“The Burden Of Our Choices” highlighted the complexity of abortion laws, especially as some states are trying to circumvent current federal laws by attempting to enact their own rules. I don’t believe the episode portrayed Ohio abortion laws correctly. The fetal heartbeat bill was stopped and is still considered pending. (Update: I was reminded that Carisi DID mention in court that the law had not taken effect. Trevor Langan, however, argued in family court as if it WAS in effect. The only issue here in this episode should have been her age; fetal heartbeat should never have played into it.) But they used this situation to show how lawmakers – and certain religious zealots – try to twist the laws to suit their own agendas. The episode was filled with stereotypes, such as Ohio being a backwards state and people of faith all being against abortions. I found both stereotypes insulting (Full disclosure: I'm an Ohio resident and a lapsed Catholic.) I’m not saying that there aren’t people in Ohio who don’t have firm beliefs on abortion, but this is the case for many people in other states and religions. Maybe if they would have addressed the fact that the Ohio heartbeat law was not enacted, I would have given the episode a little more credibility.
This episode was heavy on the preaching and I found myself constantly looking at the time to see if it was getting close to finishing. It felt like it was never going to end. I did enjoy seeing more legal wrangling in this episode – and Trevor Langan - so that was a plus for me. But it wasn’t enough to stop me for rolling my eyes at some of the dialogue.
Carisi reveals that his mother terminated a pregnancy at the age of 45 as the fetus had a heart defect that would mean a quick death after birth. It was one of those scenes that allowed Peter Scanavino to bring some deeper emotion to Carisi. He revealed this to an attorney that was steadfast against abortion, just to hit on a point that Carisi and his mother grieved over her abortion and he wouldn’t let the teen's creepy stepfather off the hook. Something about Carisi needing to reveal something so personal to a low-life such as this lawyer felt misplaced. Information as intimate as this should not have needed explaining to any lawyer as Carisi didn’t require an excuse or justification to go after a man who raped a child. I could see him revealing this to Officer Tamin as a side discussion, just to make a point with her, seeing that she didn’t seem to think he was going to support the victim.
During the opening scenes, Rollins has her daughter Billie baptized, with Benson and Carisi as godparents. Rollins closes out the episode as she waits with Evangeline who is having an abortion.
Officer Tamin has been assigned to help SVU, and of course, she has read 5 years worth of major case files and also open cases in no time. Benson jokes that Tamin is an underachiever, and during the episode, Tamin gets answers at warp speed and takes such initiative to earn high praise from Fin. Despite the forced scenario where SVU finally gets staffing help and the person happens to bring such talent right away, I think she will make a great addition to the team as the character has a spark and edginess. She did risk alienating Carisi quickly, however, when she went on a rant of her own about abortion rights. Working SVU is not about a detective's or officer's own agendas (except when it's Benson's!). Like Carisi, she is there to uphold the law. I don’t disagree with her overall point, just that shouldn’t make snap judgments.
There is a deleted scene at the end of this recap where they try to clean up a mess first started in the episode SVU season 20 premiere “Man Up/Man Down” where Benson may have given the impression to Rollins that she had an abortion as she didn’t confirm or deny it. In the later SVU episode “The Good Girl” , the issue comes up again, this time, Benson saying it was “complicated.” This deleted scene clears things up once and for all: no pregnancy or abortion. (If you want to see a complete history of this Benson pregnancy scare issue, it’s here: Law & Order SVU “The Good Girl” Recap & Review. In case this scene gets deleted from sharing, here’s what was said: Benson tells Rollins when she was 19 and in college, she had a pregnancy scare with a boy she liked but didn’t love, she wanted to do something important with her life. She decided to make an appointment at the clinic and spent the next few days agonizing. She didn’t eat or sleep and wondered if she was making a decision she would forever regret. She got her period while she was on the way to her appointment and never did get pregnant after that. Sometimes she wonders about having a biological child but now with Noah, they are happy. Rollins admits she didn’t think that’s what Benson was talking about, and Benson apologizes, Rollins saying that is okay.
Here is the recap:
Benson hangs up the phone with Noah, telling him to tell Fin she is on her way. She walks out of her office to Officer Tamin, telling her that her provisional tour starts today. Benson apologizes that she can’t be there, but Tamin says she is sorry Benson had to come in on her Sunday off. Benson comments that if Tamin has time, she thought she could catch up on some open cases. Tamin states she already did, and she read the files from all the major cases from the last five years. Benson jokingly calls Tamin an underachiever, and when Tamin laughs, Benson adds she will be fine, and she did a very nice job with Sir Toby. Tamin thanks Benson, saying she will feel better once he’s convicted. Benson comments, “You and me both.” Looking around the squad room, Tamin asks where should she park? Benson replies they have a few empties, and points out a desk, and welcomes her to SVU.
Meanwhile, at a small church service in Ohio, Evangeline Miller is jittery. After the service, the Pastor Mark Randall speaks with Evangeline’s parents, Tammy and James Miller, and talks about the power of prayer. Pastor Mark hears that a boy Evangeline was friends with ran away to New York. Evangeline and her parents then talk about her doing her homework and chores before she goes off with her friend for a sleep over.
In another church back in New York, Benson arrives and thanks Carisi for picking up Noah. She tells the other detectives that One PP finally gave them some backup. The event is the christening of Rollin’s youngest, Billie Mabel Rollins. Benson and Carisi are godparents.
Back in Ohio, Evangeline packs a bag and heads out on a bus and leaves Ohio. She dozes off, leaning on a stranger who asks her if she is going to New York by herself and she says she is staying with her friend Isaac. The man has his hand resting on her leg.
Back at SVU. Tamin sees a missing person notice come through for Evangeline.
Evangeline gets off the bus in busy New York City, and looks around in the crowd.
Later, Benson and Fin arrive at the squad room and speak with Tamin who mentions the teen runaway from Jolene Ohio. Benson says that is still missing persons. Tamin says the girl is 13 and she called her parents who think she was lured here by a boy, Isaac Franklin, 19, from their town. Fin explains the Jolene sheriff says Isaac skipped out on a bench warrant for statutory with a different girl. Benson tells them to track the boy down, call the parents back, and tell them that SVU…Tamin interrupts and says the parents are here, they drove all night. She points them out in the waiting room, saying the guy that is with them is their pastor.
Rollins, with Benson, leads them into the interview room. Rollins explains that Evangeline’s cell is off but they are tracking her social media. Mr. Miller suggests to track Isaac’s phone and he explains she followed Isaac who left Ohio about a month ago after they caught Isaac with a 15-year-old girl. She is friends with his little sister and that would not stop a boy like that. He was not her girlfriend but she takes her faith seriously. Meanwhile, Fin speaks with the pastor who says Evangeline is troubled as Tammy’s ex was a bad man and he “went home to god” 5 years ago – Oxy. James is her stepfather and he adopted her when she was 9. They also have two children of their own. Tamin enters and tells Fin she found something. Fin excuses himself and follows Tamin out of the room. She tells him that going over this girl’s social media, it’s mash-up of “Jesus is my boyfriend” songs and kitten videos. Fin asks if there is anything that puts her in New York, and Tamin replies no, but she does have a lead on Isaac. Fin sees the photo of Isaac and reads the info in the photo saying “look who made it to New York” and notices his fresh tattoo. He says all they have to do is check out tattoo parlors, and Tamin states she already did; she started with parlor websites near Port Authority, East Village and Uptown and shows that she found some done by Gretchen from In The Heights Tats. Fin suggests they go, and Tamin explains she just spoke to her and she knew where Isaac lives and she didn’t ask why. Fin comments on her good work.
