there were a few calls made from pay phones that sounded bogus. A homeless man and a noise complaint were both made from Tanya’s block. Benson asks who responded, and Amaro says it was West and Quinn, and they gave the calls back as unfounded. Cragen comments this puts them on her street, and Rollins adds for pretty much the whole night. Amaro explains that the building next door has a security camera, and they go the video. He plays it and Rollins say the good news is that Quinn and West weren’t lying, they did bring her home. Amaro says the bad news is that they didn’t just drop her off, West went back in, twice. Rollins explains that the video is showing the first time they went up, and then Quinn comes back 15 minutes later and waits in the car, leaving West up there for another half hour. Amaro explains that at 3:30, West and Quinn respond to the first 911 call and West goes up for another hour. At 5:00, the second call from the same pay phone, west goes up for another 40 minutes. Cragen thinks the 911 calls were an excuse for West to go back up and Quinn to cover. Benson adds that Groves, Tucker’s key witness, told him that Tanya reported her rape the next day, and wonder if there is any record of that? Rollins answers yes, the precinct reception has her signing in at 11:41 and signing out at 1:02, no report of who she spoke with. Cragen speculates somebody got her to kill the complaint, and Benson thinks someone scared the daylights out of her. .Fin says this is for IA, they go after cops, but Benson replies “These aren’t cops, they’re rapists.”
Later, in Cragen’s office and with Tucker, they play back one of the 911 calls and Amaro thinks both calls were made by Officer Quinn. Cragen thinks they are looking at more than fixing stats. Fin says these guys are rapists, and Tucker replies possibly, all the tapes prove is official misconduct. Benson said Tanya was assaulted that night, but Tucker reminds her it was 8 months ago and there was no rape kit, she was drunk and is a reluctant and unreliable witness against two decorated cops. Rollins counters Tanya was not reluctant, she was intimidated and they need to find out who at that precinct told her to keep her mouth shut. Benson suggests she talk to Tanya to let her know they are on her side, but Tucker tells her to slow down, if these officers find out they are suspects they will lawyer up. Benson accuses him to tying their hands, but Tucker wants them to get all their ducks in a row before they go hunting. Benson rolls her eyes. As Tucker moves to leave, he asks Benson to walk him out. As they walk down the hall, Tucker comments about her boyfriend, saying even for a mick he’s thick. He says Cassidy is doing court duty in the Bronx but if he goes undercover for him, he’ll get his shield back. He adds that Cassidy is tripping over himself with reasons why he can’t and says there is bad blood between them. Benson emphatically says there is. Tucker asks so what, this is a chance for redemption. Benson scoffs, then asks what does she have to do? Tucker explains he would get Cassidy transferred into the 12th and partner him with West, build trust and get an admission, maybe even catch these guys in the act. Benson adds he has to rat those guys out. Tucker comments about getting the thin blue line crap from Benson, adding that these guys are rapists. He says if it make her feel any better he will put her and Amaro on as backup. Benson looks reluctant but Tucker urges her to talk to Cassidy, asking if she wants him busting his hump in the Bronx courts until he breaks like Groves?
Sometime later, Cassidy is at the 12th being brought in with other rookies and Cassidy tells Lt. Wood he knows he has to earn his way back in and appreciates the chance. Wood pairs Quinn with rookie Kenneth Parker and Cassidy with West. Wood explains to West that Cassidy is trying to earn his way back into the department’s good graces and to afford him every courtesy. West tells Cassidy if he gets busted back to walking the beat at his age, to put in for his 20. Cassidy dry replies, “Nice to meet you too.”
As they leave the precinct, West barks out his rules to Cassidy. West asks about the prostitute that Cassidy and Cragen were banging, was she as hot as she looked? Meanwhile, Benson and Amaro are waiting in a nearby car, hearing every word. Amaro comments to Benson that Cassidy will have a hard time with this guy. Cassidy asks West if he is getting in the middle of anything with his partner, and West says “screw you.” Benson tells Amaro Cassidy will be just fine.
As West and Cassidy drive around, Cassidy asks him if at the 12th they get drunk Wall Street guys and club kids, adding name an asshat, they have it. West adds and douche bags too. Cassidy asks if they get any working girls, and West asks if Cassidy has been busted enough, Cassidy replies he is an old dog but he likes new tricks. West tells him to watch the club girls, they get drunk and the next morning with the walk of shame they get buyer’s remorse.. He pulls up to Tanya who is walking on the street and says “like this one” and beeps his horn. He calls out to her and she says she just wants to get home. He says he is just checking up on her, and asks if she is still going to meetings. She looks uncomfortable and says 6 months, one day at a time. She races off as West says that is good, and he is there if she needs a friend. Meanwhile, in the car, Benson and Amaro hear Cassidy say she seems nice, and if someone did a number on her. West says it is more like she did it to herself. Benson comments to Amaro that first he rapes Tanya and now he says he is looking out for her, saying that is control, intimidation, and is a complete abuse of power. Amaro agrees it is ugly but not enough to make a case.
Later, it is night and Cassidy and West are still driving around. Cassidy asks when things will start picking up around here, and West tells him to take it easy, it is a full moon, and they will get there. Benson and Amaro are still following, and Amaro asks how the new apartment is going. Benson says good, it’s nice having someone to come home too. Amaro says he misses it. Amaro asks about the sessions and if he likes the guy. Benson explains she must have sent over a dozen survivors to him and it turns out she was right. She feels safe there. Amaro says he is her any time she wants to talk about anything, but Benson replies that it is great he has been normal with her and she appreciates that more than he knows. A call comes in for available units to respond to a female drunk and disorderly and West responds turns on the lights and sirens on his squad car.
West and Cassidy arrive on the scene to try to handle a drunk Gretchen, who comes on to Cassidy as he tries to control the situation. Gretchen asks them to drive her home and if they want her to assume the position. West grabs her as she begins to tip over and puts her in the back of the car and Benson and Cassidy hear Cassidy tell West he has a live one.
At the apartment of Gretchen Lyons, West gets her out of the car and tells Cassidy to wait there, if he isn’t down in 20 minutes to spring him with a bogus call. Benson voices concern to Amaro that they are just going to let this happen, but Amaro thinks it sounded consensual and they obviously have a history. Benson raises her voice and reminds him Gretchen is drunk, but Amaro reminds her so are half the people on the street who are going home to have sex and asks what does she want to do. Another squad car pulls up to Cassidy and it is Quinn and the rookie. Quinn asks if everything is alright and Cassidy explains that West is upstairs assisting a woman in need. Benson and Amaro hear Quinn tell Cassidy he knows not to put this in the memo book, and Cassidy asks what memo book. She answers “right” and maybe they will see him later. Cassidy waits in the car, and Benson worries to Amaro that Gretchen has been up there for 20 minutes and Cassidy should go up. Amaro cautions her that they are testing him. West returns and honks the car home to wake Cassidy, and Cassidy asks if it is his turn. West says next time, his girl Quinny needs backup. Cassidy asks that she doesn’t use the radio, and West cracks that Cassidy is quick, like a real detective. West puts on light and sirens and races off and Benson and Amaro follow.
