S21.E11: She Paints For Vengeance

[HunterHunted]

10 minutes ago, wknt3 said:

But that would have required effort and paying recurring guest star money so we can't have that! It's a shame because we have identified 3 or 4 different ways here that could have made this C- episode into a B+ and I don't think that the current writing staff is too incompetent to see it. So it must be some sort of combination of lack of effort, focus on areas other than quality, and mandates from above.

Without a Trace is streaming on the Roku channel. I watched this great episode "A Day in the Life" where they tell the story from the perspective of the parents of a missing boy. The parents are played by Matt Craven and Laurie Metcalf. It's a great episode. They dialed back on the regular cast in the episode; we only see glimpses of what the investigators are actually doing. And the poor parents feel targeted and terrorized by the FBI investigators.

I mention this because the actual police investigation was minimal. With Mariska directing, this would have made the perfect episode to switch perspectives and let the story be told from Carisi's pov. Most shows switch and give an actor/director light acting loads so they can concentrate on directing. Unfortunately, we got slightly more Carisi, but the same amount of Olivia.

The worst part is that they actually hired and gave lines to the actor playing the other ADA who was about to handle Markeevious' arraignment. Stick that dude at the table during the trial. They already hired a guy. It wouldn't have taken much more to add him to the courtroom scenes. 

[SarahPrtr]

On 1/17/2020 at 9:20 PM, dttruman said:

Is it me or when they use this gimmick of most of the other police officers being indifferent or unconcerned except for the SVU, that it indirectly demeans the NYPD?

ONLY the SVU detectives are ALLOWED to be concerned about the victims!  Who cares if it's the PD's civic and moral duty to serve and protect?!

 

You know how there are actors and people who play a role for a long time and believe that they're really the characters they portray?  I think that's what's happening here. 

 

On 1/18/2020 at 2:07 AM, dttruman said:

I wonder who arranged it? Doesn't she have to perform a miracle or two, in order to be given sainthood?

In Olivia's mind, she's performed thousands.

 

On 1/19/2020 at 6:18 AM, walnutqueen said:

Could she BE any more delusional?  [/Chandler Bing voice]

First person who came to mind, when I read the 'BE' part!

 

On 1/20/2020 at 3:26 PM, breezy424 said:

I want my Carisi back.  Unless they give him a pair of balls and he tells the saint that she's not his boss anymore.  We saw this very strong character at the end in the court room and if the PTB want to make him ADA, this is what they need to do with this character and stop making the saint the one who makes him this way.

Carisi becoming an ADA has nothing to do with Olivia, regardless of what she wants to believe and how much credit she wants to heap on herself.  Carisi made himself an ADA.  HE went to law school, HE did the shitload of studying and reading, HE motivated himself and dedicated his time to becoming a lawyer, even when it must have been exhausting to study after a full day of detective work (when I was doing both, I preferred working to studying). 

 

Carisi can tell Olivia to FO, and she couldn't do anything about it because she's not his boss! He can certainly stand up for himself and tell her to back off.  To quote Jessica Jones - "There's heroic shit that we do, which we have done, and there's heroic shit that they do, which they're doing." Although of course, Olivia would like to think that she can do everything.

[CrystalBlue]

I'm glad I didn't stay up past my bedtime to watch this she said/he said recurring plotline.  Another pretty white girl.  I thought she was over the top in her anger, especially her demeanor in the courtroom.

Most of her story made no sense.  If NYPD has an SVU, why didn't she show up there in person to make her complaint and get a rape kit done?  I think she had an underlying emotional problem and fixated on her encounter with Markeevious Ryan for some reason.

I like seeing Jenna Stern, but the former Judge Barth has transformed into a different personality, hasn't she?

I can't wait for the next pretty white girl says one thing and a rich, powerful any color bad boy says another thing story.  As long as Noah has his pivotal scene in the episode, I'll be transfixed.  😜

 

[dttruman]

9 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

Most of her story made no sense.  If NYPD has an SVU, why didn't she show up there in person to make her complaint and get a rape kit done?  I think she had an underlying emotional problem and fixated on her encounter with Markeevious Ryan for some reason.

Agreed! In the past, setting the plot was fairly easy, now they try to make it more complex with that apathetic cop taking her story, that turns out unbelievable. That "underlying emotional problem" with Markeevious should have been the main focus , bu they had to spend that time on the wall murals and Benson inspiring Carisi.

 

10 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

I like seeing Jenna Stern, but the former Judge Barth has transformed into a different personality, hasn't she?

Someone mentioned earlier, she was going through a tough divorce and needed the money, so I guess she is going to be the new bad guy attorney.

[wknt3]

11 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

Most of her story made no sense.  If NYPD has an SVU, why didn't she show up there in person to make her complaint and get a rape kit done?  I think she had an underlying emotional problem and fixated on her encounter with Markeevious Ryan for some reason.

Why not? Because she's an artist and doesn't follow the news that closely so she dosen't see Olivia Benson on the news with the VPOTUS or being interviewed as THE authority on sex crimes or arresting huge celebrities, CEOS and politicians every week. And because she doesn't know she is in a late seasons episode of SVU and that you can just walk into the squadrooom and talk to a detective directly without dealing with any sort of security or process at all and is following the logic of the real world and earlier seasons where victims called 911 or dealt with their local precincts and then the elite detectives were called in. And, of course, because most likely that part of the plot actually went somewhere and was cut so that we could (literally!) see Benson as an avenging angel saving everyone...

[CrystalBlue]

5 hours ago, wknt3 said:

Why not? Because she's an artist and doesn't follow the news that closely so she dosen't see Olivia Benson on the news with the VPOTUS or being interviewed as THE authority on sex crimes or arresting huge celebrities, CEOS and politicians every week. And because she doesn't know she is in a late seasons episode of SVU and that you can just walk into the squadrooom and talk to a detective directly without dealing with any sort of security or process at all and is following the logic of the real world and earlier seasons where victims called 911 or dealt with their local precincts and then the elite detectives were called in. And, of course, because most likely that part of the plot actually went somewhere and was cut so that we could (literally!) see Benson as an avenging angel saving everyone...

I had allowed for that, but I still think the front desk precinct cop on duty would refer her to, or call them to come to her, the actual SVU.  Or she could have called 911 after the brutal assault perpetrated on her by the so-called client.  I also missed why the bouncer guarding the Champagne Room didn't hear her scream or cry out.

[wknt3]

2 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

I had allowed for that, but I still think the front desk precinct cop on duty would refer her to, or call them to come to her, the actual SVU.  Or she could have called 911 after the brutal assault perpetrated on her by the so-called client.  I also missed why the bouncer guarding the Champagne Room didn't hear her scream or cry out.

Absolutely the desk Sgt. she talked to was supposed to notify SVU and it should have been a much larger plot point that he didn't follow protocol. It was one of the few truly poor parts of this episode. As far as the bouncer is concerned there is a simple explanation - he was disoriented from the choppy editing and poor camera blocking like everyone else...

[CrystalBlue]

22 hours ago, wknt3 said:

Absolutely the desk Sgt. she talked to was supposed to notify SVU and it should have been a much larger plot point that he didn't follow protocol. It was one of the few truly poor parts of this episode. As far as the bouncer is concerned there is a simple explanation - he was disoriented from the choppy editing and poor camera blocking like everyone else...

Also, once a report is entered into the system, why would any cop "throw it away"?  They do everything on the computer nowadays, don't they?  I find it hard to believe a police officer is going to discard a report he or she already started.  Just in case, and all that.  There is also a category can that be included in the report of "possible false report."

I figured the bouncer was on his coffee break when the assault happened.

[dttruman]

3 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

Also, once a report is entered into the system, why would any cop "throw it away"?  They do everything on the computer nowadays, don't they?  I find it hard to believe a police officer is going to discard a report he or she already started.  Just in case, and all that.  There is also a category can that be included in the report of "possible false report."

They did everything they could to make her so frustrated it was just so unbelievable. I know I am nit-picking, but the little incident with her bike where the tire is stolen. If she rides her bike a lot in the city, like I use to do (when I was young), I would always take the front tire with me, just to be safe. But so much was left out of report that interview and report. Most of the commentators here have mentioned what the protocol should have been along with the necessary empathy.

[Iguessnot]

Finally watched this dreadful episode. The best things I got out of it was that Olivia is officially Captain Save a Ho along with being canonized as Saint Benson.

I just loved the Tubthumping lyrics Olivia recited to Carisi. I'm going to be listening to that song all weekend.

[Joe Hellandback]

Well this was...?

1. I always like it when we see that strippers, sex workers etc are real people too.

2. Surely the report should automatically have been flagged up for SVU?

3. It would have been a much more interesting ep if the SVU had been unable to progress the case and the murals had been against them.

4. So the female strip club owner is good and the old white male is bad?

5. Carisi hasn't been to court before? Shows how much of the justice system these days is based on plea bargaining. 

6. Like it when the street cop tells Benson to back off, refreshing. 

7. Also a nice touch that the accused starts to sue the accuser, nice turn around. 

8. The mural was just too much, I get that she's grateful but please?

6/10

[MamaMax]

 

 

On 1/27/2020 at 4:17 PM, CrystalBlue said:

Also, once a report is entered into the system, why would any cop "throw it away"?  They do everything on the computer nowadays, don't they?  I find it hard to believe a police officer is going to discard a report he or she already started.  Just in case, and all that.  There is also a category can that be included in the report of "possible false report."

I figured the bouncer was on his coffee break when the assault happened.

You might find this interesting and actually really pertinent to your question

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/nyregion/nypd-rape-victims-division.html

[CrystalBlue]

8 hours ago, MamaMax said:

 

 

You might find this interesting and actually really pertinent to your question

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/nyregion/nypd-rape-victims-division.html

I don't have a subscription and would not pay to read anything published in the New York Slimes.

[wknt3]

On 1/27/2020 at 4:17 PM, CrystalBlue said:

Also, once a report is entered into the system, why would any cop "throw it away"?  They do everything on the computer nowadays, don't they?  I find it hard to believe a police officer is going to discard a report he or she already started.  Just in case, and all that.  There is also a category can that be included in the report of "possible false report."

There are still good ol' boys out there and if you believe that no police officer would do such a thing you haven't been paying attention. It was very poor writing as we've already agreed since we never saw or heard about any consequences and there are all sorts of more believable ways for the desk sgt. to bury the report to cover up - not mentioning the sexual element and just recording it as a probably unfounded simple assault and then simply denying she said anything about rape ,for example if they never intended to go anywhere. But proper resolution took second place to worshiping Benson (literally).
 

On 2/19/2020 at 3:39 PM, MamaMax said:

You might find this interesting and actually really pertinent to your question

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/nyregion/nypd-rape-victims-division.html

Thanks. This was an interesting article (definitely worth one of my free articles this month) although I'm not sure how pertinent it was to the question since it's more about overworked SVU detectives and systematic failures rather than what we saw here  (which I'm sure happens in one way or another still.) It would make a good basis for an episode, but it's about 10 years too late for a plot about one of the main characters screwing up - maybe they could do it with a guest star? Perhaps someone who is supposed to be one of the uniforms in the background? Or Dodds finds out about something going on like this in Staten Island and helps break a big case for Benson and the squad which leads to him getting off of Staten Island and next season he alternates episodes with Garland?

Edited February 20, 2020 by wknt3
Thought up a new idea for how to do this story

[NYCFree]

On 1/25/2020 at 8:33 PM, CrystalBlue said:

 

Most of her story made no sense.  If NYPD has an SVU, why didn't she show up there in person to make her complaint and get a rape kit done?  I think she had an underlying emotional problem and fixated on her encounter with Markeevious Ryan for some reason.

 

This part was absolutely true to life. We called 911 to report the sexual assault of a minor and police from the local precinct were dispatched. After they arrived to interview the victim, we were told to report, in person, to the precinct where the assault took place. When we did that, the second precinct was clearly surprised by the way we were passed along, and they contacted the juvenile SVU. It’s pretty outrageous that neither the original call to 911, nor the arrival of the local police connected the victim to SVU.

As to the second point, getting raped in an extremely traumatic event. Rape survivors have a much higher rate of suicide and suicide attempts than the general population. She was fixated on her “encounter” with Markeevious because her “encounter” was being raped by him!

[dttruman]

1 hour ago, NYCFree said:

This part was absolutely true to life. We called 911 to report the sexual assault of a minor and police from the local precinct were dispatched. After they arrived to interview the victim, we were told to report, in person, to the precinct where the assault took place. When we did that, the second precinct was clearly surprised by the way we were passed along, and they contacted the juvenile SVU. It’s pretty outrageous that neither the original call to 911, nor the arrival of the local police connected the victim to SVU.

As to the second point, getting raped in an extremely traumatic event. Rape survivors have a much higher rate of suicide and suicide attempts than the general population. She was fixated on her “encounter” with Markeevious because her “encounter” was being raped by him!

I don't want to down play your situation or the "extreme trauma" victims go through, but the situation the victim was  for this episode, had many unanswered questions or "what-if". She works in a stripclub, a very obvious place for "he said she said" rapes to occur. Women looking to get pregnant in order to have a rich celebrity's baby and collect big time. I am no trying to stand up for this scumbag rapist in this episode, I am just criticizing the writing for this episode and the holes in the plot. They didn't set up this story well.Their main concern was to make the characters look good, even it didn't make sense in some places.

Edited September 8, 2020 by dttruman