S24.E21: Bad Things

[WendyCR72]

Airing May 11, 2023:

Quote

Benson and Carisi are baffled when a series of assaults have the same M.O. but different DNA at each crime scene. Muncy believes Elias Olsen has struck again and is determined to prove it.

 

[wknt3]

The Good:
TWO cases? You can actually have an A and B plot without one of them being soapy nonsense? With witnesses and CSU techs and ME visits and NYC color and everything? Be still my heart.
They seem to be really running with the new direction of having the squad acting like professional investigators instead of middle school kids. I'm not sure if it's the writers and producers coming to a long overdue realization or Mariska being worrited they are stealing her thunder, but it's welcome regardless.
Carisi. They actually did a nice job of having him in the field without making it feel like he was a detective again.
Fin and Velasco - they both got solid material with some nice dialogue and seem to be back to the old Fin and Carisi dynamic of calm professionalism and crisp dialogue.
A nice ensemble feel. Everyone got something to do. You can actually have a clear lead without having everyone else as glorified extras! Heck the elite detectives of the Special Victims Unit can actually solve cases without being supervised every step of the way! Maybe this can be a regular thing?

The Bad:
More Benson hypocrisy. How do they expect us to buy Benson as the voice of reason without even a passing mention of learning from her mistakes?
Mariska's acting was particularly wooden this week.I feel sorry for Scanavino having to play off someone alternating between broad and nothing.She even seemed kind of flat with Chris Meloni, who usually brings out the best in her even when they are doing shippy soapy crap I hate.
The staging and editing of the final scene. The viewers that are excited are already excited and the rest already know it's a big deal. Stop trying so hard show - we get it without the muscial cues and everything. Maybe don't try so hard to cater to the shippers and try to convince us that you didn't make a toral hash out of the last time we had them together and focus on actually giving us a cliffhanger for the case?

Overall this was a solid episode with an old school SVU feel, albeit from the later Neal Baer years before it went gloriously over the top - a bit overly gothic and overstuffed at times, but still enjoyable and an actual procedural instead of a soap. And lots of the classic formula that has gone missing in the past half decade plus of constantly shrinking budgets and expanding diva ego. Possibly the best episode of the season - let's hope the crossover doesn't ruin it in retrospect. It actually felt like it was doing something other than filling an episode order and was worth watching. I was actually pleasantly surprised.

[The Wild Sow]

They already forgot about Season 20's "Revenge" episode?  You know, the one where the Incel boys trade rapes, a la "Strangers on a Train"?

[EtheltoTillie]

I didn’t know it was a crossover, so I didn’t record part two--I never watch OC. Waiting till it shows up on Peacock. I liked the episode. I figured out the revenge plot early, since it was a plot I’ve seen elsewhere recently, in a novel, I think, but I can’t remember where. Has anyone else read it somewhere?

Edited May 12, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[Demian]

Just watching this now, but the fact that they somehow managed to toss completely unnecessary shade at the Funny Girl revival within the first two minutes of the episode has me grinning like a maniac.

[Xeliou66]

This was better than most SVU’s this season - the case felt fresh and was more original and it was nice to have a whole squad working the case.

The case was so complex and had so many people involved it was hard to keep track of, but it was still pretty good. I didn’t care for the whole Elias Olsen subplot, Muncy is such an idiot for her tantrum in court allowing the creep to walk and prey on more people - she should’ve been fired.

The OC hour cleared up the SVU rape for hire cases, and was a solid continuation of the story. I do wish they had cleared up who hired Josh to kill the old guy, maybe they’ll clear that up next week, but that wasn’t clear. That old guy was the best part of the episode, he was hilarious!!

Fin and Velasco got some good stuff which is always solid - I missed Bruno though, wish he had been involved. Carisi was good but I could’ve done without St Olivia giving him advice, she drags everything down.

When did Rollins become some kind of psych expert? Wouldn’t they go to an actual doctor/profiler like Skoda or Olivet to work up a profile, but no they bring in Rollins who’s suddenly turned into an expert?! That’s kind of a joke to me, Rollins has been such a trainwreck over the years I can’t buy her as some expert. 

Overall this was a solid crossover and I’m interested to see how it plays out. 

[EtheltoTillie]

6 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

When did Rollins become some kind of psych expert? Wouldn’t they go to an actual doctor/profiler like Skoda or Olivet to work up a profile, but no they bring in Rollins who’s suddenly turned into an expert?! That’s kind of a joke to me, Rollins has been such a trainwreck over the years I can’t buy her as some expert. 

Overall this was a solid crossover and I’m interested to see how it plays out. 

As I remember it they were making her an expert at profiling and that's what got her the new teaching job.  She had been giving Ted talks or some other public speeches, and that's how they found her.   I don't think they ever explained how she was suddenly qualified for this.

Edited May 12, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[The Wild Sow]

7 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

I do wish they had cleared up who hired Josh to kill the old guy, maybe they’ll clear that up next week, but that wasn’t clear. That old guy was the best part of the episode, he was hilarious!!

Well, he does have 3 ex-wives!  Maybe they crowdfunded it??

[Broderbits]

3 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I don't think they ever explained how she was suddenly qualified for this.

If the writers could have Amaro earn some advanced science degree, it's no stretch to believe Rollins could become an expert profiler and college lecturer. Why not give them MacArthur Genius grants too!

[slowpoked]

Are they envisioning a Rollins comeback, this fast, with that "bored" conversation with Stabler? I just hope there's no trouble in paradise, especially since she's preggers in wedlock for the first time.

I know she's not a fan favorite, but I've never had a problem with Rollins, so if she comes back next week, it should be good to see her again. I would really rather have her than Muncy. 

[wknt3]

22 hours ago, The Wild Sow said:

They already forgot about Season 20's "Revenge" episode?  You know, the one where the Incel boys trade rapes, a la "Strangers on a Train"?

I think at this point we can pretty much assume that both the audience and the writers have forgotten farther back than last month. And even if we didn't they've pretty much done every plot twice other than a few crazy monkey in a basketball type stories that they no longer have the personnel or budget to do these days.
 

21 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

When did Rollins become some kind of psych expert? Wouldn’t they go to an actual doctor/profiler like Skoda or Olivet to work up a profile, but no they bring in Rollins who’s suddenly turned into an expert?! That’s kind of a joke to me, Rollins has been such a trainwreck over the years I can’t buy her as some expert. 

15 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

As I remember it they were making her an expert at profiling and that's what got her the new teaching job.  She had been giving Ted talks or some other public speeches, and that's how they found her.   I don't think they ever explained how she was suddenly qualified for this.

My theory is that it was all a comedy of errors situation. McGrath was in Benson;s office while Rollins was escorting a Fordham admin. He was telling Benson that Rollins was a "complete psycho" when they arrived at the door. McGrath thought she was bringing in the union lawyer and quickly added "logical profiling expert" and it all snowballed from there. My other theory is that it's all a plot by Nicole Wallace to torture Goren by having her paraded in the local media as a NYPD detective who is a leading expert in criminal psychology,
 

3 hours ago, slowpoked said:

Are they envisioning a Rollins comeback, this fast, with that "bored" conversation with Stabler? I just hope there's no trouble in paradise, especially since she's preggers in wedlock for the first time.

I know she's not a fan favorite, but I've never had a problem with Rollins, so if she comes back next week, it should be good to see her again. I would really rather have her than Muncy. 

Nope. Unless Mariska takes a massive pay cut they can't make the numbers work. And even if they could make the budget they would still have the creative issue of too few characters and no new dynamics to work with.

[EtheltoTillie]

I remembered where I read the revenge rape web site story. It was in one of the recent Harry Bosch mysteries by Michael Connelly. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

On 5/12/2023 at 6:52 PM, slowpoked said:

Are they envisioning a Rollins comeback, this fast, with that "bored" conversation with Stabler? I just hope there's no trouble in paradise, especially since she's preggers in wedlock for the first time.

I know she's not a fan favorite, but I've never had a problem with Rollins, so if she comes back next week, it should be good to see her again. I would really rather have her than Muncy. 

Muncy is sort of growing on me. I don’t dislike her, but I’m not shipping her either. 
 

I wonder if Rollins could be a recurring character similar to the ME or other recurring characters where she appears occasionally when they need her expertise. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by StaceyNotStacie
Autocorrect changed Muncy to Munch 😆

[wknt3]

11 minutes ago, StaceyNotStacie said:

Muncy is sort of growing on me. I don’t dislike her, but I’m not shipping her either. 
 

I wonder if Rollins could be a recurring character similar to the ME or other recurring characters where she appears occasionally when they need her expertise. 

I like the idea of a recurring psych consultant, but I would go in a different direction. Maybe someone without the personal drama and a little bit more realistic background as an expert. Perhaps go for some more diversity with an Asian character? Or maybe an LBGT character (but again with their personal life much more in the background)? Just spit balling here...

[Xeliou66]

26 minutes ago, wknt3 said:

I like the idea of a recurring psych consultant, but I would go in a different direction. Maybe someone without the personal drama and a little bit more realistic background as an expert. Perhaps go for some more diversity with an Asian character? Or maybe an LBGT character (but again with their personal life much more in the background)? Just spit balling here...

I wish the Mothership and SVU would introduce a recurring psych expert the way Skoda and Olivet and later Huang were - that aspect is sorely missed on the show. I’ve said this in a few Mothership episode threads that a psych expert would add a lot to the show, and it’s even more true for SVU. SVU seems to have more recurring characters now - I particularly like ME Truman, it was nice to see him again in this episode, but a psych expert is something we need. 

[Angeltoes]

Carisi disappointed me with his wondering if he'd be a good dad.  I thought he considered himself to be dad to Amanda's girls.  Although, our daughter is a stepmom and she told her partner to his face that she will never feel the same way about his kids as she does her own (all the kids live with them fulltime) because her own are a part of her.  I'm sure any stepparent thinks like this if they're honest, but they should at least have the good grace not to say it out loud.  Thankfully she didn't say it in front of the kids.

And Amanda was obviously pregnant.  Nobody on the squad had run into her on the street or at the grocery store before this?  Girl knows how to keep a secret unlike her husband.

[Raja]

On 5/11/2023 at 8:49 PM, EtheltoTillie said:

I didn’t know it was a crossover, so I didn’t record part two--I never watch OC. Waiting till it shows up on Peacock. I liked the episode. I figured out the revenge plot early, since it was a plot I’ve seen elsewhere recently, in a novel, I think, but I can’t remember where. Has anyone else read it somewhere?

The interview with the Brooklyn nanny and the DNA pointed  directly to a "previously on Organized Crime". That was shown before the official NBC crossover began. I don't think it is a need to see but a big bright Easter Egg to say I know how that happened while watching this episode.

[EtheltoTillie]

3 hours ago, Angeltoes said:

Carisi disappointed me with his wondering if he'd be a good dad.  I thought he considered himself to be dad to Amanda's girls.  Although, our daughter is a stepmom and she told her partner to his face that she will never feel the same way about his kids as she does her own (all the kids live with them fulltime) because her own are a part of her.  I'm sure any stepparent thinks like this if they're honest, but they should at least have the good grace not to say it out loud.  Thankfully she didn't say it in front of the kids.

And Amanda was obviously pregnant.  Nobody on the squad had run into her on the street or at the grocery store before this?  Girl knows how to keep a secret unlike her husband.

Carisi disappointed me, since his reasoning was so dumb--fear of poopy diapers?  Besides, as you note, he already considered himself a dad. I took it to be a way to have a conversation where St. Olivia gives a blessing.

Amanda was so preggers (apparently a real life pregnancy), how could they even pretend to have hidden it? 

[Xeliou66]

40 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Carisi disappointed me, since his reasoning was so dumb--fear of poopy diapers?  Besides, as you note, he already considered himself a dad. I took it to be a way to have a conversation where St. Olivia gives a blessing.

Amanda was so preggers (apparently a real life pregnancy), how could they even pretend to have hidden it? 

The Carisi stuff was all about making St Olivia look great by giving him a speech assuring him he would do great. The show never misses an opportunity for Olivia worship. It’s really nauseating and no one likes it but MH and her die hard fans but her ego is so big they won’t stop it. 

[tennisgurl]

Rollins as an expert psych profiler is almost as ridiculous as her becoming a professor. Its just embarrassing. 

I liked the episode pretty well, it might be time for me to go back to watching Organized Crime, which I have fallen off of. 

[Raja]

7 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Rollins as an expert psych profiler is almost as ridiculous as her becoming a professor. Its just embarrassing. 

I liked the episode pretty well, it might be time for me to go back to watching Organized Crime, which I have fallen off of. 

This forum has episode threads while OC does not. From  the few post there it seems that those who came over to SVU for the crossovers had the opposite reaction to the 4 part story. Or particularly the last 2 hours in my case.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 5/14/2023 at 7:41 PM, Xeliou66 said:

The Carisi stuff was all about making St Olivia look great by giving him a speech assuring him he would do great. The show never misses an opportunity for Olivia worship. It’s really nauseating and no one likes it but MH and her die hard fans but her ego is so big they won’t stop it. 

I would have preferred a fatherhood chat between Carisi and Fin. 

I don't know your daughter's situation and feelings are just as valid as any other stepparent but I don't think that's every stepparent's experience/feeling. Carisi already knows what he's got with his stepdaughters. He is a great dad to kids he already knew and whose lives are better because he's in it. And that's different from what he's about to embark on.  

On 5/12/2023 at 10:20 PM, wknt3 said:

I think at this point we can pretty much assume that both the audience and the writers have forgotten farther back than last month. And even if we didn't they've pretty much done every plot twice other than a few crazy monkey in a basketball type stories that they no longer have the personnel or budget to do these days.
My theory is that it was all a comedy of errors situation. McGrath was in Benson;s office while Rollins was escorting a Fordham admin. He was telling Benson that Rollins was a "complete psycho" when they arrived at the door. McGrath thought she was bringing in the union lawyer and quickly added "logical profiling expert" and it all snowballed from there. My other theory is that it's all a plot by Nicole Wallace to torture Goren by having her paraded in the local media as a NYPD detective who is a leading expert in criminal psychology,
Nope. Unless Mariska takes a massive pay cut they can't make the numbers work. And even if they could make the budget they would still have the creative issue of too few characters and no new dynamics to work with.

I'm getting the sense that she may come back to the franchise but just not to this show. I like Amanda but I'm not a fan of her as a profiling expert. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by love2lovebadtv

[peacheslatour]

On 5/13/2023 at 5:14 PM, wknt3 said:

I like the idea of a recurring psych consultant, but I would go in a different direction. Maybe someone without the personal drama and a little bit more realistic background as an expert. Perhaps go for some more diversity with an Asian character? Or maybe an LBGT character (but again with their personal life much more in the background)? Just spit balling here...

Someone like this per chance?

 

[anna0852]

Given how very very pregnant Amanda was, I suspect there was some impetus behind the Christmas elopement.

[webruce]

I haven't seen the OC crossover yet, but I didn't know that there was different DNA at each crime scene? The victims were different age and nationalities, was the only differences I remember. 

I did write to one of the shows a couple years back and asked why a show discription was different then the actual outcome. They said that when they work on ideas, they sometimes change the final story after they write up the discriptions. 

I did like that Grace Muncy tied up the Elias Olsen case. 

I know that Benson and Stabler are uneasy with eachother after thr last meeting, that is why this meeting was kind of like each feeling the other out. Probably why Olivia wanted to meet alone. Or not call infront of the precinct. 

After I see OC, then I can comment more. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by webruce
Added thoughts.