Law & Order SVU “Wet” Promo Tease

Here’s the teaser for the upcoming new episode of Law & Order SVU, “Wet.”

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU "Wet" can be found at this link.






Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order LA “Echo Park” Recap & Review

All photos from NBCU

We should be grateful that Law & Order Los Angeles didn’t begin its run with “Echo Park” as it was a horribly dull hour - lifeless acting, stiff and trite dialog, a boring case. It was a chore to watch. I found myself wondering more about when “Southland” would be coming back, since “Southland” seems a better snapshot of crime in Los Angeles and had far more interesting characters.

Skeet Ulrich is completely uninteresting in his role; thankfully Corey Stoll seems to be able to breathe some life into his own character. I didn’t care one ounce for Rex’s wife Casey, partly because I hate these forced situations that bring in family members, and partly because their scenes together were devoid of drama or chemistry.

But by far the hardest part to trudge through were any of the scenes with Terrence Howard. If he was trying to convey a forcefulness of conviction and being the “moral compass,” all I saw was a man who sounded like he was near tears all the time. Unlike Alfred Molina’s performance in the previous week’s episode, ”Hollywood,” where Molina was a commanding presence, Howard was uninspiring. Peter Coyote, as DA Jerry Hardin, overpowered Howard even with the short screen time Coyote was given. In fact, even the defense attorney, played by Jay Karnes, was far more interesting than Howard. Megan Boone also fares no better. Elisabeth Rohm could have done better (and you know how awful I think Ms. Rohm was on the L&O mothership).

Often when watching crime shows, I have what I call an “Oh, Puh-Leeze” moment, when the evidence is just too tidy or a case gets solved by some strange, off the wall, you-would-not-believe occurrence. In this episode, one “Oh, Puh-Leeze” moment came when the detectives find a photo of the suspect, taken while tending her plants, with the murder weapon held up for the camera. There was also another “Oh, Puh-Leeze” moment before that when Rex Winters said that he noticed some plants had just been pruned with a pruning knife. Really, it was laughable.

I thought I could get used to the show starting without the normal Law & Order incantation, but not if they have to start each episode with a song of the week. When shows do this, I find that if I don’t like the song choice, it starts me off not liking the episode. Maybe the show WOULD be better off with Steve Zirnkilton doing his thing at the intro.

After watching "Echo Park" episode, I am worried that if the show keeps this up, it will drop off viewers’ radar soon. It makes it seem like LA is such a dull place. There wasn’t anything compelling enough in “Echo Park” to create anything but negative buzz for the show.

Here is the recap:
A woman, drinking on the beach, is told by a cop to dump out her bottle when he finds out who she is. She later hears a whistling sound which upsets her. Later, she is found dead, stabbed to death. Detectives Rex Winters (Skeet Ulrich) and Tomas “TJ” Jaruszalski (Corey Stoll) find out she is “Baby” Jane Lee Rayburn (Nancy Youngblut), one of the Echo Park Tribe, a cult that killed some families in the 1970s. The word “GERM" is written on a concrete wall in blood.

The detectives, back at RHD, review the case with the lieutenant (Rachel Ticotin). The Echo Park tribe killed in 1979, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Manson murders. The tribe leader, Denis Watson (Michael Massee) is still in prison. Baby Jane was paroled last year on compassionate grounds as she had breast cancer. They check the original Echo Park crime scene photos and see the word “GERMZ” also written in blood.

At the law office of Heather Benedict, whose father was Baby Jane’s original lawyer, the detectives hear that Baby Jane seemed remorseful. The lawyer plays back a phone message she got complaining that Baby Jane should die like the people she killed.

The detectives head to the home of the caller, Henry Franklin, and they have a warrant to enter. Franklin is not there but they see a wall of pictures and clippings of the case and it seems he has been keeping tabs on her as the tribe killed one of his family members. They later find him and he expected to be arrested, holding out his hands so they can cuff him. He says he got Baby Jane and finally killed her.

At RHD, the detectives question him and he admits he did it. He gives them all the details of how he killed her and said he go the knife from a kitchen drawer. It is clear by what he tells them that his information doesn’t match the knife that killed Baby Jane.

At the Ocean Bay Medical Clinic, they show a doctor a photo array and he hasn’t seen anyone in the photos. He said Jane had asked if tamoxifen caused auditory hallucinations. She said she thought someone was whistling at her.

Back at RHD, they watch a recording taken by someone on the beach that day, and they can hear whistling.

At the Central California Women’s Facility, they speak with Sally Ricks (Dale Dickey), who was part of the tribe. They play the whistling sound, and she says it was a signal used by the tribe. She thinks it’s Denis Watson, the former ringleader. When they tell her he is still in prison, she says they don’t know what he can do and how powerful he is. She says she can’t be in there with them anymore and yells to get out of the room.

The detectives question Denis Watson (Michael Massee) but he thinks they’re crazy. They think he reached out to someone from the outside but he denies it all. He hears the recoding of the whistling and says it is nice someone remembers or they killed to impress him. Winters says it is Denis’ last chance and it he did it, they will find out, and that the death penalty is back on. Watson just laughs. Later, they look through the pile of mail that Watson gets and Winters asks for copies.

Later, at Winter’s home, he and TJ discuss the case and Winter’s wife Casey (Teri Polo) arrives and clears the table. TJ looks at one of the letters and it sounds like someone as trying to provoke Watson to kill Baby Jane. The lingo is straight from the state pen. They wonder if they can get a fingerprint form the original letter.

At the Innocence Coalition, they speak with a law student, Rachel Forester (Samantha Sloyan) who admits she mailed a letter for a prisoner. The head of coalition, Jim Roman (Jay Karnes) enters and they tell him what is going on and that a murder solicitation was included. Her prints were on the envelope. He is advising Rachel not to answer and the detectives must go back and look at who she visited.

Back at RHD, they hone in on a Maura Dillon, who was out of prison awaiting a new trial and lives 10 minutes from the scene of the murder.

At Maura Dillon’s (Bonnie Root), she tells the detectives she was in the same block as Jane. She says she has not been in contact with Jane. She said she lost her children in a fire. She said Jane was like a mother to her and was wrongly convicted. They speak to her about the letter, but she won’t speak with them without a lawyer. She is scarred for the fire when she went to save her daughter, but the detectives think it’s from someone using her as an ashtray,

They later find that cigarette burns are from her prison time – a brand – and that she shared a cell with Jane. Maura also alleged Jane burned her, beat her, and raped her with a mop, but later withdrew the compliant. They compare her complaint and the letter sent to Watson, and the printing looks to be the same.

At Dillon’s apartment, Winters sees plants that were cut with a pruning knife that could have been used as the murder weapon.

Later, in interrogation, they question Dillon and she denies having such a knife. They also found a picture of her holding the knife. She becomes upset that this is happening again. They show her the prison complaint and she says that they are twisting everything and faking evidence. They have to stop questioning when her lawyer, Jim Roman, arrives. They arrest her. As they lead her off, they stop at Winter’s desk and she sees a photo of Winter’s wife Casey Ryan, who is retired from the force, and she says she knows her. She said she is a cop who framed her. Winters admits that is his wife. Roman said they have a problem as Ryan sent Dillon to jail on a coerced confession.

Back at home, Winters speaks with Casey about it. She says Maura was not coerced and she confessed and the arson report backed it up.

At the Linwood County Jail, DDA Joe Decker (Terrence Howard) and DDA Lauren Stanton (Megan Boone) speak with Roman with Dillon present. They outline what they have on Dillon. Dillon says no more lies, but Roman quiets her. He tells them what he plans to do about her wrongful conviction, saying it led to Dillon being locked up with a killer who was also a sadist and it cause psychological trauma. Dekker laughs it off but Roman says he is going to take the system apart.

At the DDA’s office, Stanton and Dekker review the plan with Winters and TJ. Dekker tells Winters that Winters can’t work the case because of a conflict. He tells Stanton to go back to Abner Featherstone, the deputy fire marshal who worked Dillon’s case.

Stanton and TJ speak with Featherstone who shows them Dillon’s case was a classic case of arson. But his facts seem a little off and they find at the time he worked the case, he didn’t have many arson cases under his belt. They later speak with another expect who shows that Featherstone was wrong and the fire was caused by a short from a kitchen appliance.

At Mattawin Studios, they speak with another guy who worked the original case who tells them after detective Ryan was done with Dillon, as if Ryan coached Dillon.

TJ and Stanton return to Dekker with their findings. He says it is some rock to push uphill, and Stanton tells him he gets to tell the boss all about it.

At the office of DA Jerry Hardin (Peter Coyote) , Hardin tells Dekker they are going to make it go away; he should offer Dillon 12 years for the manslaughter, declare victory and get out. But Dekker does not agree. Hardin says they will not apologize for a wrongful conviction and they are considering refilling the arson case. Dekker argues about the improprieties with the first case, but Hardin says that was not on his watch and he cleaned out all the bad apples. Hardin says the police department does not need the black eye. Dekker says what Hardin wants is not good law, and Hardin says it is good politics.

Back at home, Winters tells his wife what is going on. Winters ask her if there is something she wants to tell him, and he won’t be the only one who will ask her. She says she has to check on the babies and walks away.

Dekker and Stanton are back at the prison making an offer to Roman and Dillon, who knows the new arson findings clear her. Dillon gets upset and says they know she did not kill her children and refuses to negotiate. She has to tell them. Dekker takes the offer off the table, he thinks a jury needs to decide this.

Back with Harding, Dekker explains what he did but Hardin is angry. Stanton enters and says that Roman will present evidence of intimate partner battering by her cellmate in prison.

Back at home, Winters and Casey discuss the case. He is worried she will get sued and brought up on charges and they could lose everything.

At Superior Court, Dekker makes his opening statement and so does Roman, who outlines that Dillon was wrongfully convicted and then abused in jail and she killed in defense.

Outside the courthouse, Winters tells Dekker they subpoenaed his wife. She does not know Winters is talking to him and says she is being hung out to dry.

Casey is called to the stand and Dekker immediately asks for a sidebar where he objects to Casey being called, claiming her testimony is not relevant. Roman makes his argument and the judge allows her testimony. Hardin glares at Dekker from the back of the room. Dekker says that the people will stipulate that as a result of evidentiary mistakes and prosecutorial misconduct, that Dillon was wrongly convicted and did not kill her children and if not for that conviction she would have never been in prison with Rayburn. Roman accepts it and Casey is excused.

Later, a doctor testifies about what happened to Dillon and how the abuse affected her. Dekker asks about the length of time form the abuse and the murder, and he says the trauma can last a long time, and that the fear drove her to it.

On the stand, Dillon talks about being in fear of Jane all the time and the terrible things she said about her dead children. Jane said she could always find her. Dillon felt the same even after out of prison and was panicked when she found Jane was out. She had to protect herself so he found Jane and followed her and killed her before she could hurt her.

Under cross, Dekker asks her about her children in heaven, and she says she still thinks about them. She says she feels like they are there listening and she thinks of herself as a good person. She admits Jane looked different than the last time she saw her, from her cancer illness. Dekker says she was sick and harmless and Dillon says she could not be sure of that. Dekker tries to bring out the fact that Jane was too ill. She admits Jane taught her the whistle, and Dekker says Dillon did it to incite fear and to make Jane feel what she felt, and that she was angry and wanted revenge. He asks what she would tell her children about what she did to Jane. She said mommy got mad and made a mistake. She admits she was not afraid for her life, she was just angry at Jane and the people that put her in prison and that is what she thought of when she stabbed her 14 times. Dillon breaks down and said she could not stop, she was just so angry. She says it wasn’t fair and somebody had to pay. She breaks down as she says she is sorry.

Afterwards, Dekker offers her 12 years but Roman is resistant, thinking the jury won’t go for it. Dekker offers voluntary manslaughter with credit for time served, and she serves the full 6 and no parole or early release. She agrees. Dekker says he is sorry for what happened to her, but she says now everyone knows.

Later, Dekker tells Hardin about the 6 years and that he declared victory and everybody got out. Hardin says he has to go to Parker Center and smooth some feathers because Dekker’s stipulation didn’t go over well with the police chief. Dekker says he is sure Hardin will find a way to spin it to his advantage. Harden replies, “So will you, Joe.”

Back at home, Winters talks over the latest with Casey. He asks her what would she have said. She asks what would he think, and he says the truth, one way or the other. She puts her head on his shoulder as we fade to black.



All Text Content (Recaps, Review, Commentary) © allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Wet” Advance Cast Photos

Here are several photos from NBCU for the upcoming episode of Law & Order SVU, “Wet” which include Chris Meloni, Richard Belzer, Ice-T, and guest star Paula Patton as ADA Mikka Von.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU "Wet" can be found at this link.

Photo by: Eric Liebowitz/NBC

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Merchandise” Recap & Review

All photos from NBCU

Law & Order SVU delivered another fine episode with “Merchandise” which addressed the issue of American children being enslaved by American adults. Benson and Stabler think they have a simple case of a young girl being killed by a car, but it turns into a hard look into the practice of the trading of children for slavery and sex. A little out of character is when the normally crusading detectives decide to disagree with ME Warner’s ruling of murder because they don’t think they charge will stick. Luckily for the kids involved, Cragen smacks some sense into Benson and Stabler's heads and reminds them that there is a special victim involved. The detectives are sucked into the case and find an abused boy that is suffering from the traumatic effects of his experience (an excellent performance by Devon Gearhart) and the lives of other children are in jeopardy.

Stabler and Benson get to expand their horizons – albeit temporarily – when they are deputized as US Marshals. This may create some tension between the detectives and Dr. Huang later down the road, since the detectives went against Huang’s recommendations and kept Huang from taking over the case. Hopefully Huang will look at the outcome and not be too hard on the detectives down the road.

One scene did have me cringing, though. It was when Stabler was racing head on towards the truck which was headed straight for him, and Benson unbuckles her seat belt and sticks her head out the window and aims to shoot. If the truck had collided with them, Benson could easily have been killed. It would have been easier, safer, and maybe even more accurate if she had to shoot, had she left her seat belt on and simply stuck her hand - with the gun in it - out the window. I am sure it was all for dramatic effect, but it still seemed like a dumb move.

Season 12 has put the focus back on the case and the victims, which is where Law & Order SVU excels. It was amusing, though, to have the diversion of Fin's dry, matter of fact humor, and the precinct’s structural failures and resulting water problems. The latter will serve as the explanation for the show moving their production from New Jersey to the old Law & Order set at Chelsea Piers. (Of course, that just makes the Law & Order fans sad to think that this means that Law & Order is not only merely dead, it’s really most sincerely dead.)




Here is the recap:

A teenage girl, (Michaela Annette) running though a farmer’s market, seems to be fleeing from someone or something, and she races into the street, getting hit by a car and is killed. Detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) hear from ME Warner (Tamara Tunie) that this is really a homicide; there is evidence the girl was starved and abused, and the young girl also had given birth within the last year.

Back at the SVU precinct, things are in disarray as it seems the pipes in the building have burst and water is everywhere. Captain Don Cragen (Dann Florek) asks the detectives why they are challenging ME Warner’s ruling, and they feel that they can’t make a murder charge stick as it wasn’t the abuse and starvation that killed the girl; it was the cab that hit her. Cragen says to find the bastard that starved her first and then worry about the DA’s charges.

The detectives take a look at video footage that Fin (Ice-T) has of the girl before she is killed, and they can see another kid running behind her, as if the other kid was fleeing as well. Back at the farmer market, they speak to witnesses who saw the girl – Carly - and they find she is a mission farms hire, who gives at risk kids day jobs. Fin speaks to the management at the farmer’s market and Fin argues about using kids as farm workers. He finds there is a Carly Holbart, 15, who works for the farm, with a lower east side address. Fin goes to the address and knocks on doors and speaks with a Holbart neighbor and finds out the Holbart's were evicted.

Back at SVU, the parents are identified as Patrick and Madeline Holbart who were tossed out of their apartment after drowning in hospital debt when Madeline died of cancer. No new address for them. Holbart hasn’t paid his union dues for a while and is getting new other benefits. They have a BOLO out on his car. As water flows all around them from the ceiling, Stabler says Child Services had custody of Holbart’s other three kids. But Holbart invoked his parental rights and took them back and then disappeared. Fin announces they found Holbart’s car in the alley behind a church.

The detectives head to where the car was located and there are many people there living out of their cars. They see Holbart (Paul Schultz) there with his kids and tell him about Carly.

At the SVU precinct, they tell Holbart how Carly died. The last time he saw her was a year ago, Carly and Micah were working farmlands. When their mother died he couldn’t pay the bills and barely keep food on the table and he had no choice but to put them to work. He turned them over to a Latina woman, Magda Paloma for the work and he spoke to the kids a few times but then the phone was disconnected. He gave them her license plate number. He got a $500 advance for the kids and he got them work. He begged Child Services to help but they split up the kids. He did not know Carly was pregnant and is shocked to hear about how she was abused. Holbart breaks down in grief and horror at the news. He sent them a way so they could have food and shelter so they could be safe. Stabler shows his the photos of Holbart’s daughter’s last moments, and Holbart sees Micah in one of the photos, racing after Carly. He thinks Micah is in trouble too.

Outside the interrogation room, Cragen tells the detectives that Mission Farms is bogus. The info on the license plate that Holbart has is of a stolen car that has never been recovered. Te cell phone number was of a disposable cell. Stabler tells Benson Magda Paloma is a ghost. Cragen tells the detectives that Holbart has done nothing criminal and they need to let him go. Fin says someone captured the chase on a cell phone and it is not what they think. It appears Micah pushed Carly into traffic. They also wonder what Carly's baby would be worth on the black market. It looks like the Micah was also charged with prostitution and resisting, apparently forced into the sex trade. Stabler wonders how a kid could be charged with something he can’t legally consent to, and Fin says he’s going to talk to the person that pinched him.

Fin speaks with Detective Cruz (Pia Glenn) who arrested Micah before, and when he challenges her on why she cahrged Micah, she tells him if they match a kid's photo to missing persons they send them home to the same places that made them run in the first place. Fin tells Cruz the new laws are supposed to protect them from being charged and she says only if they flip on their pimps and testify in open court. He tells her he needs to find Micah fast and he needs face to face time with their pimps. Later, Cruz has all the pimps lined up and Fin tells them, “Fact: You are now all my bitches. Fact: Deliver this kid to me or get used to living in the tombs. Fact: Until then, no stable’s safe, no john’s out of reach and most of all ain’t no money getting’ made.” One guy gives him the information that he knows who runs Micah – he is a drop off in a group stable. Fin tells him he wants the kid delivered to him by this time tomorrow. The guy agrees to have Jasmine deliver him right to Fin.

When Fin gets back to SVU, the place is dripping water from everywhere and Stabler tells him the pipes burst. Cragen says they have foundation problems and are moving to the command center outside. He also says the construction company owner who rehabbed the precinct just got indicted, the concrete testing was faked and they may have to underpin the foundation. In the trailer, Benson says they have only come up with 3 Hispanic females who match Magda's description with facial scars. Cragen tells them to put together a mug book to see if Micah can make an ID when they get him in custody. Fin says that he may have Micah tomorrow and that a pro named Jasmine is supposed to bring Micah to him.

The next day, at the meeting place, Stabler and Benson wait in the car and Stabler gets a phone call. Fin has Micah (Devon Gearhart) in his sights. A girl brings Micah to Fin, who says he is just what he ordered. Micah asks him to pick his poison and Micah rattles off a list of services. Fin asks him if he wants to take a ride, and when Stabler approaches him, Micah runs. Stabler gets Jasmine and Benson catches Micah and they fall to the ground and he fights her. Stabler pulls him off, Micah’s shirt rips and he is screaming to be let go. Stabler tries to calm down. The detectives see the wounds on Micah’s back and are horrified. Micah begs to be let go, he is afraid he will be punished.

Later, with Micah screaming in the back of the squad car, Benson speaks with Jasmine, who is worried that Micah will be OK. She refuses to go with them. Stabler is worried when he sees Fin wants to restrain Micah to prevent him from hurting himself, but Benson thinks that’s what Micah is used to. They restrain his arms.

At the hospital, the doctor tells the detectives that Micah is sedated and he has multiple fractures and evidence of sexual abuse and malnutrition. Micah should be 20 pounds heavier. His blood shows farm pesticides. The detectives speak with Micah, and he wants to be let go, as he will get them killed. Stabler says he wants to help but can’t do it without him. An attorney, Dan Goldberg (Fred Melamed), enters and says he suggests Stabler tries, he is Micah’s guardian ad litem and they cannot interrogate Micah. Outside the room, Stabler explains Micah’s situation to Goldberg but Goldberg says as long as Micah is considered a suspect in his sister’s murder, Micah is off limits, his job is to protect Micah.

Outside the SVU precinct, Cragen stares at the workers who don’t seem to be working on the building, and Fin says, “Giving them the hairy eyeball isn’t gonna make them move, Captain. They’re union.” But Cragen is pissed that they are wasting time. Benson and Stabler tell Cragen about the problems with Goldberg. Cragen thinks they need to give Goldberg something he needs, a psychiatric evaluation of Micah’s intent when he chased down his sister. Stabler thinks this means the judge will cut him loose if they get a shrink to say he didn’t mean to kill her. Cragen will set it up with Dr. Huang.

At Bellevue, Huang (BD Wong) speaks with Micah and Micah wants out. Huang says he will open the door but says Micah cannot go out. Huang finds that Micah was locked up on the farm and got beatings when they made a mistake, but not the girls, Magda was nice at first but she left them with Liam. Outside, Stabler and Benson speak with Goldberg and he says he hands are tied until the judge rules. Micah tells Huang he did not pay off the debt and is hooked for everything – food, water, shelter and he was forced to have sex and soon the money was so good they wanted more. Ten of them were forced into sex for money, then there were 6, then Carly. Huang tells Micah he is safe and gets him to sit down. Micah says they worked days and nights and didn’t always get to eat They gave them scraps and garbage from the compost heap, when the girls got pregnant they ate good then. Three babies were born and they took them away. Carly had a little boy and wanted to know if they killed him. Huang does not know. Carly wanted the baby and it didn’t matter how she got him, he was hers. Micah says when they went the hotels he usually kept his eyes shut and they took care of each other until she tried to leave. If she left they would beat them and Carly knew that so why would she run. When Huang says maybe she was trying to get help, Micah gets agitated and says not to say that. He begins to flail out and as Huang asks him why not, Micah tells him to let go of him. He admits he pushed her and she got hit, he didn’t know she was trying to save him.

In the observation room, Stabler tells Goldberg they need Micah to look at mug books. Goldberg says that is Huang’s call, and Huang says he is recommending immunity and witness protection. Goldberg thinks no family court judge will accept that, but Huang says a federal court judge will, and the FBI is taking over. When Benson objects, Huang explains that human trafficking, sex trafficking, the Mann Act, are all violations of US code. He moves to call his boss, but Stabler tells him Micah is not going anywhere, and tells Huang he is not the only one with the Feds on speed dial.

At the US Attorney’s office, the detectives speak with Chris Danielson (Gloria Reuben) now an Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District. She tells them how many Americans are being enslaved in the world and in the US and there is little help for US kids being enslaved in the US. She cites many examples. She says she can protect Micah’s friends but hasn’t decided if she is taking their bait. Stabler and Benson argue all the work that they did and that they need to make a local example. Stabler begs for her help. She asks for their badges and givens them special deputy US Marshal badges – credentials they need to work outside their jurisdiction. She makes them take the oath.

Back at the hospital where Fin is waiting, Benson and Stabler show them the badges. When Chris asks about any luck on the ID, he tells them so far, nothing. But, they see Micah suddenly jump away from the table, and Goldberg holds a mug shot photo up to the window of Victoria Reyes.

Back at the command center, they find Victoria also goes by Tina Reyes and Kiki Ramos, and she has a long record. They find her current record is sealed. Chris thinks she can’t get cooperation from the US Attorneys for help and Stabler asks what kind of press they want, live victims or dead kids.

Later, at the Federal Corrections Institution, Reyes is being held there and Chris offers Reyes immunity, through AUSA Ben Daltrey (Sebastian La Cause), but she still won’t talk. Chris threatens to have her current deal vacated. She says her case is bigger and the AG loves headlines. They show Reyes the photos of Carly and Micah and she knows them, saying she got $1,000 each. She sold them to Liam and Julie Ryan, wanna-be farmers, Liam met her and took them off her hands, and she never saw the farm. She met him at a farm and feed store and they got 7 kids and they tricked the kids out. She had been serving less than a year and stopped taking their calls when she heard they burned some of the workers when they heard the heat was closing in. They kill only the kids, the illegals are too scared to talk. Benson tells Stabler than Fin ran Liam and Julie Ryan and there is no record of any land being leased in Suffolk County, no bank accounts and no credit. He says to have Fin fax their photos over to that store.
As Benson, Stabler, and Chris ride in the car, Fin tells them the Ryans lost a family farm due to foreclosure and they moved to North Carolina and Florida. They skipped before Sarasota police could question them about allegations of using illegal workers. When the cops got there, only 5 bodies were found, dead from cyanide poisoning. Cragen cuts in and says the Ryans are leasing a farm off the books from a farmer going bankrupt. Benson asks for the address and Stabler asks the Suffolk PD meet them, no light or sirens.

The drive up the dirt road, and a truck is heading right at them. Stabler drives toward them head on, with Benson’s head out the window her gun drawn. The truck veers off and the detectives get out of their car. Stabler keeps his gun on the Ryan as he orders them out of the car and tells Benson and Chris to go, and they get back in the car and trace to the house. At the house, Benson kicks in the door and enters, gun drawn, but she and Chris see no one. Benson thinks they are in a root cellar, and races there. She finds a roomful of children, chained up. She struggles to free them as EMTs arrive. They only have a short time to treat and save the kids.

Later, as the Ryans are led off in full body chains, Chris tells the detectives the Ryans invoked right away. She also says they found a laptop in the truck along with a suitcase full of cash. Stabler asks her to put the Ryans in a deep, dark hole. She says the best she can do is maximum security, life without parole. Stabler says that works for him, and he and Benson turn in their special badges. She says the door is always open.

At Bellevue Hospital, Patrick Holbart is there as Micah recovers. They tell him Micah will not be charged and must undergo counseling. He must feel that he is safe, and Holbart says he lives in a car. Stabler says not any more, he says they talked to a shelter geared toward families and has temporary housing for all of them until they can get back on their feet. Holbart seems moved, and thanks them. He returns to console Micah, who cries. As Benson and Stabler turn and walk away, we fade to black.


All Text Content (Recaps, Review, Commentary) © allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Bradley Walsh Discusses Law & Order UK’s US Premiere (Video)

Get to know a little bit about Bradley Walsh (DS Ronnie Brooks in Law & Order UK) in this September 23, 2010 interview which aired on BBC Breakfast. Bradley discusses Law & Order UK, its airing in the US, and other parts of his interesting career.

Don’t forget – Law & Order UK begins airing in the U.S. on BBC America on Sunday, October 3 and will air on Fridays thereafter (check your local listings). Don’t miss this fine show!




Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order: LA “Harbor City” Episode Information

Here are the details for a new episode of Law & Order Los Angeles, “Harbor City” :

Law & Order Los Angeles “Harbor City” Air Date October 13, 2010 (10PM ET/9C Wednesday NBC)

DETECTIVES WINTERS (SKEET ULRICH) AND JARUSZALSKI (COREY STOLL) COMB THE BEACH TO INVESTIGATE THE MURDER OF A PRO SURFER

When former surf champion Trevor Knight (Yves Bright) returns home to help his ailing mother, it ultimately results in his untimely death. Initially, Detectives Rex Winters (Skeet Ulrich) and Tomas "TJ" Jaruszalski (Corey Stoll) are lead to believe that it was not only a robbery gone wrong, but possibly an inside job. Meanwhile, DDA Morales (Alfred Molina) has a feeling that someone related to one of the suspects knows more than they are telling and goes to unusual lengths to flush them out. Regina Hall also stars.

My recap and review of Law & Order Los Angeles "Harbor City" can be found at this link.



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU “Branded” Episode Information

Here are the details for a new October episode of Law & Order SVU, “Branded.”

Law & Order SVU “Branded” Air Date October 20, 2010 (9PM ET/8C Wednesday NBC)

DETECTIVES OLIVIA BENSON (MARISKA HARGITAY) AND ELLIOT STABLER (CHRISTOPHER MELONI) LOOK FOR A CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO MEN BEATEN AND BRANDED BY THEIR ATTACKER. DAVID ALAN GRIER GUEST STARS.

When detectives Benson (Hargitay) and Stabler (Meloni) investigate a brutal attack on an unassuming, upstanding father (guest star Michael Gladis), they find he’s also been branded on his chest with a wire coat hanger. Before long, another victim turns up (guest star Kevin Alejandro) who has suffered the same injuries. Once they track down the suspect, some startling memories surface that completely change the course of the case. Also starring: Ice-T, Dann Florek, Richard Belzer and BD Wong.

My recap and review of Law & Order SVU "Branded" can be found at this link.




Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order UK “Confession" Recap & Review

All photos from NBCU

Law & Order UK “Confession” was based on the original Law & Order episode from season 5, “Bad Faith,” which was written by Rene Balcer. “Bad Faith” was an excellent episode, and I think that “Confession” was an excellent remake. It gave Jamie Bamber a chance to show his range – showing Matt Devlin’s anger over his friend’s death, his horror over his friend’s long suffering over sexual abuse by a priest, and his emotional coming to terms with his own secrets about the matter. Sadly, the issue of sexual abuse against children by the clergy is a story that still remains relevant, even though many years have passed between “Bad Faith” and “Confession.”

James Steel (Ben Daniels) goes after the pedophile priest with his usual zeal, and knows exactly where to hit the church – in their wallet - in order to get the evidence he needs to put a pedophile away for good. I also enjoy George Castle (Bill Paterson) who seems to have some of the traits of L&O's cranky Adam Schiff, although Castle sometimes seems a little more comical in his delivery (very enjoyable). And Bradley Walsh pulls everything together with his portrayal of world weary, and wise, Ronnie Brooks who knows how to put everything in perspective. Of course, it’s Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) who takes the ball and looks for the angle which gets Steel started on his crusade. A wonderful episode and fine performances by all.


Here is the recap:

A police officer is found dead in a park, shot once in the head, and DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter) are called to the scene. DS Matt Devlin arrives and is distraught, racing over to the body, but Brooks pulls him away. It’s Devlin’s friend, PS Pete Garvey.

Later, Devlin and Brooks arrive at the officer’s house, where they deliver the bad news to Pete’s wife, Mel (Ruth Gemmell) and try to get information about what Pete did that day. Pete left a note he would be working late that day. She tells Brooks to talk to PS Jack Barr (Tim Chipping).

They speak with Barr, who works at Clubs and Vice Central HQ, who says Garvey was off duty and did not know who he was meeting, and adds Garvey was a family man. Brooks thinks Barr knows something and presses him, and Barr says he was hoping that he could track down the gun Garvey took before it was noticed it was missing.

The detectives confer with Chandler and she says there was no gun found at the crime scene. They think an argument got out of hand, and the killer pocketed the gun. There are no suspects from his active cases, so why did he go armed? Devlin gets rattled when they imply Garvey was dirty. They decide to go over all his cases. Later, Devlin tells Brooks no evidence was left so he thinks the killer knows how to clean a crime scene.

The detectives question an ex-cop whose case Garvey worked on that fell through. He has an alibi that checks out.

Later, they think they will not find anything in Garvey’s old cases. Devlin says the last few times they were supposed to meet, Garvey canceled, and that last time he saw him, Garvey drank a lot. Brooks thinks something was really eating up Garvey. They go back to talk to his wife Mel, and she says Pete had been having problems sleeping for the last 6 months or a year. He had been having nightmares and would wake up screaming. Last week she found him crying. He was also seeing a priest for counseling. This seems to surprise Devlin. It was Devlin’s and Garvey’s old parish priest, Father Nugent.

The detective are at the home of Jonathan Nugent (Matthew Marsh) who is no longer a priest. He says he hasn’t seen Garvey is years. He was not counseling him. They tell him about his death, and wife walks in and quickly exits. Devlin gets testy and asks Nugent if he has kids and then for his whereabouts on Wednesday night. Nugent says he was home with his family, and Devlin gets even testier.

Outside the house, Devlin tells Brooks that Nugent was a local hero for turning the area around but he is also a pedophile.

The detectives tell Chandler what they found with Nugent, and Chandler wonders if Garvey spoke with any of Devlin’s other friends.

At the home of Harry Lucas (Johnny Harris), he tells them Garvey tracked Nugent down and Garvey was tracking him and Nugent offered Garvey ten thousand pounds to go away. Garvey was building a case on him. Devlin says it was years ago and insists Garvey was over it, but Lucas says that shows how Devlin really knew him. Later, Lucas and Devlin argue and Lucas tells him that Garvey didn’t talk to Devlin because he knew how he would react – like it was nothing. Lucas said he trusted Nugent and sometimes though it was all in his head.

Later, Devlin tells Brooks that Nugent lied to them, and Brooks thinks one bullet would have solved Nugent’s problems. It seems, however, that forensics found the bullet, it went through Garvey's skull and traveled a distance. They were looking in t he wrong place. But it also looks like Garvey killed himself. Devlin can’t believe it. They tell him check out Garvey’s gloves which had been found in his pocket.

Later, they question security who was first to arrive on the scene and they are first told the gloves were found in his pocket. Under questioning by the detectives, Sergeant Morrow (Martha Cope) admits she removed the gloves from his hands so it would not look like suicide which would have affected his pension and insurance policy. She took she shell casing and the gun and dumped them in the Thames.

Afterwards, Chandler, along with Brooks and Devlin, tell James Steel (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) that they think Garvey went to confront Nugent in the part and couldn’t kill him and turned the gun on himself. Steel thinks there is no case, but Brooks thinks he is morally responsible. They wonder if the are other witnesses or victims he has no case. Devlin walks out of the room. Brooks later asks Alesha is that all there is, and she says to leave it to her.

The next morning, Steel arrives in the office and sees Phillips sleeping on the couch. She tells Steel that Garvey was suffering from PTSD – post traumatic stress disorder- and if they can prove Nugent caused the PTSD, they can charge Nugent with manslaughter.
They later discuss the possible case with George Castle (Bill Paterson) and Castle doesn’t want to choose this battle. Phillips thinks they just need to make a stand for other victims. Outside, on the steps of the courthouse, Devlin muses over the situation with Brooks. They get the good news from Steel and Phillips, and later, the two head to Nugent’s and arrest him.

At Garvey’s funeral, Devlin talks to Lucas – Devlin wants a favor. After the service, Devlin wants Lucas to testify. He is reluctant as he has never talked to anyone about it. He can’t go back there. Devlin begs him, saying they need to give Mel peace. Lucas says he saw Nugent with Pete once and can talk about that.

At Crown v Nugent, Nugent pleads not guilty and applies for bail. Later, Robert Ridley QC (Patrick Malahide) talks with Steel and Phillips, wondering why a charge of manslaughter when it was a suicide. Steel says Nugent abused Garvey to such an extent that 25 years later he took his own life. They see messages from Castle, and he later directs them to the conference room. Steel says he made some gentle inquiries to the Cardinal but Steel mentions Steel’s strong techniques. In the conference room is Father Aiden Browne (Struan Rodger) who refuses to turn over files on Nugent. It seems Nugent was moved to many parishes and Steel thinks he knows why. Browne says they can afford the best lawyers and tells them to step lightly. After Browne leaves, Castle tells them to put Nugent way without incurring the wrath of the Catholic Church, calling the Cardinal a sore loser

Back at trial, Mel is on the stand talking about the change in Peter and got nightmares after he met up with Nugent. Under cross examination, Mel says that her husband never mentioned the abuse. Under rebuttal, Mel says that her husband wanted to keep their married life untouched by the past incident.

Lucas testifies about the encounter he witnessed with Nugent and Garvey. Under cross examination, Lucas tries to defend that he is not a liar and said he cheated on his wife but he knows what he saw. When questioned if Nugent ever touched him, Lucas gets very upset and says no. As Nugent stares at Lucas, Lucas screams for Nugent to tell them, and he breaks down. He says he is not a liar and he can’t do it.

A MIU Central Headquarters, Nugent approaches Devlin and says he needs his help. Nugent says he has a confession to make. He says there was a delay on the tube and he had to report to the local police station by 7 and he is going to be late. He was told if he went to another station a detective could sign for him. When Nugent says Devlin wouldn’t want to have an innocent man go to jail, Devlin leaps from his chair and gets in Nugent’s face. Nugent said he never touched Devlin, why would Devlin think he touched the others? Devlin signs the paper.

Back in court, Dr Roddy Armitage (George Anton) testifies about Garvey’s involvement with a case of abuse of a young boy. The young boy developed selective mutism as a result of his abuse and could not give evidence. Garvey saw himself in this boy, which bought out the PTSD. Under cross examination, Armitage must admit Garvey was not his patient and his observations are based on files.

Later, while Ridley talks things over with Steel, someone enters and hands Steel a piece of paper – and application to dismiss all charges. In court, Ridley says fresh evidence has come forward to show that Garvey was blackmailing him, and that the money appears to have been paid to Garvey, who adds he did want the information to harm Garvey’s family.

Later, Devlin talks to Mel and she didn’t know about the money. She wonders why her husband never told her. Devlin said Pete was a pain in the ass and an idiot, and they agree that they miss him.

Back in the office, Steel and Phillips wonder if Nugent is finding other victims, He wonders when he met his wife, and she moved out of the house last month and look the kids with her. They wonder if he is abusing his own family. When they tell Castle about their theory, he flips out of it, asking what part about not incurring the wrath of the Catholic Church did he not understand? Steel thinks they are hiding something. Steel says to call the Church’s bluff and hit them where it hurts – in their pockets, and to have Harry Lucas threaten a civil suit that could cost them millions.

At St. Valerius church, Father Browne gives Steel the files Steel wanted and admits they tried everything to rehabilitate Nugent. Steel says they didn’t hand him over to the authorities. There are over 40 names on the list from the file obtained from Browne.

Back at CPS, they confront Nugent with all the statements from other victims and will bring it out all in court, 44 indictments. He says the victims has found a voice. Ridley whispers to Nugent and Nugent gets up and walks out, Phillips following. Ridley tried to cut a deal, and Steel says no deal. Nugent’s victims want to face him in court and he wants to give them their chance.

At Central Criminal Court, Phillips waits with Devlin and she thanks him for doing this, touching his hand. He hears the page ordering him to court #10. He gets on the stand and testifies that when he was 9, with chickenpox, Pete used to visit and said he found some porn mags when cleaning the sacristy. He laughed because all the boys knew about Nugent’s dirty magazines. He says Nugent gave Pete the magazine and Nugent told Pete how to touch himself and Pete wanted to show him how it was done. Devlin rebuffed him and then Pete started getting upset, saying earlier that day Nugent told Pete he had sinned and that they have been sinning for weeks. Nugent dragged Pete to the chapel and made Pete swear he would never say anything. He told Nugent he would go to hell if he ever did. Brooks sits in the gallery alongside Mel, who looks stunned. Ridley questions why Devlin never told an adult, and Devlin said he promised he wouldn’t. He had to admit that Nugent never touched him but says he was always there, lingering with his eyes and hands, watching him while he showered, All the later boys knew about him Ridley says Devlin failed to spot that Garvey was suffering from depression and he could have prevented the death of his friend. When Ridley says Devlin needs to ruin Nugent’s reputation, Devlin shouts back, asking how do you ruin the reputation of a pedophile? Ridley says he needs to believe the lie so he can live with the guilt. Devlin says he just wants Nugent locked up.

Later, the jury renders a verdict of guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, on ALL counts.

Later, Brooks finds Devlin sitting alone in church. Devlin says he hasn’t been in a church in nearly 20 years, and Devlin says to take it easy on him. He is remorseful about Pete but Brooks tells him it was Pete’s choice of his line of work. Devlin tells Brooks that Nugent came to see him and looked him in the eye and said he never touched him, but he doesn’t know, sometimes he is not sure what he remembers. He gets emotional, and Brooks says he is talking to the wrong bloke, he lost and entire decade from cheap whiskey and luckily it was the 1980s. Devlin laughs, and Brooks tells him not to spill too many beans, Devlin has done nothing wrong. Brooks tells him he’ll be outside when he is ready. Devlin cries as he sits alone in the church as we fade to black.



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Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.