“Net Worth” was an excellent episode that was helped along by some very capable guest stars. Tate Donovan was a master at being the smug, entitled billionaire; Missy Peregrym was believable as the victim; Jordan Bridges did well as Zoe’s jerk of a boss. “Repeat offender” Kevin O’Rourke was also a nice addition as a CEO who was quick to sell out one of his employees to distance himself from the looming negative press. The guest cast was a huge plus to telling a credible story.
The episode also gave screen time everyone in the main cast, all having a part to play in bringing the case to a close. Mind you, we never saw the verdict, but every indication was that billionaire Eli Colton was found guilty.
The episode was written by SVU showrunner Rick Eid and Jeffrey Baker, and the dialog was crisp and realistic. There were also plenty of on location scenes which gave the episode much visual interest. When I get the feeling that I am a fly on the wall watching the story unfold in front of me, that’s a sign of a solid episode.
There was a quick reference to Fin taking the Sergeant's exam, but we didn't get any answer on whether he passed it.
Some questions were on my mind after watching "Net Worth." If you were a victim of rape or sexual assault presented with a huge, life-changing amount of cash in exchange for your silence, would you take it? Is testifying always a crucial part of the healing process as Benson said? Or, is it closer to what Barba suggested; that maybe the job and money would help Zoe heal and give her closure? Maybe the other victim, Kate, couldn’t be made happy with the money she got for her silence, but maybe Zoe would have been. Zoe is right, it was her choice to make and ultimately she did turn down the offer, but who knows, maybe she would have been just as happy with the money. I would have felt better about Benson’s approach if she would have said that by Zoe not testifying, Eli would get away with it and there could be other victims in the future (the mistake that Kate made). But Benson made it all about what she thinks is the right way to heal. I am in no way condoning a payoff, only that Benson has a habit of making it sound like testifying will make things all better for a victim.
I am surprised that they were able to use the recordings from the office. I know that the CEO gave them the videos but Zoe wasn’t aware that everything in the office was being recorded. I am not sure how the surveillance laws work in New York state, but I would think that employees need to be notified when they are being visually monitored and recorded, as well as visitors coming to the office. If the cameras were visible, that could serve as notification but it sounds like the employees had no knowledge the cameras existed. From my own personal experience, when employee phone calls were monitored, we had to notify them this could happen and a disclaimer had to be placed on all incoming calls that they too could be monitored. Clearly the recording helped Zoe but they cost Roger his job. I wonder if he would have grounds to sue?
Update April 6, 2017 – a deleted scene was added on Twitter which said Fin made Sergeant.
Update April 7, 2017 – the video is now on You Tube and the clip is after the recap.
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:
Tate Donovan - Eli Colton
Missy Peregrym - Zoe White
Jordan Bridges - Roger Littrell
Will Brill - Harry Ingram
Kevin O'Rourke - Dan Hewitt
Matt Walton - Tyler
Andy Wagner - Nate
Rezeta Veliu – Zoya
Malikha Mallette - Counselor Paige Fowler
Erica Sweany – Kate Tompkins
Barbara Miluski – Judge Lisa Peck
Einar Gunn – Anthony
Sulekha Ebelle – CSU Tech
Sharinna Allan – Liza
Investment banker Zoe White and her boss Roger Littrell attend an exclusive party with billionaire investor Eli Colton from Vulture Financial. She is worried about the Hang Seng crashing but he tells her to have some fun. Eli approaches them and thanks them for their hard work. Roger thinks it will be a home run, and Eli says it better be, with the fees he is paying. Roger counters that nothing good comes cheap – not on Wall Street. Elli tells Roger he appreciates his hard work and tells Zoe he appreciates her hard work. She thanks him. He adds that Roger will take the credit but knows she found the deal and set the whole thing in motion, and he thanks her again. They make a toast with their champagne.
Later, at a private party at Eli’s penthouse, Eli offers Zoe some very expensive wine but she declines, saying not to waste something like that on her, she has an unsophisticated palate. He smiles but is clearly annoyed as he walks off. Roger approaches her that was a rookie move and that rules of Wall Street say to never tell the truth, never use your own money, and never say no to a client. She gets the hint and goes back to Eli and asks him to pour the wine.
The next day, Zoe is back at work and sees Eli Colton exiting a meeting. He sees Zoe and stops her, saying “Hey!” She replies that she didn’t know they had a meeting. He said Roger called this morning about a Chinese media company that they can get for 4 times EBITDA. Zoe comments that’s cheap, and Eli says you get what you pay for. She testily counters not when you work for Cromwell Moore, you get what you don’t pay for, adding that is why he is so rich. He stops her from walking away and says last night was fun, and when Zoe says nothing, he says they should do it again. He laughs and kisses her on the cheek and walks off. Zoe appears stunned.
Back at SVU, Carisi ask Fin if there has been any word, and Fin says no, stop asking. Carisi counters that “Sergeant Tutuola” has a nice ring to it. Carisi asks someone walking by what is a 10 letter word for bad luck. Benson, also walking nearby, pipes up and says “misfortune.” Benson sees an officer, who has entered the SVU with Zoe. She asks Zoe if she can help her, and Zoe replies yes, she needs to speak with a detective. Benson introduces herself and suggests they step into her office. She asks how can she help her, and Zoe explains she was raped. Benson walks her into her office and says she is very sorry to hear that. Zoe comments she does not know how this works, and Benson explains no worries, they will take this one step at a time. Benson asks if she has any idea who did this to her, and Zoe says yes, then sees a newspaper on Benson’s desk with the headline “ The King Strikes Again“ with a photo of Eli on the cover, and says, “Him.” Benson, surprised, says, “Eli Colton” and Zoe replies “Yeah. The King of Wall Street.”
In the interview room with Benson, Zoe explains that she was at a party at Eli’s penthouse, they had just closed the deal. She works in investment bank, Cromwell Moore, and Eli’s firm is their biggest client. He invited a bunch of people back to his apartment after the dinner. They were celebrating his latest acquisition. She begins to cry and adds that she ended up in his bedroom; he wanted to show her his watch collection. He kissed her and she did kiss him back, they were having fun. A few minutes later he tried to take her dress off and she told him she did not want to have sex but he threw her down on the bed and she tried hard to push him off and she screamed but he just covered her mouth. She remembers staring at his 4 million dollar watch on the nightstand. She watched the hand go around and around until it was over. When it was over, he winked at her and said he hoped she had just as much fun as he did. Then he jumped in the shower. This was 3:05 AM. When Benson asks if she told anybody what happened, Zoe states she told her boss, Roger, this morning, and he told her to think it over. Benson pauses and asks, “think it over?” Zoe states his exact words were “Be careful, it’s never easy to kill the king.”
At Cromwell Moore at 458 Fifth Avenue on Tuesday. March 21, Benson and Fin speak with Roger who seems surprised Zoe said she was raped. Benson says she is confused as Zoe said she told him that this morning. He says she never said rape, he thought she was upset and regretful. He does not recall her exact words but she said things got weird between her and Eli and he was aggressive. In all honesty, he thinks she was more worried about appearances and didn’t want people talking about what happened. He didn’t realize…if he knew she had been raped he would have called them. Dan Hewitt enters and introduced himself as the CEO and Benson introduces herself and Fin. He heard what happened and is shocked, but when Benson asks who told him, he deflects and says that employees are the most important asset a corporation possesses, and they can count on his full cooperation. Benson says they have more questions, and Dan says Roger and he need to speak with their general counsel and asks if she understands. She gives him a look and then says no she doesn’t. He gives her a fake smile and says they will be in touch and motions for the door, saying if there is anything he can do. Benson gives a smile of frustration and says okay.
At Vulture Financial at 1183 Sixth Avenue on Tuesday, March 21, Carisi and Rollins arrive to speak with Eli. They explain they are there about Zoe and he asks what happened. They ask if he was alone with her between 2 and 3 AM and he tells his assistant Liza to show the detectives out. He says he is sorry but the meeting is over. Rollins explains they are not accusing him, they just want to hear his side of the story. Eli states he prefers to have his lawyer present for any formal discussion and if they want to talk more to contact her and they will set up a meeting. He tells Liza to get the lawyer’s card, but Rollins asks that, before they go, can he tell them who was at the apartment last night. She adds lawyer or no lawyer, they are obviously going to find out for themselves and why make them waste their time? Eli says that is a good point, and adds he hates inefficiencies, it drives him nuts. He hates people wasting time; activity for the sake of activity. He gives them the names of Roger Littrell, Alison Crane, Zoe White, and Zoya, a model.
Later. Carisi and Rollins speak with Zoya who recalls Zoe, saying she saw her with Eli and she was very determined. She says Eli is a total player, going from girl to girl and he doesn’t even give parting gifts. She adds if you are going to shag a billionaire, you deserve something. Rollins comments that is one way of looking at it. She states she saw Eli and Zoe walk upstairs to hid bedroom late at night, hand in hand, and she was relieved that she didn’t have to sleep with him. She admits that a guy at Cromwell Moore, Roger paid her $20,000 to come to the party and be Eli’s date. Eli didn’t know, Roger said she was a friend from the Hamptons. She was thrilled when Eli went upstairs with Zoe, calling it a win-win; she keeps the 20 grand and didn’t have to sleep with him. She adds she met a really cute guy, Nick.
Later, Carisi and Rollins speak with another man who was at the party but he saw nothing unusual. He saw Zoe the next day and she seemed distracted. She didn’t mention anything happened but says if Zoe says Eli assaulted her, he did. Zoe is smart and the most driven woman he knows. She grew up middle class in Reading, PA and worked her ass off. She went to Harvard and got a Stanford MBA and there is no way she would risk it to go after Eli unless it were true. There is no upside to burning a bridge with The King.
