S22.E08: The Only Way Out Is Through

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Benson helps two sisters get closure from a harrowing childhood assault. Kat's cousin reaches out for help.

Airing Thursday, February 25, 2021.

 

[Xeliou66]

I’m curious about this episode - SVU hasn’t had a dud so far in season 22, so I’m hoping their solid streak continues, but the promo doesn’t look very interesting and I’m not exactly sure what this episode will be about. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Three stories?  Seriously?  What a let-down from last episode.

[Xeliou66]

Well SVU finally delivered a dud episode tonight. It was overdue, it’s amazing that modern day SVU started with 7 solid episodes in a row. 

This one was an uninteresting snooze fest, 3 different cases and none of them had any suspense or were interesting. There wasnt much meat to any of the cases and very little about them is worth commenting on. 

Fin and Carisi’s scenes salvaged the episode from going on the SVU Hall of Shame episode list, they were good as usual, Fin talking to the victim of the rapist that was up for parole was the best part of the episode and I was glad she saw through the guy’s attempt to gain sympathy and testified against him at the hearing, keeping him locked up. That was the best part of the episode. 

I’m really getting annoyed with Kat - she’s incredibly whiny and disrespectful to others, she is basically Benson Jr with her constantly making everything personal, I have no idea what her beef with Carisi is other than Carisi actually does his job and doesn’t act as a puppet for the squad, and she’s disrespectful to Benson as well. She’s very unpleasant and she needs to be more professional. I didn’t care at all about her cousin’s case, it was another dull, he said she said rape case with no meat to it. 

I also didn't give one flying fuck about the sisters confronting the guy who attacked them - that was all pointless family melodrama and I was completely uninterested, plus it was Rollins’ story and I’m not a Rollins fan, she hasn’t annoyed me much this season but that was just a dull story. 

I did like that they referenced Cragen and Munch!! 

There isn’t much else to say about this one because it was boring, uninteresting and overall pointless. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

It's so much better to concentrate on one story in depth than three stories so shallowly.

[Xeliou66]

4 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

It's so much better to concentrate on one story in depth than three stories so shallowly.

They did the “3 stories in one episode” idea much better in last season’s episode At Midnight In Manhattan - a story like this can be done if they write good cases and balance the screentime right, unfortunately in this episode the 3 cases had no suspense and no meat on them, the one about the 2 sisters wasn’t even really a case. 

BTW, this is the quietest I’ve ever seen this forum after a new episode - I guess everyone else doesn’t have much to say either. It was such a dull, pointless episode, pure filler.

[preeya]

Fin says "you never who's going to be there"   I'm betting it's Stabler.

Kat's cousin is an idiot.

Other than that the episode was boring.

[Gigi43]

I think Kat's cousin's case was supposed to be Aziz Ansari, since both girls stayed but Aziz's date stayed for longer than a drink, and admittedly, I don't think Aziz was a MeToo, and he apologized to her in private when she texted him she was uncomfortable and then she took it public, no other women came forward. I'm sick of Kat. "What is the he first in he said/she said"---stfu, Kat. Not everything is oppression. I'm so sick of Carisi being shit on because he actually believes the defense deserves to have a defense. SVUSJW Twitter loves Kat and dumps on Carisi for doing his job. People like Kat irl want guilty until proven innocent to be the standard and any victim should skate on vigilant justice. I was satisfied it blew up in Kat's face and her cousin didn't want the guy arrested.   

 

The three cases made it harder to keep track of the characters names. Amanda's case, sorry to say, was boring. The confrontation didn't lead to anything with the rapist, really. And I saw the sister's issue coming a mile away. I gotta say it must be hard as a kid to be hostage and know what's happened to your sister as it happened and have people call you the lucky one.  But I don't watch this show for family to hash out issues. There was no advancement in the actual case/lack of charges so it wasn't needed. 

 

I love Finn, so there's that, but they were obviously going to have one case have closer so I knew his victim would somehow come around.

 

I watched on Hulu, so I didn't see a preview. I take it the "you never know who might show" means the next episode is Stabler? Liv being NYPD's woman of the year is really insulting to every other women in NYPD who shouldn't have lost their job years ago.

 

I didn't see last weeks episode yet. I decided to watch the newest first, I hope the previous was better (I didn't look in the thread) because this was a chore to get through.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Gigi43

[TV Diva Queen]

I don't think the "you never know who might show" was in reference to Stabler, because we saw in the previews that Liv first sees stabler at a crime scene.  I'm thinking/hoping its all her past SVU peeps, Cragen, Munch, Tucker, Cassidy, maybe even McCoy (swoon)

Cat's cousin looked exactly like her but with blonde hair.  Great casting.  

[TM101]

I seem to be the outlier in that I have had no idea what is going on in any episode so far this season. I don’t know if it COVID related distractions or whatever, but I feel like every episode has no flow, multiple story lines going on, past events, and just boring overall plots. If I think of traditional SVU episodes, it usually starts with the crime happening or something giving you insight right away. I feel the episodes are just jumping into things. Excited though for Stabler return so we will see.

Edited February 26, 2021 by TM101

[Cristofle]

4 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

I don't think the "you never know who might show" was in reference to Stabler, because we saw in the previews that Liv first sees stabler at a crime scene.  I'm thinking/hoping its all her past SVU peeps, Cragen, Munch, Tucker, Cassidy, maybe even McCoy (swoon)

Cat's cousin looked exactly like her but with blonde hair.  Great casting.  

While I don't know that Finn was actually thinking about Stabler, especially because they weren't exactly besties, I think Olivia was, going by the conflicted and emotional look on her face. 

Isn't Tucker dead? Did I dream that?

I agree that this was definitely the weakest episode of an otherwise strong season; Finn's part was the only one that drew me in. I did LOL at Finn telling Carisi "just don't do anything" when he asked him how he could make Kat stop disliking him, but I tend to agree with Carisi that her attitude with him is weird and uncalled for.

[853fisher]

8 minutes ago, Cristofle said:

Isn't Tucker dead? Did I dream that?

Yes, he ended his own life last season after being diagnosed with cancer.

[SuzieQ]

About 30 minutes in, I got a phone call that I had to take.  I wasn't terribly engrossed in the episode and after reading the comments, probably won't watch the rest.

 

How did I miss that Tucker killed himself?????  Does anyone know what episode?? I must have gotten used to skimming through this show because I have no recall of that at all!

[TM101]

So does Liv and Stabler hook up finally at some point?

 

[preeya]

51 minutes ago, SuzieQ said:

About 30 minutes in, I got a phone call that I had to take.  I wasn't terribly engrossed in the episode and after reading the comments, probably won't watch the rest.

 

How did I miss that Tucker killed himself?????  Does anyone know what episode?? I must have gotten used to skimming through this show because I have no recall of that at all!

Season 21 episode 12 "The Longest Night of Rain"

[tennisgurl]

After a shocking number of good episodes in a row, we return this week to crap. Really boring crap, which is the worst kind because there isnt even much to say. We got three boring cases all of which were underdeveloped and not a lot of interesting character moments to make anything stand out. They did the three stories much better earlier with Midnight in Manhattan, probably because they were all thematically connected and were all well drawn enough to work in a smaller period of time. These were all like watching three different episodes all chopped up and stitched together awkwardly, like a sad boring Frankenstein monster. 

The story with the sisters was the closest to interesting, the actresses were both really good and the issues between them were complicated and sad and I could understand both of their issues. It was horrible and traumatic to both of them and its taken them this long to even talk about it because it was so raw and the younger sister felt so guilty about her feelings, it worked alright. None of it was shocking, I guessed right away what the younger sisters problem was, but it was the closest I got to being invested. I do wish they had skipped calling this restorative justice though, it was clearly not both in and out of universe, and there is no reason to get the real thing confused with letting victims meet their victimizers so that the victims can read their poetry at them and have family drama. It could have maybe carried an episode, but there would have to be a lot more. 

The story with the rapist almost getting out of jail had good Finn material and I am glad that the victim realized she was getting played and got him sent back to jail, but I was mostly just bored. It was fine, but it was definitely the most boring of the three. I kept forgetting that it was even a plot until it would cut back, I honestly forgot who the victim was the second time I saw her. 

The story with Kat's cousin felt most like an episode, and it was also my least favorite of the three. Kat is just so annoying now, like Benson at her most self important up to forty and more shitty to her co-workers. I seriously have no clue why Kat has this hate on for Carisi, it makes no sense at all and just makes Kat look unprofessional and rude. Not even Carisi himself gets why she is always jumping down his throat, the poor guy must cringe every time she comes into his office, looking to pick a fight. It did lead to that funny scene between him and Finn where he was asking for advice on how to not piss her off and Finn just said not to ever do anything. SVU members have had issues with each other before, I remember Finn and Stabler getting on each others nerves a few times, but those were for actual reasons. I have no clue what Kat's deal is other than she doesent like that Carisi insists on doing his job and wont just let her do anything she wants and wants to uphold the law. The case itself was just another he said/she said story starring the wealthy and sexy, the cases that the show got into a real rut doing over and over for awhile. It felt like a whole episode could have been made with it. It would have been a shitty episode, especially as Kat's cousin is even more nonsensical than she is, but at least it might feel finished. 

Having three cases just made all three stories feel half assed, they had nothing to do with each other, none of them made me care, it all felt like filler before we get to the big episode next episode. The guest stars were all fine, nothing amazing but solid enough, with the sisters being the best of the bunch, and the actress playing Kat's cousin did really look like she could be related to her, so kudos for that I guess. What a disappointment after a string of episodes ranging from decent to really good. 

[mtlchick]

The best part of the episode was the ending.  Because 1) it was over and 2)...."LIV!" "Elliot." 

On this show, 3 storylines only work if they somehow tied together like it did last season.  This was a lot of back and forth that I couldn't keep track.  

7 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

I don't think the "you never know who might show" was in reference to Stabler, because we saw in the previews that Liv first sees stabler at a crime scene.  I'm thinking/hoping its all her past SVU peeps, Cragen, Munch, Tucker, Cassidy, maybe even McCoy (swoon)

 

Always possible that Fin let Stabler know in some way and that he was planning to come to the event before he sees her at the crime scene. 

[jabRI]

The cousin not pressing charges is ridiculous.  Another story line of a victim dating her rapist? "He seems like such a good guy"

[Poohbear617]

I hated Kat's cousin story.  To me it seemed like she was excited to get her rapist on tape..not because he was guilty and she wanted justice, the writing seemed like ahe was excites for a possible civil suit and a big payday.  Then after she seems happy because the rich guy wants to date her golddigging ass. I doubt that is what the writers wanted but thats how i saw it.  

I found it insulting to rape victims.

[wknt3]

Coming in a bit late since either my antenna or my NBC affiliate was having some issue. Watched it on Peacock after catching the new WandaVision,

The Good:
An episode where Benson was in the background and everyone else got the chance to take the lead. After all the times they promised us a Fin centered episode and gave us Liv saving the day single handedly, it was a pleasant surprise to see Fin front and center with no build up.
Fin. It's nice to see Ice-T actually given some good material and being motivated to actually act. I especially liked Fin and Carisi and which we got more of that instead of Kat's temper tantrums over lawyers being so hung up on the law instead of what she wants.
The guest cast. Just about all of them did good work even with some rather predictable material and the casting of Kat's cousin was really good.
I liked the reference to Cragen and Munch. Nice little bit of continuity.
I liked the idea. Splitting up the squad and giving us different stories linked by themes of families and victims confronting their abusers was a strong concept.

The Bad:
The execution was lacking. I liked it better than most it seems, but it never quite clicked. All the pieces were there, but it just seemed kind of dull most of the time, I couldn't quite put my finger on it other than the Kat story, I know what I didn't like about that one - the way Kat was written (see below) and the whole boring evil rich guy date rape plot that has been done to death the last few years that the show has wisely tried to stay away recently, but the other plots just seemed kind of dull although on paper they should have worked and I thought the acting was good.
Not liking the way they are going with Kat. I still like the actress and they badly needed the new blood, but the constant bickering with Carisi is getting really old and they seem to keep forgetting she was supposed to be an experienced vice UC who wouldn't do things like freak out at a sting. It;s like the writers want to do the classic squad vs. prosecutors trope, but don't want to be bothered with making the effort to write subtle stories that acknowledge that these characters have known each other for years and even if they are parts of separate yet equally important groups in the criminal justice system and have different roles they share a trust that the others are acting in good faith and want justice so they just write the same old same old and instead of rotating it between squad members give it to Kat every week.

Overall I think I liked it better than most here. It was dull, but competent and mostly disappointing in not living up to its potential. I wouldn't call it a total turd or anything. It was filler,and never fired on all cylinders, but I don't think it was much worse than most of this season. I wonder if anything special is coming up next episode? The promos were a little unclear...
 

[wanderingstar]

Of course we had to have a Covid scare with Noah! This show is nothing if not consistent - at least on some things.

[wknt3]

3 hours ago, Gillian Rosh said:

Of course we had to have a Covid scare with Noah! This show is nothing if not consistent - at least on some things.

But it happened off screen and nobody was taken hostage so I'd count it as a win...

[Zoe]

23 hours ago, mtlchick said:

The best part of the episode was the ending.  Because 1) it was over and 2)...."LIV!" "Elliot." 

On this show, 3 storylines only work if they somehow tied together like it did last season.  This was a lot of back and forth that I couldn't keep track.  

Always possible that Fin let Stabler know in some way and that he was planning to come to the event before he sees her at the crime scene. 

Also, the timeframe fits. The crossover is about a month away. 

[SuzieQ]

On 2/26/2021 at 3:48 PM, preeya said:

Season 21 episode 12 "The Longest Night of Rain"

Thank you!

ETA:  I just watched this on Hulu and somehow I totally missed this episode.  But last season was so bad, I guess I just tuned out.  Tucker even had a new wife!

Edited February 28, 2021 by SuzieQ

[CrystalBlue]

What the fuck did I just watch?  NYPD SVU is now providing free therapy sessions complete with prisoners being hauled out of their cells for final showdowns?

Yes, cookie, you are an idiot.  Cheetahs don't change their spots and serial rapists don't stop raping.  You let the bane of your existence manipulate you with seven years' worth of phony letters and were ready to hold the door open for him on his way out of prison?  Thankfully you wised up and you're lucky the so-impressed parole board rescinded their decision to let him out.

Speaking of being manipulated, what the fuck Lily and Cousin Kat!  You called your SVU cousin and then fell in love with your rapist all over again.  Why are you blaming a cop for doing her job?  This is why LE shouldn't get involved in family affairs.  I hope you and high tech rich lover boy will be very happy together.

Thanks Be to God that Noah didn't get COVID!!!  What a surprise.

What The Actual Fuck, Show.

On 2/25/2021 at 11:57 PM, preeya said:

Fin says "you never who's going to be there"   I'm betting it's Stabler.

Kat's cousin is an idiot.

Other than that the episode was boring.

Totally.  It's the set-up scene for the happy reunion.

Totally.  See my comments above.

Totally.  The only thing exciting was the way this waste of time snoozefest made my blood boil with the ridiculousness of it all.

On 2/26/2021 at 6:28 PM, jabRI said:

The cousin not pressing charges is ridiculous.  Another story line of a victim dating her rapist? "He seems like such a good guy"

Soap opera stuff.  Harlequin romance novels.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 2/25/2021 at 11:56 PM, Xeliou66 said:

also didn't give one flying fuck about the sisters confronting the guy who attacked them - that was all pointless family melodrama and I was completely uninterested, plus it was Rollins’ story and I’m not a Rollins fan, she hasn’t annoyed me much this season but that was just a dull story. 

The worst part of that story is that I am not even sure if the guy they met in prison was the actual rapist he said he couldn't remember and he was drunk. I mean I know that wasn't really the point but why the ambiguity? Especially since they could have sorted out their issues in a therapy session.

[TD3000]

I'm wasn't as down on this episode as others, but it was admittedly not the greatest either. I actually went to school with the actress playing the older sister, but I didn't know she had gotten into acting. Great gig for her. Did anyone else think the younger sister seemed much younger than she was supposed to be?

I liked that Olivia didn't dominate the episode like some may have feared. She does seem to have taken at least a small step back from the field work this season in comparison to her early years as head of SVU. I know people complain about Rollins a lot, but I thought she was good in her role here.

I like a lot of things about Kat, but her outbursts are really testing my limits. Her and the rest of the squad taking turns swinging at the Carisi piñata is annoying, because it's rarely justified.