“Unholiest Alliance” completed the story which began in the previous episode, “Manhattan Transfer”. There were no big surprises here, with certain members of The Catholic Church being involved in a sex trafficking ring. If there was anything that bordered on a surprise for me, it was Tucker’s cousin, Father Eugene, having any involvement in facilitating the criminal activity. It appears not everyone can be as squeaky clean as his often-sanctimonious cousin, Captain Ed Tucker. I admit I had hopes that Tucker would be wrong about his cousin but sadly his instincts about Eugene were correct. Despite the predictability, this episode was well written and visually interesting, with lots of location shots beautifully lit and framed.
The story highlighted Sonny Carisi’s faith and his Catholic upbringing that he used to convince Father Eugene to do the right thing, despite Tucker's skepticism that Eugene would do anything to help. Sonny was capitalizing on Eugene’s weak spot, but it worked so well because Sonny truly believed what he was saying.
Deputy Chief Dodds is becoming more creepy and unlikeable with every episode, and I wonder if anyone – maybe even his own son – will eventually turn up some dirt on him. I fully understand that the higher one goes in an organization, the more political a person can be, but at least it is comforting that his son can see right through him.
Fin is back, although there was no explanation given for his absence.
Finally, there is some acknowledgement that Benson may be drinking too much. While Tucker doesn’t actually say she's having too much, he was quick to make a subtle note of her wine refill which indicates he has a concern. Benson getting in over her head with alcohol will probably come to a head sometime down the road. She and Tucker do seem to spend a lot of time sitting at the bar.
And while on the subject of Benson and Tucker, while I have no problem with the relationship, it lacks a romantic spark. In one scene, Benson takes his hand and kisses it, which seemed more friendly than romantic. The relationship has a cold, clinical feel to it.
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:
Robert John Burke – Captain Ed Tucker
Andy Karl – Sgt. Mike Dodds
Peter Gallagher – Deputy Chief William Dodds
Robert John Burke – Captain Ed Tucker
Jonathan Cake – Monsignor Patrick Mulregan
Michael O'Keefe – Father Eugene O'Hanigan
Abigail Savage – Sister Nina
John Ales - Detective Tom Russo
JD Williams - Detective Anton Jefferson
Frank Vincent – Bishop Catalano
Sahr Ngaujah – Father Akintola
Jason Cerbone – Lorenzo Desappio
David Cale – Judge Wheeler
Brock Yurich – Lance Woodstone
Amanda Bishop – Heidi Aronson
Melinda Tanner – Sister Antonia
Yainis Ynoa - Natalia Diaz
Karen Christie-Ward – Sister Ida
Dru Johnston - Father Joseph Leahy
Rebecca Gruss – Danielle Backerly
Maggie Borlando – Margaret Kenswick
Emily Cramer – Deanna Walsh
Derek Kelly – Trooper
Rick Zahn – Inquisitor #1
Victor LaMantia – Billy the Gravedigger
The episode opened with a recap of events from the previous episode; the full recap can be found here: Law & Order SVU “Manhattan Transfer” Recap & Review
In the squad room, Deputy Chief Dodds tells the squad he knows having their Lieutenant transferred abruptly is unsettling, but “ours is not to reason why.” Fin asks how long Benson is going to be gone, and Dodds replies that best hope, temporarily. The detectives look on, warily. Dodds adds that for now to keep doing their jobs. Putting his hand on his son’s shoulder, he says they are in good hands with the Sergeant. As DC Dodds walks off, Sgt. Dodds comments that first off, he was blindsided by this as all of them. He adds that second, he is going to need their help. Carisi stands up and say, “Copy that, Sergeant.” Rollins questions what are they supposed to do? Dodds explains that leads to his third point: the Lieutenant was recused because of the allegations against Captain Tucker. Fin wonders what that has to do with Benson? Dodds replies that he can’t speak to that, and neither should any of them, but this is still their case and since charges have been made against Tucker, Barba has been pressuring them to follow up on them. He says, “So start following up.” He walks off.
At the Internal Affairs Bureau at 315 Hudson Street on Saturday, March 5, Captain Ed Tucker is being grilled by the Group 1 panel about any involvement in a sex trafficking ring. He states Detectives Russo and Jefferson, who are making allegations, are lying and they are dirty, and SVU had busted them in the raid and whoever is running this told them to blame him. Ed is questioned about Monsignor Mulregan and Father O’Hanigan’s confirmation of the story and if Tucker is saying they are in on the conspiracy too, and Tucker replies he does not know. He explains Father Eugene is his cousin so some of this might be personal. He adds that Sister Nina Kelly suggested to him that Father Eugene was somehow involved and asks if they have spoke to her yet.
Meanwhile, Sister Nina is feverishly packing her things. Later, in a van, she picks up Natalia who asks if anyone else is coming. Sister Nina says not today and they drive off.
Elsewhere, Benson waits outside and as Barba approaches, Benson calls out his name to stop him. He continues to walk, saying they are not supposed to be talking. She asks if he knew she was getting transferred, and Barba states that One PP doesn’t keep the DA’s office apprised of its byzantine maneuvers. Benson angrily replies to let her fill him in, stating he told them about her and Tucker and a few hours later she’s getting pep-talks about what a great asset that she would be to women in Community Affairs Barba calmly states she is seeing someone he is investigating and One PP had to know. Benson insists Tucker is not a sex trafficker. Barba firmly replies then the investigation will clear Tucker and until it does, stay out of it. Benson counters that whoever is behind this murdered Cara and while he and One PP is chasing their Trojan Horse, other girls are in danger. Barba shakes his head and states they can’t talk about this, and he quickly walks away from Benson. She is dumbfounded. Her phone rings and it is Sister Nina calling from the van. Nina asks if Benson told them she is not cooperating any more, and Benson asks where is she? As Nina sees another vehicle following her, she tells Benson to just tell them she is leaving town and they don’t have to worry about her. Benson tells her to wait, asking for Nina to listen to her, but Nina says she has to go and she ends the call. Benson continues to call out to Nina but it is too late. A van pulls up to Nina’s and pushes Nina’s van off the road. As Nina and Natalia sit stunned and injured in the van, a man walks up to the driver’s side.
Later and still outside, Benson walks up to a waiting Tucker, who has just tossed down a cigarette. She asks him how he is holding up. He replies that Group 1 has been grilling him since 8 AM, Benson comments they can’t think he is in on this, but Tucker thinks they can. He asks what does she have? Benson urges that he needs to be careful; somebody is after Sister Nina and Tucker might be next. He asks what is she talking about? Benson explains that she called her this morning, spooked, and now she can’t reach her. Dodds is tracking her phone. Tucker says, dryly, “Great. Alright, keep me posted.” Looking at his watch, he says he is due back upstairs. Holding onto her arm, he says there are more questions about him and his cousin Eugene. He lets go and walk off. Benson sighs.
Back at SVU in the squad room, Rollins questions Father Eugene, who says he became concerned that the girls were being preyed upon by two vice cops and he suggested to the Monsignor that he talk to his cousin in Internal Affairs. Rollins asks when was this. Carisi speaks with the Monsignor who says it was a year ago, March 14; that is the date of the letter he sent to Tucker outlining the crimes. It was a hand-written letter and he gives Carisi a copy. Carisi asks if he is sure he got his and if he heard back from Tucker. In interrogation, Fin speaks with Detective Russo who is there with his lawyer, and says Tucker called him and his partner on March 16 last year saying he wants to meet. His attorney gives Fin a print out of Russo’s calendar. Russo says his lawyer or rep was not with him and that Tucker said it was off the record and strictly for intel. Before Russo can continue, his lawyer says he wants to make clear that anything Russo says to implicate Tucker cannot be used against him. Fin tells him to go on. Russo says they go down and Tucker is there without his partner and says he knows about them and the girls and that it can go one of two ways: they lose their badges and they do some hard time or they cut him in on their action and he closes the file out. Fin asks if they have any way to verify this, or if the meetings with Tucker recorded, and Russo says no, it was Tucker, his partner, and him, and he told his Captain about it. There is a knock on the interrogation room window and Fin asks for a few minutes and leaves the room. In Benson’s office, Fin tells Dodds that Russo has his story down. Rollins adds that if Jefferson and Russo met with Tucker, then IAB is sure to have a record of it. Carisi enters and shows Dodds the copy of the letter the Monsignor gave him outing the vice cops. Fin comments that either Tucker is dirty or someone is setting him up good. Dodds puts the letter in a folder on his desk and states he will give this to Group 1. He adds that the next problem is the Lieutenant called; Sister Nina might be in trouble and her burner phone is going straight to voice mail. Rollins observes that the burner phone has not GPS, but Dodds counters TARU just triangulated the last call from Saxon Woods. He has an emergency exception to put a trigger fish on her phone and if it is on, they will find it.
Later. Fin and Rollins are at the scene of Sister Nina’s accident with a trooper. They hear the last call was made less than a mile from there. The van belongs to an Episcopal Church in Yonkers and he has left word. Rollins asks the trooper to call again. Fin observes someone ran Nina off the road and Rollins, noting the drag marks, thinks Nina was taken to the other vehicle. They find two suitcases in the van; one is Nina’s and realize the other belongs to a younger girl; there are two vics. The trooper returns and says the church lady says the van us driven by their revered, Father Joseph Leahy.
