S23.E06: The Five Hundredth Episode

[MarylandGirl]

What would have been really interesting is if they could have revisited some fairly memorable case from SVU history where new evidence turned up, and there was a chance a conviction could be overturned. Or maybe if there was an unsolved one? Or where the perp got away due to some technicality?

[SuzieQ]

On 10/25/2021 at 4:39 PM, faithie said:

Honestly, I can't name a single other movie or tv show that MH has appeared in.  I know there were a few things in the 1990's but nothing comes to top of mind.  At this point it's nearly impossible to separate the actress from the character; especially when the character gives so many political speeches. 

It's been YEARS  since she's been in anything else.  In fairness, once she got married and started having and adopting kids, she took the easier more lucrative path.  Once this show ends, I would doubt she ever works again.  I agree about not being able to separate her from the character.  She's got a lot of pull with the show and she's pushing her own agendas at this point.............................because she can!

[Pj3422]

Not amazing, but one of the best episodes in recent memory. But I had to laugh when she went through her box of tapes. “Flash Dance”? Kind of hard to picture.  

[GiandujaPie]

On 10/25/2021 at 9:13 PM, Pearson80 said:

Why must Olivia see every man as a predator, that is a problem for me. Olivia was better when Stabler was around because she was nuanced and balanced him out. I remember Olivia referencing that relationship with Stabler and she said what you said in your post abut dating an older man.  Stabler took the position that Olivia took in this episode regarding that relationship and Olivia begged to differ. I cannot stand Olivia and I often wonder how the show would have been like if Stabler had remained on the show and never left..

I agree. While Aidan Quinn's character's behavior was problematic, he wasn't necessarily a predator. Why couldn't he just come to the realization that this type of behavior is no longer acceptable and learn from it? And yes, back when Olivia was 16, I don't think it was that unusual for a 16 year old to be dating a 21 year old. 

[Cristofle]

If it had only been Olivia, I think that while it's not a good idea, especially now, it was a different time when Olivia was 16 and it wouldn't need to turn into a whole thing. But do I find it unbelievable that he ultimately became a repeat offender, so to speak, and had a whole routine for younger girls/women? No. Olivia wasn't just any 16 year old - she was obviously extremely vulnerable and desperate for an older man's approval and it's fairly apparent he has a knack for seeking out such girls/women. 

I have wondered in years past about whether they might "go there" with Benson and Langan, particular during the Tucker Era where I've rarely seen such a stunning lack of chemistry, but I figure if that was something Mariska was comfortable with (some actors are and some are not), they probably would have done it already. 

[kicotan]

Notice the heavy emphasis on St. Olivia being 16.  I don’t think her specific age was ever mentioned before.  In New York State, the age of consent was and is 17 and would have been nothing to prosecute, if that’s how old she was.  It could have been a teaching moment about the current disparity between age of consent laws, state by state~as well as the unbelievable historical account of it coming to be law in this country.  It began as a “property crime” to protect the value of an unmarried WHITE woman’s chastity, which belonged to her father. In 1885, most states age of consent law was 10, in Delaware it was 7.

But no, if it doesn’t revolve around St. Olivia, the writers are just at a loss, I guess.

[dttruman]

3 hours ago, kicotan said:

It began as a “property crime” to protect the value of an unmarried WHITE woman’s chastity, which belonged to her father. In 1885, most states age of consent law was 10, in Delaware it was 7.

But no, if it doesn’t revolve around St. Olivia, the writers are just at a loss, I guess.

I think all the writers did here was to focus on the generic age of consent today as something under 18, so they could imply that Benson was "underage" and she is a victim. According to this group, we have noticed the writers tend to get their facts wrong, or stretch them beyond realism. Some members here deal in real life with some of these situation and relate to us what is accurate and what isn't.

As for the young ages 7 and 10 of consent, were those for supposed arranged marriages later? Back then women's rights were almost nonexistent, but wasn't the father still suppose to come up with some kind of dowry?

[kicotan]

4 hours ago, dttruman said:

…I think all the writers did here was to focus on the generic age of consent today as something under 18, so they could imply that Benson was "underage" and she is a victim. According to this group, we have noticed the writers tend to get their facts wrong, or stretch them beyond realism…

Agreed.  Which is why they missed out on the opportunity to educate about the inconsistency regarding statutory rape laws.  Instead of hammering the age of 16 every time St. Olivia had any lines about it, imagine if she could have said something like, I was only 6 months away from it being my choice.  Like many, I pine for the days when the writers created episodes that were somewhat relevant to current events, not just soap opera drama revolving around Olivia Benson’s personal life.

4 hours ago, dttruman said:

As for the young ages 7 and 10 of consent, were those for supposed arranged marriages later? Back then women's rights were almost nonexistent, but wasn't the father still suppose to come up with some kind of dowry?

No. I’m referring to specific statutory rape laws unrelated to marriages, arranged or otherwise.  In essence, these were property crimes.  In Delaware, specifically, the age of consent to engage in sex was 10, with punishment of the convicted rapist set at 10 years in prison.  In 1871, the age of consent was lowered to 7 and the punishment upped to the death penalty for the rapist.

[dttruman]

12 minutes ago, kicotan said:

No. I’m referring to specific statutory rape laws unrelated to marriages, arranged or otherwise.  In essence, these were property crimes.  In Delaware, specifically, the age of consent to engage in sex was 10, with punishment of the convicted rapist set at 10 years in prison.  In 1871, the age of consent was lowered to 7 and the punishment upped to the death penalty for the rapist.

Wow, I find it hard to understand or try to find the logic for some of these laws. They may of had some peculiar laws back in those times that seemed reasonable, but what were their reasons for these property laws. I remember something about pre-teens going to work in factories and working long days for a penny or two. Is this where the property laws come into effect concerning the worth or future worth of a child?

[MaggieG]

On 10/26/2021 at 10:08 AM, Tachi Rocinante said:

She was an unstable staffer on ER and in the B-movie Lake Placid.  That's all I got.

Don't forget Seinfeld!

[dttruman]

1 hour ago, MaggieG said:

On 10/26/2021 at 10:08 AM, Tachi Rocinante said:

She was an unstable staffer on ER and in the B-movie Lake Placid.  That's all I got.

Don't forget Seinfeld!

Actors go through a lot of "hits & misses" early until they catch on to something the public likes. When she took on a producer's role and executive producer's role, she was insuring her longevity until a movie script that paid her a lot or if she thought she was sick of the monotony.

 

[12catcrazy]

On 11/1/2021 at 11:48 AM, MaggieG said:

Don't forget Seinfeld!

I also thought she was on one of those 80s Soap Opera shows like Falcon Crest, because I remember reading about her back then and how she was Jayne Mansfield's daughter.  

And this episode had me rolling my eyes.  Yeah, 40 years ago a 16 year dating a 21 year old guy was not a big thing.  My 64 year old self laughs thinking about a 21 year old as "an older man".    I'm sure that if you asked 20 women currently between the ages 55 and 65 how old they were when they lost their virginity, I bet the ages of 16 and 17 would come up quite a lot.   This whole "Me Too" I'm a VICTIM!  crap is swinging so far in that direction that it's going to wind up swinging way too far back in the other.   And what I really don't understand in my old-fogey-ness is how young women today seem to revel in showing off as much skin as possible (so many party dresses  remind me of colored ace bandages) and it's all this "celebration" of being lustful and eye popping vulgarity even on the Grammys (what was that song - "WAP"?) yet when it comes to teenagers and sex it's like the culture has lost its mind.   Teenage girls having sex -   people are like running down the halls screaming in terror.  I. Just. Dont. Get It.  

[CrystalBlue]

@12catcrazy, Your 64-year-old memory serves you well -- Mariska was indeed on Falcon Crest and we've known she is Jayne Mansfield's daughter since she started acting.

ITA with you on the second paragraph.  I'm 65 and it was always a thing when I was a child and teenager that 16-year-old girls dated guys around 21 at least.  The high school junior or senior dating a college boy was the thing.  Not everyone dated within 12 months of their age group.

The #MeToo movement has gotten way out of line.  I have been a real victim of violent sexual assault by a stranger as a young teen.  A Romeo and Lothario is not the same thing.

[dttruman]

15 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

The #MeToo movement has gotten way out of line.  I have been a real victim of violent sexual assault by a stranger as a young teen.  A Romeo and Lothario is not the same thing.

Hope you are doing OK!

 

[DaynaPhile]

 My biggest takeaway...Peter Hermann is Very Tall. 

Besides that, I was very interested in Amaro and the tiny dna samples being able to exonerate someone. I listen to some true crime podcasts and there have been some about familial matches through ancestry databases finding long lost criminals. It’s pretty amazing and there is even a Facebook group with dedicated volunteers that comb through those databases to find suspects and eventually solve crimes. 

So was Burton a predator or just an old fashioned douche but with more charm? And will Olivia now wear the victim badge of honor?

500th episode, no special musical? 😂