S02.E12: As Iago Is To Othello

[WendyCR72]

Airs January 20, 2022:

Quote

Stabler asks Bell to have his back when they're called in to defend their actions. Jet and Malachi work together to pin down Wheatley. Cho and Maldonado go undercover to watch Angela.

 

[edhopper]

The cat and mouse is interesting, including the James Cromwell twist. The elevator fight was just stupid.

[Xeliou66]

I’m just finished caring about the Wheatley storyline. He’s so over the top it’s laughable. I was hoping Stabler would kill him in the elevator so we would be done with this shit for good. This show has potential, the Albanian mob storyline was really good, but dragging the Wheatley mess on and on is ruining the show. And now Wheatley has a guy who’s trying to seduce Stabler’s mom? Seriously, how long is this Wheatley vs Stabler show going to go on?! I just don’t care anymore. I’m more interested in the situation with Nova and Kilbride than Wheatley.

[The Wild Sow]

Hey, Miles...it's "stepson," not "son-in-law."

 

[Route66]

I love how Malachi went from being an international criminal to being part of the team and pulling all nighters with Jet.

Last episode he was under house arrest and supposed to be wearing an ankle monitor. Now Seargent Bell is literally holding squad meetings while he hangs over the railing. Bell even gave him all of the notes from their investigation of Wheatley without a second thought.

It's funny how Jet also continually defends him, like a kid telling her parents how awesome her rough around the edges boyfriend is.

 

 

 

[faithie]

I could have sworn Wheatley had remarried (the young girl with a penchant for swimwear).  Yet he is quite obsessed with Wife No. 1.  I suppose Wife No. 2 just looks the other way as long as the money train keeps rolling?  

Hiring James Cromwell to seduce Stabler's mom - WTF?  Absolutely pointless.  (Though it's a delight to see Cromwell - I honestly didn't know he was still alive; and the poetry was quite charming).

The elevator fight was the jump-the-shark moment.  It's time to drop the Wheatley storyline for good - it's way over the top and is starting to look like a Marvel movie.  Hopefully after the Olympics we can get more of the Congressman/Governor arc (but without Wheatley).

[milkyaqua]

The titles for these epis are beyond pretentious.  This show doesn't merit it.

I'm also over Wheatley and I have no idea what is up with Angela and why she seems to put up with Richard except that she's as crazy as he is.  Otherwise, what's her long game here?

I figured McClane would somehow leave a trail for Wheatley's gains to be tracked.

I'm not sure what James Cromwell's spying on Stabler's mom is supposed to be about.  Is he hoping that Elliot will let his guard down enough to be around and here him talking about Wheatley and what the task force is doing or pump Bernie for info when Elliot isn't around?

The governor and the senator storyline looks more interesting and I do hope Nova can stay undercover.

The fight in the elevator was ridiculous and Stabler and Wheatley (in his stupid turtle necks) trying to out psyche each other out while beating up each other was moronic but since Elliot gave the actual psychiatrist a two day deadline, we'll see how that goes...after the Olympics, of course.

[UnikornRainbowz]

Probably one of the dumbest episodes I have ever watched out of all of the franchises. The elevator fight was ridiculous. The governor and senator taking advice on police from a literal federal criminal like Wheatley?? Stupid. Move on already, this is going to ruin the show. The icing on the crap cake? Using Kathy Stablers death date, get over it already people.

[Broderbits]

I agree with many of the criticisms of this show, but I still enjoy it MUCH more than SVU.

As soon as James Cromwell appeared it was obvious he would be more than just a neighborly suitor; it's still disappointing to see him as a Very Bad Man.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Angela was acting like her old self and nobody was surprised? Her fake injury was simply forgotten?

What is Elliot’s motive with the jealousy game? And what is Wheatley’s plan for Miles/Bernadette? I don’t get these.

Angela and McLane were playing both sides. Are they on the ‘same’ side, together?

I don’t trust that Malachi dude, I think he’s playing Jet and the team.

 

[tennisgurl]

"What does the parrot from Aladdin have to do with this?" -Psych 

Seriously, I thought that SVU had embarrassingly pretentious titles, but these are just getting ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as the actual plot of the show, supervillain Wheatley is about three seconds from putting in a moat around his apartment building, complete with sharks with laser beams. I am so over this guy and how he is apparently so smart and charismatic that he can just get away with everything, it just makes everyone look like a moron. Especially the governor, who just takes everything this clearly sketchy guy says like its the gospel. Gee, could this guy have an ulterior motive to get the cop obsessed with stopping him off the force? Him using the day of Kathy's death as his password is pretty impressively petty at least. I cant even enjoy his fire chemistry with Angela when he's being so weird, when did he turn into an SVU villain?

Its all just such a disappointment, the actual premise of the hacktivist getting out was such a solid idea for an arc and the last arc was actually really good, but this shows obsession with Wheatley as Stapler's arch nemesis is threatening to kill the show. 

[KittenPokerCheater]

Richard Wheatley is not long for this world if he's going off the rails like this.

Doctor Wheatley is on the rise, I think.

I like the actor who plays Sebastian.  Wonder how/if he'll turn up again.

 

[Zoe]

What kind of unit are the Stablers living in? I wasn't expecting it to be multi-family.

[melon]

I watched it, but didn’t particularly enjoy it.  Wheatley’s role has run it’s course, same with his ex wife. A fugitive giving away millions of dollars to strangers is unrealistic.  Still hoping for an old fashioned LE vs La Cosa Nostra battle, although I’ve accepted that it’ll never come. Until then, the Ellen Burnstyn storyline has the most potential for me.

[jabRI]

So Angela just allows herself to be kidnapped in broad daylight and convince her EX (!) she's not with someone else.  It's really hard to watch this domestic abuse.

[KeithJ]

I really hope they wrap this Wheatley story up soon.  I can’t take another 12 episodes of him.

[illdoc]

5 hours ago, KeithJ said:

I really hope they wrap this Wheatley story up soon.  I can’t take another 12 episodes of him.

Originally (and possibly still is), the plan was to have 3 8-episode arcs. The Albanians were Arc 1, Wheatley Arc 2 (meaning we still have 4 episodes to wrap it up). Don't know about Arc 3 (assuming they really do wrap up Wheatley in Arc 2). 

[KeithJ]

Spoiler

Looks like the Wheatley arc will be wrapping up soon:

https://deadline.com/2022/01/dylan-mcdermott-fbi-most-wanted-new-lead-julian-mcmahon-replacement-cbs-1234919102/

Added a spoiler tag to this.

 

Edited January 25, 2022 by KeithJ
Added spoiler tag

[Tachi Rocinante]

I completely forgot that Robin Lord Taylor was young Penguin in Gotham.  He's very subdued here.

[Snazzy Daisy]

20 hours ago, illdoc said:

Originally (and possibly still is), the plan was to have 3 8-episode arcs. The Albanians were Arc 1, Wheatley Arc 2 (meaning we still have 4 episodes to wrap it up). Don't know about Arc 3 (assuming they really do wrap up Wheatley in Arc 2). 

Ugh. This Wheatley dude is going to ruin FMW for me. Among all actors, why him? 😣

[Zaffy]

This episode made me wondering how much a TV writer gets paid to write nonsense like this. And why I did not try a career as a TV writer in US TV? Ok, english is not my first language, but I really doubt this would be an obstacle.  And it is obvious they have run out of decent writers since the demand is so high. I do not expect of any current L&O show to be a TV pioneer anymore, but the scripts are getting so lame.. so lame.

I miss Dylan Mcdermott being a pilot in that lovely comedy series that got cancelled after a season. He was great and funny!

[milkyaqua]

11 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

Ugh. This Wheatley dude is going to ruin FMW for me. Among all actors, why him? 😣

I'm willing to give him a shot.  I liked him on The Practice and others liked him on LA to Vegas which was a comedy.

[Hedgehog2022]

On 1/21/2022 at 12:38 PM, faithie said:

I could have sworn Wheatley had remarried (the young girl with a penchant for swimwear).  Yet he is quite obsessed with Wife No. 1.  I suppose Wife No. 2 just looks the other way as long as the money train keeps rolling?  

Hiring James Cromwell to seduce Stabler's mom - WTF?  Absolutely pointless.  (Though it's a delight to see Cromwell - I honestly didn't know he was still alive; and the poetry was quite charming).

The elevator fight was the jump-the-shark moment.  It's time to drop the Wheatley storyline for good - it's way over the top and is starting to look like a Marvel movie.  Hopefully after the Olympics we can get more of the Congressman/Governor arc (but without Wheatley).

The Wheatley show will end sooner rather than later since Dylan McDermott just got cast as the lead investigator on FBI Most Wanted replacing Julian McMahon who is leaving the show mid season.

[juliet73]

 

On 1/21/2022 at 11:38 AM, faithie said:

I could have sworn Wheatley had remarried (the young girl with a penchant for swimwear).  Yet he is quite obsessed with Wife No. 1. 

I wondered what happened to her too and his kids (besides the son that went to jail and was never spoken of again.)

I agree with everyone else that the Wheatley storyline is beyond stupid.  We're supposed to believe that he is such a brilliant computer guy/businessman/super villain who is smarter than everyone else and nothing can stop him...EXCEPT Stabler pretending(or not) to have the hots for his ex-wife? 

Speaking of Angela, I don't understand why she's still involved with Wheatley? What is she getting out of it?  I hope in the end, she kills Wheatley.  

I liked Sebastian and would have liked to see him as the main antagonist this season instead Wheatley.  

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by juliet73

[CrystalBlue]

The Angela's undies reveal was stupid too.  Would any man know what every pair of underwear his estranged wife wears and recognize it?  Baiting Wheatley like that was so juvenile, and icky.  I actually thought Stabler was testing the woman cop when he asked for the favor but, alas, he really wanted to get a hold of some!

[MarylandGirl]

On 1/27/2022 at 11:00 PM, juliet73 said:

 

I wondered what happened to her too and his kids (besides the son that went to jail and was never spoken of again.)

I agree with everyone else that the Wheatley storyline is beyond stupid.  We're supposed to believe that he is such a brilliant computer guy/businessman/super villain who is smarter than everyone else and nothing can stop him...EXCEPT Stabler pretending(or not) to have the hots for his ex-wife? 

Speaking of Angela, I don't understand why she's still involved with Wheatley? What is she getting out of it?  I hope in the end, she kills Wheatley.  

I liked Sebastian and would have liked to see him as the main antagonist this season instead Wheatley.  

 

 

I guess everyone has some sort of weak spot. But I'm not fully clear what Stabler making him jealous was supposed to accomplish? Unless he was hoping that Wheatley would get so flustered that he'd mess up, allowing them to catch him? Or that maybe he'd break up with Angela, and they could use her to get to him?

Replying to the panties comment below, I also thought it was stupid. Pretty sure my husband couldn't pick my panties out of a lineup! (I'm not even sure if *I* could!)

As for why she's with Wheatley, I guess there's the true love possibility? That she's addicted to him? Or it's about the money. Or she knows if she leaves him, he'll either kill her or turn her in to the police.

I also like Sebastian and feel he'd have been much more interesting as the main antagonist. He seems like a complex character.

 

[TV Anonymous]

On 1/24/2022 at 1:43 PM, illdoc said:

Originally (and possibly still is), the plan was to have 3 8-episode arcs. The Albanians were Arc 1, Wheatley Arc 2 (meaning we still have 4 episodes to wrap it up). Don't know about Arc 3 (assuming they really do wrap up Wheatley in Arc 2). 

When will Jennifer Beals come to play? She already lost her role at The Book of Boba Fett.

Edited February 7, 2022 by TV Anonymous