“Townhouse Incident” was a drama filled episode where again Benson found herself held hostage, but this time she had company. Benson’s babysitter Lucy, sensing something was wrong at the home of another client and asking Benson to check it out, unwittingly puts Benson in this life threatening situation. But if anyone could get all the hostages out alive, it would be Benson. Despite the fact that we all know Benson would survive the ordeal, the real drama was watching how she calmly worked on her captors in order to find any foothold in gaining control over the situation. I know I am not the only SVU fan suffering from fatigue with Benson being placed in perilous situations, but I must admit that they did a fantastic job with this story. It also allowed Mariska to display her Emmy-winning acting talents; she doesn’t have as many opportunities to do this with Benson now in management. With all the horrors that Benson had to face with William Lewis, you can bank that this situation will mean after-effects to Benson’s mental well being.
It’s interesting that Benson’s long history of mistrust with Ed (“Mother”) Tucker – now Captain Tucker – has developed into one where she now trusts him with her life. And it’s Tucker’s sometimes annoying steely resolve from working Internal Affairs that has made him the perfect person to help Benson keep everyone cool with the hostage situation. In a way, Tucker has shown more character development over the last few seasons than anybody else on the show. He’s gone from being hated to someone that fans tolerate, maybe even (gasp) LIKE. Tucker can still annoy, but he seems to have genuinely softened toward the Special Victims Unit. Is it out of any feelings/respect for Benson or has he realized that there aren’t the problems with the SVU as there were in the past?
While this was a nice feature for Mariska, there was enough to go around for the other cast members and everyone brought their A game. (Note: Kelli Giddish did not appear in this episode.) The episode even LOOKED good, with great on location shots that were well presented with interesting camera angles. When I enjoy an episode visually, I tend to like the story even more, and this episode was one of those cases.
One lesson Dodds learned: Always be mindful of the underwear that you’re wearing before you go to work. You never know when you’ll be asked to strip down to your skivvies in public!
The role of Noah Porter Benson has been recast, which makes sense, considering that the timeline of episodes and the growth of a small child rarely synchronize in the television world. It does concern me a bit that, like Noah 1.0, even Noah 2.0 makes no sounds whatsoever. I'm not sure if it's because they are trying to show that Noah may be developmentally delayed, or if it just costs the show more if the child utters one word or any sound at all (or both). Having a family member with severe developmental delays, the lack of speech and verbal sounds were early indicators of a problem, and I could be just transferring my fears to the fictional Noah.
The story of the "push-in" rapist re-appears briefly, and it's possible they have their man - or it's the set-up for another arc at some later time.
There was one glaring continuity issue: The date on the episode title cards was listed as January 4, but the date on Benson’s phone, which showed Noah’s photo, displayed the date as Monday, November 30. Also, the previous episode, “Catfishing Teacher” took place in late December, after the date on Benson’s phone, but we saw no evidence of this traumatic experience for Benson in that episode. If we are lucky, this date inconsistency will not rip a hole in the space/time continuum.
For Raúl Esparza fans, it was great to see him in this episode, even if it was only briefly.
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 – Sgt. Mike Dodds
Robert John Burke – Captain Ed Tucker
Joe Reegan - Joe Utley
Amber Skye Noyes - Roxie Volkov
James McMenamin – Ralph Volkov
Wendy Hoopes - Lisa Crivello
Cole Bernstein - Tess Crivello
Jack Gore - Luca Crivello
Kevin Geer – Chief Gabriel
Bronwyn Reed – Lucy
Sean T. Andrew – Captain Sasso
Josh Saviano – Counselor Don Taft
Anthony Grasso – Richard Crivello
Hasaan Gilmer - Pierson Dawes
Allyson Morgan – Nurse Roberts
Qurray Ann Kadwani – Stacey King
Tommy Pope – Glen King
Jack Nawada Braunwart – Noah Porter Benson
Lucy, Benson’s sitter for Noah, visits the home of Lisa Crivello to pick up her son Luca to walk him to school. She gets suspicious when Lisa is acting strangely and sends her away. When Lucy gets to Benson’s apartment and while Benson is playing with Noah, Lucy mentions this. Lucy says Lisa’s voice was shaky and there were red marks on her neck. He husband was also there, yelling. She asks if Benson can swing by. Benson nods.
Later, Benson knocks on the door of the Crivello home and Lisa answers. Lisa tries to blow her off but Benson mentions Lisa’s cut. At first Lisa says she should go, and Benson suggests she would come back later. A voice from inside growls quietly to “let her in” and Lisa then tells Benson just come in now. As soon as Benson walks in the door, she is grabbed and slammed against the closed door by a man (later identified as Joe) with a gun, and a woman (later identified as Roxie) is holding a gun to Lisa. Joe and Roxie scream to her to put her hands up and she complies. Joe threatens to blow a hole through her face if she moves. Benson says okay and freezes.
Benson identifies herself as a police officer who is there by chance. Another man (identified as Ralph) dumps the contents of Benson’s purse and she admits she is armed and her weapon is holstered on her right hip. Joe searches her and finds her phone. Joe says they have a problem here, and ask if the “old man” has told them where the money is yet. Ralph says no, he is holding out. Lisa explains they don’t keep cash here, and Roxie flings her down. Joe tells Ralph to kick Richard's ass until he coughs. Ralph enters the other room and kicks Richard Crivello repeatedly as he lay on the floor. Joe asks Benson who knows she is here, and she replies no one, and when Joe says she better not be lying to him, she insists she is not. He holds up Benson’s phone and shows the lock screen with a picture of Noah and asks if this is her son. She says it is. Joe says this is good, it means she doesn’t want to die. He tells Roxie to tie her up. Benson suggests they don’t need to do that and that they should talk, but he punches her and she falls to the floor, stunned. He growls that he told her to shut the hell up, and he pushes her back with his leg. Lisa’s daughter Tess looks on in fear.
Meanwhile, back at SVU, Dodds arrives in the break room while Fin is reading the paper. Dodds asks if anyone uses the heavy bag in the weight room, he brought his gloves. Fin asks if Dodds boxes, and Dodds replies at the Golden Gloves and the Pro Am, and asks if Fin does. Fin stays seated and says he does not want to hurt him. Carisi enters and says they have a call, and asks where is Benson. Dodds says she is at a DNA conference all day. Carisi says their push in rapist may have struck again, this time in Chelsea. When Fin questions if it is the same guy, Carisi states he is black, tall, in his 20s, he is armed and the MO is the same and the vics ID’d the sketch. Fin says “just like they did before” with skepticism. Dodds comments either way, to bring him in alive, and tells Fin to notify central and alert transit. Fin adds housing, saying he knows the drill. Dodds says he is sure he does, and tells Carisi to tell the One-One they are en route and he will text Benson when they get there.
Back at the Crivello home, Ralph continues to kick Richard who denies they have a safe. When Ralph tells Joe that Richard says they don’t have a safe, Joe is angry as Ralph swore there was cash here. Ralph says Roxie is upstairs going through the jewelry and when she is done, they should go. Joe barks to Ralph that he said there was a safe and to go find it. As Ralph walks off, Lisa whispers to Benson that Roxie rang the bell at 6AM saying she had been robbed and when she went to call 911 the two men burst in. She says Ralph used to drive a truck for her husband’s stores and Richard had fired him. Luca is tied up upstairs. Ralph whines that he wonders what is taking Roxie so long, and a message rings on Benson’s phone. Ralph asks who is there, and, as Joe snorts a drug, tells Ralph not to worry about it. He tells Ralph to go downstairs and find that safe. Ralph complies and Joe mentions to Benson she got a text about a rapist. Benson states she really needs to answer that, and Joe sends an answer of his own, saying she just did. Roxie comes downstairs and says he found $200 and a bunch of crap jewelry. She pulls out her gun and asks Lisa where is the real stuff? Lisa insists there is nothing here. Joe suggests they bring Luca downstairs and Benson suggests he not do that. Lisa admits they have a safe deposit box. Ralph comes upstairs saying he found electronics, and Joe tosses it off, saying they have a new plan – they are taking mommy to the bank.
Meanwhile, at the home of Stacey and Glen King on Monday, January 4, Carisi, Fin, and Dodds get the details on the attack from Stacey and Glen. He went out the window. She was not raped but it was close. She scratches his face. Later, Fin and Dodds are outside looking at the fire escapes – the building is on lock down - when Carisi approaches and said the suspect climbed up and neighbors says he is checking doors on the adjacent roof. They race up.
Back with the hostages, Joe opens the upstairs bedroom door and brings Benson into the room with Roxie, who has Tess. Joe sits Benson on the bed and ties her hands. She looks at Luca, who is sitting on the floor, also restrained.
