Overall, this was a highly entertaining season premiere. Perhaps one of the best. I loved the darker imagery and cinematography. The scene where all the inmates were huddled in what looked to be a literal hole, where Cary fortuitously met the son of the LGC client was claustrophobic and horrifying. Excellent job from Robert King and whoever the DP is.
I was a little less impressed by Czuchry's acting unfortunately. It was so... contrived. I felt like there was no spectrum of emotions or momentum built. Cary was thrown into lockup as a seasoned (despite his positively boyish appearance) attorney having worked for the state's prosecution in addition to being a defense attorney (so he is knowledgeable of both ends and has probably seen some frightful, unethical, immoral things) yet he is almost instantly demoralized and downtrodden. Really, is he that disoriented after 24 hrs? I'm not sure if this was a choice made by MC himself or a directive, but I thought as an interpretation it was too obvious and not really befitting of an attorney of Cary's experience, privileged background or not. And it looks like this is multi-episode plot so more build up would have been better distributed across the eps. Also, that paired with the rather unsubtle commentary on the corruption of the Chicago police dept and judicial system was overwrought. Ok. I get it. It's a city rife with "inefficiency". Put the hammer (sic) away.
But let's slam it down a few more times to drive home the symbolism of "The Line" Oh, look. It even manifests physically a half dozen times and here is some dialogue drawing attention to it in case you missed the lingering shots... Alright. Those were really my only gripes.
What is all this talk about Kalinda using her sexual prowess to investigate? When did this happen in the episode? I know it's an all too common occurrence that has grown more frequent postseason two, I reckon. But that didn't happen here. Or is this just thinly veiled slut shaming of Kalinda for having casual sex (kinda implied but only loosely) with Sophia before her investigation began? And are we conveniently forgetting that she rebuffed Sophia's advances while in the midst of her investigation? And then turned the tables on Sophia and threatened to snitch to her boss that Sophia had tipped Kalinda off about Cary's arrest? (Doing that would make more sense than claiming Sophia intervened to help Kalinda elude arrest. If they wanted her arrested, she would have been. I reckon Sophia was trying to slow her down.) Because otherwise, Kalinda's investigation involved getting Cary's side of things, interviewing a guy with a grill, getting warned off and spooked (understandably) by Bishop and blackmailing the woman she maybe had sex with prior to her investigation to get information to help Cary's case. Not very sexy.
Sophia is great btw. I like Kelli Giddish in this role more than on SVU. Though, it might have something to do with disliking SVU in general. Plus, she is underutilized.
Marissa was hysterical. Eli was in top form. Obviously, the quick wit runs in the family. I don't like the oncoming retread of Peter's infidelity. It's not that I don't see it as in character. It's that it's so flagrantly evident, I don't see any drama or suspense in it. We've explored its personal implications and its political implications. His and Alicia's marriage is a formality, so Alicia is supposedly beyond caring. What else is there? Oh. The effect on Alicia's political career. Here we go again.
