S01.E05: An Inferior Product (2)

[WendyCR72]

First, the good news: The summary is up very early, so I figured I'd post it now so I don't forget later on. Now, the bad news (for some of you). As you see, there's a (2) after the title, meaning yet another crossover with SVU. Sorry to non-SVU viewers! This airs on May 13, 2021:

Quote

Stabler faces the consequences of a failed drug bust. Bell is forced to choose between the job and her family. Gina gets an unexpected visitor. The crossover starts on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit S22E13 Trick-Rolled at the Moulin (I).

 

[Girl in a Cardigan]

At least we know about it this time! I didn't realize after the last episode that apparently Olivia's reaction at the end was due to something that happened in SVU, not really Elliot at all, which was super confusing.

[melon]

I wonder if the failed drug bust  the interruption of the COVID vaccine party, or is something new?  Either way, I like to see consequences for the detectives when they make mistakes.

[illdoc]

52 minutes ago, melon said:

is something new?

Starts on SVU (and is related to the death of Livvy's brother), so I would say something new.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, illdoc said:

Starts on SVU (and is related to the death of Livvy's brother), so I would say something new.

Wait. Didn't he die a bunch of seasons ago? Or is this another brother? Or are you just being facetious?
Anyway, I do not want to have to watch 2 hours of TV every week to know what's going on with one of the hours.🤔

[AnnA]

25 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Wait. Didn't he die a bunch of seasons ago? Or is this another brother? Or are you just being facetious?
Anyway, I do not want to have to watch 2 hours of TV every week to know what's going on with one of the hours.🤔

I agree with you.   I'm starting to think this show is being used to prop up the viewers' waning interest in Saint Olivia.  

[illdoc]

14 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Didn't he die a bunch of seasons ago?

Same brother. And I think it was early last season that he OD'd.

[Gigi43]

20 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Wait. Didn't he die a bunch of seasons ago? Or is this another brother? Or are you just being facetious?
Anyway, I do not want to have to watch 2 hours of TV every week to know what's going on with one of the hours.🤔

 

Its the one brother Simon who died a while ago. We're suddenly suppose to care.

The constant crossovers are ridiculous. Let the show have its own identity. 

It sounds like Bell is gonna end up with Stabler's old story of a wife not happy with the job. 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Gigi43

[wknt3]

1 hour ago, Gigi43 said:

It sounds like Bell is gonna end up with Stabler's old story of a wife not happy with the job.

Well to be fair Stabler's not using it anymore...

[Gigi43]

4 minutes ago, wknt3 said:

Well to be fair Stabler's not using it anymore...

Touché

[WendyCR72]

1 hour ago, wknt3 said:

Well to be fair Stabler's not using it anymore...

[Cotypubby]

Ugh why even bother trying to create a new L&O series if it’s just going to be constantly attached to the millstone that is Olivia Benson?

[AnnA]

I tried watching this show but quit after only 3 episodes.  

I'll stop in here from time to time to see if the show has improved but I'm not expecting it.

Edited May 8, 2021 by AnnA

[CrystalBlue]

3 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

You make a great point.  I am not an SVU fan.  If TPTB keep trying to link the two series together, then I guess I will have to move on and watch something else.

Are you watching this Law & Order: Constant Crossover Edition which combines Stabler's comeback fighting Organized Crime with Saint Olivia, et al.?

[AnnA]

51 minutes ago, CrystalBlue said:

Are you watching this Law & Order: Constant Crossover Edition which combines Stabler's comeback fighting Organized Crime with Saint Olivia, et al.?

NO

[catrice2]

On 5/3/2021 at 2:21 PM, Gigi43 said:

 

Its the one brother Simon who died a while ago. We're suddenly suppose to care.

The constant crossovers are ridiculous. Let the show have its own identity. 

It sounds like Bell is gonna end up with Stabler's old story of a wife not happy with the job. 

I think Bell is going to end up dead. 

[Girl in a Cardigan]

At this point, I'm more concerned about Gail... I mean, Gina, than I am about any of the Stabler family drama or Elliot Taking! It! Personally! because they killed his wife. And that's mostly because I like the actress from a different cop show.

I'm probably the only one here who still cared about Olivia and Stabler as a potential couple, and even I'm not impressed by the blatant "fanservice" they are trying to give us in place of actual character development. Either have those two talk to each other about the last decade where Elliot nope'd out of Olivia's life without so much as a "bye, bitch" or leave Olivia on her own show (that I don't watch) with her kid that I don't care about and let's move on.

They also need to tone Dylan McDermott WAY down because he's not Lex Luthor and I have no interest if he is. I'll finish out the season because it's a pandemic and what else am I doing on a Thursday night, but the season pass can be deleted as easily as it was added.

[WendyCR72]

I know he stopped it...and she's NOT Benson, so it's a plus...but holy hell. Didn't Stabler's wife JUST die?! And yet he is lusting after Wheatley's ex and devouring her? Hmm.*

(*Switching from this to another show, so maybe I missed context? Still...wow.)

[mtlchick]

1 minute ago, WendyCR72 said:

I know he stopped it...and she's NOT Benson, so it's a plus...but holy hell. Didn't Stabler's wife JUST die?! And yet he is lusting after Wheatley's ex and devouring her? Hmm.

My sister: “didn’t his wife just die?” “Yup” “Then he’s an idiot.”  Despite the ridiculous chemistry between Chris and Tamara, I am yelling at the tv “STOP IT ELLIOT.”

[SunnyBeBe]

I haven’t been watching much of Organized Crime, so this devouring was sort of surprising....hmmmm...I must say, I am intrigued.   

[WendyCR72]

1 minute ago, mtlchick said:

My sister: “didn’t his wife just die?” “Yup” “Then he’s an idiot.”  Despite the ridiculous chemistry between Chris and Tamara, I am yelling at the tv “STOP IT ELLIOT.”

Like I said, if there is an upside, at least it's not Benson.

[WendyCR72]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Benson. Sigh. But I will say Mariska Hargitay is good with kids.

[WendyCR72]

Why the HELL is Benson involved with a case tied to her own brother's death? Did the franchise just give up on any sort of realism?

[WendyCR72]

Speaking of cops that should not be investigating family deaths...

[SunnyBeBe]

So, why would this woman order Kathy’s murder?

[WendyCR72]

1 minute ago, SunnyBeBe said:

So, why would this woman order Kathy’s murder?

I'm completely at a loss. I'm sure the explanation won't make one bit of sense.

[mtlchick]

I was actually stunned by the ending. I did not see that coming. Now the question is why?  To draw attention to her ex by…killing his wife? 

They are pushing the Benson/Stabler stuff hard. I am happy that Gina has not died…yet. 
 

3 episodes until this arc ends. Let’s see where this goes.

[SunnyBeBe]

I really don’t want a drawn out saga like that of the hunt for the one armed man....that’s from a show from the olden days. 😝

[WendyCR72]

I just hope this Wheatley arc does end in the next three episodes and doesn't carry over to next season (assuming there is one).

[Xeliou66]

This show just isn’t all that interesting to me now and it just doesn’t feel like an L&O show, I’m pretty much sick of the whole Wheatley family, I like the OC squad but it feels like not much time is spent on their investigations.

It doesn’t surprise me at all that Angela Wheatley is apparently a villain, I had a feeling she was bad and likely still involved in her ex husbands crime business from the start, but why would she kill Kathy? It makes no sense right now, and I doubt whatever explanation they come up with will make any sense. And having Stabler and Angela kiss and apparently have feelings for each other, just ridiculous soapy dreck.

What is the point of the storyline about Bell’s nephew? And they totally wasted Garland’s appearance, I was excited he would be on the show but his appearance was brief and totally irrelevant to the case. Very disappointing.

I felt there was no resolution to the murder cases they were investigating, hopefully that will continue next week.

Overall I don’t really care about this show and I’m just ready for them to wrap up the Wheatley storyline, and I don’t care if the show gets renewed or not.

[catrice2]

Just when I had hope we would at least temporarily move away from the Olivia mess....here we go!  It is not uncommon for someone to have a fling right after a spouse dies. I know it sounds crazy but some people are really messed up and are looking for a connection. 

What baffles me is the same people who were all for Elliott saying , "I love you," to Olivia so soon after his wife died will be the same people complaining it is too soon for him to kiss Angela! 

Now, I am really mad that they made her a bad guy because  although I am sure the pandering to the fan base will eventually end with him and Olivia, I at least wanted to think that they could keep them apart for a good length of time.  

I am also sure her connection to his wife will be something crazy. 

Dylan, Dylan, where does wardrobe get the coats? 

Gina is on borrowed time..... as is Stabler's boss.... Meloni and Tamera have chemistry....

I can't....he tells you he is following  ( and a smart man with "reach" would also be following the team investigating him) and then you meet with your police contact in a public place?  And she calls the police from a phone she should suspect he is monitoring?  And the plant the idea of a bug in his wine cage in the guys head so that he can tell him to look there?  Ugh! 

The point of the wife's nephew's (?) story? 

Lastly, this ties into Olivia's brother??  UGH!!!  

 

 I loved the Stabler character and was happy he was getting his own show.....but .....

[SunnyBeBe]

Would you really reveal details about who  the witnesses are and place their safety in danger.  Could you please repeat the part about how there was a CHILD witness AND her identity......🙁

[milkyaqua]

I can also see Gina and/or Bell both biting the dust before this is all over.

The Kathy/Angela thing...no sense.  Don't really understand the Angela/Elliot thing but hey, it's TV.  I don't really look for logic.

I like Dylan McDermott but not as Wheatley.  I hope his arc is only three more episodes.  Even Wise Guy did two story arcs a season and this show isn't Wise Guy.

Please let Olivia stay on SVU.

[mtlchick]

6 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

I just hope this Wheatley arc does end in the next three episodes and doesn't carry over to next season (assuming there is one).

Dylan confirmed he only signed on for 8 episodes and they are filming it this week. https://deadline.com/2021/05/law-and-order-organized-crime-christopher-meloni-dylan-mcdermott-1234754952/

[KittenPokerCheater]

Whoever is doing the makeup on this show needs to be fired or demoted because it is shocking how bad it is. 

And I still love this show. 

[TV Diva Queen]

I love this show and I hope I don't need to show myself out.  I think you to can enjoy it if you take away the L&O aspect of the show and just think of it as a 10 episode show on like Netflix.  

Wheatley must have something on Angela and made her order the hit on ?Kathy - remember, Elliott was working OC in Italy so there might be a connection.  If you remember maybe Epi 1....Chazz P. told his son something like "stay out of Puglia - nothing happens there without me knowing about it"  

Its a little confusing to say that "Kathy was the target"  yes she was the 'target" but the ultimate target is Elliott.  

Whealty is scary AF and Gina as an undercover is amazing.  I would have broke down in one second.  That apartment is part of her undercover, right?  So there's nothing (or shouldn't have) anything damning in there?  I'm all in on this show.  

[Morrigan2575]

9 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

It doesn’t surprise me at all that Angela Wheatley is apparently a villain, I had a feeling she was bad and likely still involved in her ex husbands crime business from the start, but why would she kill Kathy? It makes no sense right now, and I doubt whatever explanation they come up with will make any sense. And having Stabler and Angela kiss and apparently have feelings for each other, just ridiculous soapy dreck.

This is where I am too. I felt Angela was shady from the beginning but, I'm at a loss for why she would order Kathy's murder.

[TV Diva Queen]

19 minutes ago, Morrigan2575 said:

This is where I am too. I felt Angela was shady from the beginning but, I'm at a loss for why she would order Kathy's murder.

my daughter is home from college, doesn't have cable and hasn't watched OC yet.  So in opening scenes we see Angela, the daughter says "is she good or bad"  I answered "we don't know yet"  at the end my girl say "well, now we know"  LOL  

ETA:  My girl also pointed out that Olivia looked "rough" in OC and in SVU she looked normal, she said "maybe they don't have a big hair and make-up budget on OC yet"  she's not wrong 

Edited May 14, 2021 by TV Diva Queen

[Gigi43]

I'm very mixed on this show. I like it on it's own but I hate it as an extension of SVU. I almost wonder if this is supposed to be a limited series. I get backdoor pilots have been a thing, but, if you're watching on Hulu under OC is just the OC episodes so you get a quick recap of the SVU stuff and USA seems to be rerunning OC on Sunday nights but without the corresponding SVU episodes when applicable. 

 

Stabler worked in SVU for twelve years (more, actually, since he was there already when Benson started in the first episode) and has five kids, he could have interviewed the little girl. But no, we had to wait for St. Benson. They wasted Garland. You can have characters crossover in ways that make sense and don't suck up airtime, Carisi's appearance was appropriate and didn't suck up air time. Garland didn't even tell Benson not to investigate her brother. 

 

I don't like that they don't arrest people in every single episode but maybe they would if we could get less Benson. I knew Angela was going to be shady but I figured they'd get to it in ep y7 or 8 and I didn't see the Kathy reveal coming. But why? To frame her ex? CM and TT have more romantic chemistry than CM and MH.

 

Was Bell telling Stabler to move on from the case or to move on with another woman? She's married, would she wait two months? It's too soon they were married for, what, 30 years? Is that what she'd do? The nephew plot was random. I didn't get her wife kind of having an attitude with Stabler and dismissing him when he offered help.

 

SVUxOC was the #4 Twitter trend last night, so there is an audience who is liking them (they mostly seemed to be Stabler/Benson shippers.) I'll be curious to see the ratings. Eriq La Salle directed the episode, he'll always be Peter Benton to me but he's a good director (his episode of Lucifer included beautiful shots.) I don't watch CPD much but he directs/produces that a lot so that's probably why it has a CPD feel if Wolf is going to that crew. 

[Cristofle]

I thought it was obvious from the pilot that Angela was more involved in her ex's business than she was letting on, so that she would order the hit isn't that surprising, but why kill Kathy? Are they going for "Kathy was up to something Elliott didn't know about?"

Tamara really is knocking the chemistry out of the park between Meloni and Dylan. 

I am STILL squirming from the cops stomping on the kid's hand. 

[TV Diva Queen]

10 hours ago, mtlchick said:

Dylan confirmed he only signed on for 8 episodes and they are filming it this week. https://deadline.com/2021/05/law-and-order-organized-crime-christopher-meloni-dylan-mcdermott-1234754952/

I don't know if I'm tired or that the most poorly written article I've ever tried to read.  LOL  

[tennisgurl]

Nothing more awkward than finding out your dating your wife's murderer. That's what you get for investigating your own wife's death while also dating the ex of your prime suspect. 

I already ranted on the SVU thread about how annoying I think it is when shows crossover with their spins off too much and expect us all to watch all the shows to follow along to the point where its hard to follow the show you actually watch. I have no idea why Olivia is around all of the time other than blatant fanservice, isn't she a captain? Doesn't she have her own stuff going on? I can see her showing up to give Stabler some support, despite him ghosting her for a decade and only getting in touch now, but her investigating cases with him, which are coincidently tangentially connected to whatever she has going on in SVU, is just annoying. What a pain, especially for people who only watch one show. 

Not surprised that Angela might be behind Kathy's death, I have always guessed that she was more connected with her ex's business then she has let on, and they are clearly still attracted to each other and are certainly not as estranged as she had made them out to be. Angela and Stabler have chemistry, but I do raise an eyebrow at him being open to date so soon after Kathy died. It cant have been that long, a few months I think if we started the show right when the vaccines were made but before they were open to the masses, and we know we are about caught up to now thanks to the convenient timeline news report, so its only been a few months. Stabler is still clearly hurting, so him dating anyone is a bad idea, even if it wasn't the ex of a crime lord. It feels weird, it feels like Kathy just died and Stabler is already moving on. 

What was the point of the subplot with Bell's nephew exactly? Not only was it pointless, unless they want to keep coming back to it again (and god knows this franchise needs more family stuff) as a reoccurring subplot, it was so on the nose ridiculous with the tragedy and foreshadowing. "Oh hello, I sure do love playing the guitar with these fully working hands of mine, I am so good with this guitar, that I play with my hands of which I have right here and oh look a news report involving an infamous crime of police brutality, but nothing could ever stop me from playing this guitar with these hands OH NO MY HANDS THE TERRIBLE IRONY!" What a waste of Garland. 

I really like Gina. 

Edited May 16, 2021 by tennisgurl

[melon]

The episodes were pretty good, but some parts didn't make sense to me.  My comprehension is slower than others around here, so maybe someone can help me out:

1.  Why is Bell's career over unless she arrests Wheatley?  And it's ok if she does nail Wheatley.  Is it because her nephew-in-law got his knuckles busted via police brutality?  I guess cops still don't wear body cameras in tvland?  Using this logic, why wouldn't Rollins' career be over based on her sister?

2.  When Stabler saw a dead body on the floor of the apartment, he laughed and said, "There's long hair.  He shot Felix."  How did he know who was Long Hair and who he shot?

3.  Elliott is still the poster boy for police brutality by sucker punching the Israeli hit man and trying to beat more information out of him, despite him being a rat already.  Why did Bell hold back the other two detectives when they seemingly stepped in to stop the beating?  She's on thin ice with the brass and seems to be against police brutality when it comes to her nephew-in-law, but allows this? 

[catrice2]

Oh I never thought Angela was innocent, but I didn't think she was into murder.  Is it possible she will be framed?  At this point the way they weaved Benson's brother into this mess anything is possible. 🙄

[Gigi43]

1 hour ago, melon said:

The episodes were pretty good, but some parts didn't make sense to me.  My comprehension is slower than others around here, so maybe someone can help me out:

1.  Why is Bell's career over unless she arrests Wheatley?  And it's ok if she does nail Wheatley.  Is it because her nephew-in-law got his knuckles busted via police brutality?  I guess cops still don't wear body cameras in tvland?  Using this logic, why wouldn't Rollins' career be over based on her sister?

2.  When Stabler saw a dead body on the floor of the apartment, he laughed and said, "There's long hair.  He shot Felix."  How did he know who was Long Hair and who he shot?

3.  Elliott is still the poster boy for police brutality by sucker punching the Israeli hit man and trying to beat more information out of him, despite him being a rat already.  Why did Bell hold back the other two detectives when they seemingly stepped in to stop the beating?  She's on thin ice with the brass and seems to be against police brutality when it comes to her nephew-in-law, but allows this? 

 

1. I think because a high profile arrest would boost her value and make it hard to get rid of her. But in today's era of social media she could go online and tell her story of being fired after her nephew got beat by cops. But that was just my guess.

 

2. That was dumb. Stabler knows everything I guess. 

 

3. Because the writers don't actually believe in the 'holding cops accountable' lines they're throwing into the episodes for current events cred. If you're in the main credits brutality is fine because they're definitely on the right side. 3 episodes ago on SVU Benson talked about police accountability, along with Garland, but then Benson threatened to withhold medical attention from a suspect if he didn't tell them where a hostage was and Garland told her they could never afford to lose her after. That's how Voight exists in the Wolfverse. Stabler's file should never get him back on the force in 2021.

 

I was curious so I searched twitter to see if Dylan McDermott's delivery of "damn Gina" was a Martin shout-out and apparently it was. I liked that. 

[Zoe]

13 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

ETA:  My girl also pointed out that Olivia looked "rough" in OC and in SVU she looked normal, she said "maybe they don't have a big hair and make-up budget on OC yet"  she's not wrong 

The transition between the shows really emphasized the difference in production to me. I think OC uses harsher lighting and feels a bit smoother which would make flaws (skin and hair) stand out more. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Zoe

[BrownBear2012]

On 5/13/2021 at 11:19 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

I really don’t want a drawn out saga like that of the hunt for the one armed man....that’s from a show from the olden days. 😝

[auntiemel]

7 hours ago, melon said:

 

1.  Why is Bell's career over unless she arrests Wheatley?  And it's ok if she does nail Wheatley.  Is it because her nephew-in-law got his knuckles busted via police brutality?  I guess cops still don't wear body cameras in tvland?  Using this logic, why wouldn't Rollins' career be over based on her sister?

 

They mentioned it in the meeting, although it was a throwaway line. The nephew and his family are bringing a lawsuit against the department. That makes Bell radioactive.

[WendyCR72]

7 hours ago, melon said:

1.  Why is Bell's career over unless she arrests Wheatley?  And it's ok if she does nail Wheatley.  Is it because her nephew-in-law got his knuckles busted via police brutality?  I guess cops still don't wear body cameras in tvland?  Using this logic, why wouldn't Rollins' career be over based on her sister?

Stop! You know logic no longer has any place in this franchise! 😛

[Cristofle]

13 hours ago, catrice2 said:

Oh I never thought Angela was innocent, but I didn't think she was into murder.  Is it possible she will be framed?  At this point the way they weaved Benson's brother into this mess anything is possible. 🙄

Definitely possible since you have to think they won't reveal the whole truth until the finale. Still, I remember thinking it was...curious in the first episode she was clearly so much more attached to her dead son than her living children, so I could see her putting a hit out on someone she felt was responsible. I'm just at a total loss as to how Kathy Stabler, who never exactly screamed sketchy, could be responsible.