S23.E03: I Thought You Were On My Side

[WendyCR72]

Note: This episode will air earlier, at 8:00 p.m. ET, as Law & Order: Organized Crime is airing two back-to-back episodes, from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. This airs on September 30, 2021:

Quote

Benson and Rollins must contend with the FBI and the Organized Crime bureau when a rape victim identifies a dangerous mobster as her assailant.

 

[Xeliou66]

First of all, why are only Benson/Rollins mentioned, what about Fin and Carisi? Oh yeah, this show is all about the super mommies while Carisi and Fin are window dressing. Blah.

I’m really not looking forward to this crossover, and it looks like on the OC parts Stabler/Benson will hook up. Ugh. This is supposed to be a crime show not a romance show.

[WendyCR72]

Remember, folks, SVU will air at 8:00 p.m. ET tonight.

[dttruman]

On 9/24/2021 at 3:10 AM, WendyCR72 said:

  Quote

Benson and Rollins must contend with the FBI and the Organized Crime bureau when a rape victim identifies a dangerous mobster as her assailant.

Guesses on the plot, anybody? Anybody?

Is this going to be where the assailant is undercover for the FBI or the OC and one or the other  want to protect him?  Gee, have we seen this before?

Edited October 1, 2021 by dttruman

[dttruman]

Can I get some legal know how here. If a suspect is about to be arrested and a cop pulls out their weapon and threatens to shoot the suspect in the knees, even though the suspect doesn't resist arrest. Has the officer committed some kind of intimidation or threat? No other police came up behind the suspect to slap the cuffs on him.

[dttruman]

Holy Cow, are we seeing Benson neglect her quest for justice and put the victims needs on hold so this rapist can get off for giving up his boss? That is usually what Benson fights against letting a perp off easy in return for snitching on other criminals

[TV Anonymous]

WTF, does rank not matter in the NYPD? How does a Sergeant walk all over a Captain and still have her career all  bright and shiny?

[dttruman]

4 minutes ago, TV Anonymous said:

WTF, does rank not matter in the NYPD? How does a Sergeant walk all over a Captain and still have her career all  bright and shiny?

Did you like how this episode went? I thought it was too formulated like past episodes. It's like we knew what was going to happen. I thought it would good to give it some kind of resolution with the FBI or Feds at least taking care of the rape victims medical bills and give her a substantial amount to live on. But no, they have to make them the Bad Guys so Benson can be the one to look so altruistic.

[wknt3]

The Good:
The actress playing the victim. She did a really good job and almost made me care about her even though she wasn't written as anything more than a plot device and a stereotype.
Carisi. He was the only regular who was worth watching this week as the rest either had nothing to do (Fin) or were annoying (Benson, Rollins, the OC crew).
It is always nice to see Benson not pull a miracle out of her ass, even if we know it may not last.
No Benson-Stabler hookup!

The Bad:
It was another crossover episode that was not really an episode of the series, but a trailer for OC. I like OC but I like it much more when it's its own thing. Not when it's forced into SVU. It feels like they are trying to hide how there are no characters and no ideas left at SVU right now.
The promo for next week. As I've said many times before I never trust the NBC promo monkeys, but if there is any truth there it's going to be a third episode in a row on the same theme. I want to see some sexually based offenses used to explore a variety of social issues. A variety, Not the same one over and over. We've seen that fail already.
They didn't give Fin anything to do. He has a couple of good lines and made the most of what he had, serving as the voice of the viewer, but he was wasted. I know I'm going to be annoyed when he has one of his weeks off knowing they blew one of his episodes on this.
Rollins. Again she is a giant hypocrite with no indication that anyone involved realizes it. I mean how could Benson listen to her lecture her about not putting up with a man's emotional distance etc. without telling her to fuck all the way off?
The script. I don't think there was a single original moment anywhere. Including the OC elements that have only been around for one season.

Overall this was a dud, in part because of flat writing and in part because it wasn't really an episode per se, but rather an advertisement for/ episode of OC weakened by tying it to the zombified corpse of SVU. 

[Xeliou66]

This episode seemed to lack originality and seemed like more of a promo for OC than an SVU episode (I wonder if that was the writers goal). The episode was very similar to last week with the Feds swooping in and hijacking the case (at least they acknowledged that with Rollins and Carisi’s dialogue at the end). Overall there just wasn’t much to it.

Carisi was the highlight of the episode, it was great seeing him act with authority as an ADA - they’ve really gotten a better handle on how to write him now and he works well in the ADA role.

Fin was good but had next to nothing to do.

Rollins didn’t have any right to lecture Benson about her not knowing Stabler anymore - Rollins is a perpetual fuck up. And what was with Rollins flirting with the FBI agent? Rollins is such a slut who will sleep with anyone, and Carisi can do so much better.

I loved seeing the ME again that appeared twice last season, it’s always a pleasure to see SVU visit an ME as they haven’t done that as much in recent years.

I hated the long opening - why do we need to see everything take place? Why couldn’t the episode just start with the victim being found and the investigation starting from there? 

And the Benson/Stabler tension, just blah. I’m dreading what’s coming up on OC as I haven’t seen it yet.

Not a horrid episode, but just unoriginal and meh. I have zero confidence that this season will get any better and SVU seems mired in mediocrity.

Edited October 1, 2021 by Xeliou66

[Gigi43]

The episode seemed to go on too long, yet it was it's usual hour. I may have gotten into the case more if it wasn't second to the Benson/Stabler stuff and whether he changed too much. The ending with Benson/Rollins was lame. Rollins trying to get Carisi to give up being an ADA to be a cop and their ending was predictable. Also predictable Rollins and the male FBI has something strange undertones in their interactions. The clock is ticking until Rollins cheats on Carisi and this becomes even more of a soap opera than crime procedural. 

 

Enough with the OC crossovers, we don't need it. 

 

I liked Carisi in the episode but too bad Finn was sidelined.

 

Who was the actor playing Gabe the guy who went in witness protection? I've seen him in something else, can't place what, and it's driving me crazy.

[meira.hand]

2 hours ago, Gigi43 said:

Who was the actor playing Gabe the guy who went in witness protection? I've seen him in something else, can't place what, and it's driving me crazy.

Rhys Coiro

Check his filmography:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1711052/

[lazylump]

I am not fond of the crossovers with OC. Stabler and his method of justice isn’t my gig.  I like my crime of the week with the odd serial killer thrown in.

I just started watching again last year and am piecing things together through season 17-19 now.  I know of Rollins backstory but I am happy with her and Carisi together and liked their interaction in the elevator. Enough to tell us they are happy together.

 

I am guessing the powers that be are going to be doing some weird foreshadowing with Olivia and Elliott and Rollisi.  Like Rollins will come in with disclosure papers just after Olivia and Elliott have some tense meeting.  And so on.  I hope Rollisi are end game and there is no real drama with them.  I have always liked the snippets of conversation the characters have on the way to the crime that are unrelated but give you a glimpse into their lives.  The Liv/Fin lunch was pretty funny.

 

I never watched the 2 hour OC. Can’t be bothered. Saw what I needed to piece together online.  Thanks for those who update Twitter.

[Gigi43]

7 hours ago, meira.hand said:

Rhys Coiro

Check his filmography:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1711052/

 

Thank you! Apparently he's been in a few things I've seen.

[chediavolo]

I had to turn this off. I haven’t watched in so long, it doesn’t compare to the (thinner)Benson & Stabler years. 
How is she a “rape” victim? I thought she said she threw him off. Also maybe they should have gotten an actress who can actually act & in this case sing. She was making my ears bleed.  I thought any second some of the drunks in the audience were going to start commenting on her lack of talent. 

[candall]

I think they were gambling that wedging Stabler into SVU would ultimately result in me watching L&O:OC.  But they have lost that bet--it makes me stop watching SVU.

 

Turns out I dislike Elliot "Hard Ass" Stabler more than I like Noah's Mom. 

.

[dttruman]

12 hours ago, chediavolo said:

I had to turn this off. I haven’t watched in so long, it doesn’t compare to the (thinner)Benson & Stabler years. 
How is she a “rape” victim? I thought she said she threw him off. Also maybe they should have gotten an actress who can actually act & in this case sing. She was making my ears bleed.  I thought any second some of the drunks in the audience were going to start commenting on her lack of talent. 

Some of this I agree with and some I don't

[debraran]

First show I watched in a while. I'm confused, is this going to be continued later on another show? What was that wink that Gabe gave Stabler when he shot him pretty high up in the shoulder. I assume it was planned or he had on bullet proof vest. It doesn't seem like it ended really although they've had this kind of show before when FBI wins the round for "greater good". The minute they said gangster in the subject on Hulu, I thought it would end this way. But if it continues, it can save itself.

[dttruman]

8 hours ago, debraran said:

First show I watched in a while. I'm confused, is this going to be continued later on another show? What was that wink that Gabe gave Stabler when he shot him pretty high up in the shoulder. I assume it was planned or he had on bullet proof vest. It doesn't seem like it ended really although they've had this kind of show before when FBI wins the round for "greater good". The minute they said gangster in the subject on Hulu, I thought it would end this way. But if it continues, it can save itself.

I have a feeling it did continue, so I don't know what happen to Gabe. Has he become an informer to pass on info to Stabler or was he killed off for snitching.in the 2-hour premiere of OC? If he got killed then that is at least some kind of justice for the rape victim here

[Xeliou66]

11 minutes ago, dttruman said:

I have a feeling it did continue, so I don't know what happen to Gabe. Has he become an informer to pass on info to Stabler or was he killed off for snitching.in the 2-hour premiere of OC? If he got killed then that is at least some kind of justice for the rape victim here

No nothing was mentioned about Gabe on OC unless I missed something. The case on the 2 hours of OC had nothing to do at all with this SVU case. And yes it was weird how SVU left off with Gabe going into witness protection.

[dttruman]

10 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

No nothing was mentioned about Gabe on OC unless I missed something. The case on the 2 hours of OC had nothing to do at all with this SVU case. And yes it was weird how SVU left off with Gabe going into witness protection.

Then "I Thought You Were On My Side"  show was just another one of the usual episodes that portrays Benson as the only one looking out for rape victims and the FBI as the evil menace that enables a dirt bag like Gabe.

Unless they plan a part II down the road for this episode where Gabe actually escapes from his FBI handlers and Benson gets a chance to blow this guy away.

 

[tennisgurl]

I am sick of all the OC crossovers, I shouldn't be required to watch this shows spin-off just to keep up with this one. This felt more like a trailer for Organized Crime than an actual episode of SVU. The episode was alright, it hardly felt like an SVU episode, more like half an episode with only a beginning and no real middle or end. There isn't even that much to say, it was basically a preview for another show with cameos from the SVU cast. It wasn't really bad, but it really wasn't much of anything. I cant even be mad like I am about a lot of bad SVU episodes because this is hardly even an SVU episode, more trailer for OC and further B/S pandering.

There were some good things, like the actress playing the victim did a lot with what little she had, but I was mostly bored and annoyed.

[FozzyBear]

God I hope that last elevator scene wasn’t laying the groundwork for Carisi to go back to being a cop. It seems that Law & Order is pretty done acknowledging the problems with policing and we’re back to the solution always being more cops. 😒

[WendyCR72]

39 minutes ago, FozzyBear said:

God I hope that last elevator scene wasn’t laying the groundwork for Carisi to go back to being a cop. It seems that Law & Order is pretty done acknowledging the problems with policing and we’re back to the solution always being more cops. 😒

That exact storyline was previously done on Law & Order: Los Angeles, so the odds are 50/50.

[gaucho91]

On 10/2/2021 at 7:18 AM, chediavolo said:

I had to turn this off. I haven’t watched in so long, it doesn’t compare to the (thinner)Benson & Stabler years. 
How is she a “rape” victim? I thought she said she threw him off. Also maybe they should have gotten an actress who can actually act & in this case sing. She was making my ears bleed.  I thought any second some of the drunks in the audience were going to start commenting on her lack of talent. 

I believe it was considered rape when he stuck his fingers inside her as he held her down on his lap.

On 9/30/2021 at 8:24 PM, dttruman said:

Can I get some legal know how here. If a suspect is about to be arrested and a cop pulls out their weapon and threatens to shoot the suspect in the knees, even though the suspect doesn't resist arrest. Has the officer committed some kind of intimidation or threat? No other police came up behind the suspect to slap the cuffs on him.

I thought she was aiming at his crotch, not his knees.  My takeaway from that scene was that she shouldn't make a false, and therefore useless, threat against a perp.  Everyone knew she was never going to pull the trigger.

I know there are a lot of Benson/Stabler shippers out there but the whole thing just skeeves me out.  It just seems so forced.  They are much better as friends.

Edited October 6, 2021 by gaucho91

[debraran]

Maybe because they are older, but I feel nothing between Stabler and Benson, it seems forced, he seems to have no chemistry at all. It doesn't matter if he is talking about her, his kids, the perp, it's flat. I would think they could rekindle it, but it seems gone to me.

Yes, it's assault what he did to her, no matter what he used to assault her, he also tried to rape her again and strangle her. If he killed her he wouldn't have cared.

[DaynaPhile]

I was expecting way better vocals when the actress started her song, didn’t th8nk she was that great of an actress either. Benson and Stabler don’t have chemistry anymore. I thought Rollins was more talking condescending to the Fibbie than flirting with him. Basically telling him what’s a desk guy doing in a vest with a gun, don’t get yourself hurt pretty boy.

I haven’t been watching the spin off because Stabler doesn’t interest me much. I’m partly watching SVU to see how well they are handling Mariska’s real life broken ankle. 

[CrystalBlue]

1 hour ago, DaynaPhile said:

I was expecting way better vocals when the actress started her song, didn’t th8nk she was that great of an actress either. Benson and Stabler don’t have chemistry anymore. I thought Rollins was more talking condescending to the Fibbie than flirting with him. Basically telling him what’s a desk guy doing in a vest with a gun, don’t get yourself hurt pretty boy.

I haven’t been watching the spin off because Stabler doesn’t interest me much. I’m partly watching SVU to see how well they are handling Mariska’s real life broken ankle. 

I haven't noticed anything about Mariska's broken ankle.  Olivia is heavily involved in Stabler's life in the OC.