S25.E09: Children of Wolves

[txhorns79]

Airing April 11, 2024

Quote

A teenager found unconscious in the park leads to a missing persons investigation. Benson must help Noah come to terms with the past when he questions the origins of his birth.

 

[dttruman]

19 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

Airing April 11, 2024

 

I will be surprised if they don't put a little extra in for a followup episode where Noah wants to meet his grandmother (Brook Shields).

Edited April 12 by dttruman

[wknt3]

The Good:
Carisi. He did a good job making Benson seem almost relatable and human and kept my eye rolls from reaching a full 360 degrees.

Bruno and Velasco. I would have liked to have seen them given more material, but it is always nice to see SVU detectives acting like investigators instead of advocates or therapists.

The guest cast. A good job all around in elevating the material and keeping things on track. It would have been really easy to veer into scenery chewing or simply phone it in, but everyone delivered.
 

The Bad:
The opening scene. As if clumsily done Benoah isn't bad enough we have it as a reason to drag up some of the worst of past Benson stories so Mariska can whisper and make constipated faces while talking like a third rate writer's idea of a second rate therapist. Along with a thematic link that is about as subtle as a slegehammer to the face and equally enjoyable.

Mariska as director. Every time she directs she manages to amaze even a cynical jaded viewer like me that what we usually see is Mariska being dialed back by her collaborators. It would be like finding out that Lady Gaga's stylist has a whole book of outfit proposals they rejected as too far out there...

I really do like a larger pool of potential team members to draw from, but this feels like another episode where they don't seem to be really making the best match of characters to story. Why not have the experienced profiler with a deep personal connection to kidnapped girls work this instead having the gratuitous second captain there to look concerned? Especially when the queen bee is so insecure that the other captain can't be wearing her badge at the crime scene like all the detectives and the extras because it would make Benson seem less special?

Speaking of bad stories from the past as we were during the opening I don't think we ever need another hostage situation on SVU. At least nobody died and Benson never fired her weapon, so I guess that's a win?

So after all of the various lectures Benson has given everyone she can torture a subject into confessing and it's OK because it's "for the victims"? And when we do acknowledge that there was an issue there she can just blow off everyone pointing it out and we're supposed to move on?
The previews. Back to Maddie? Seriously???


Overall this is yet another good plot idea that never reached its' potential because it had to devote so much time to Mariska's creative autoeroticism. At least she didn't try to make herself into an actual avenging angel ascending to heaven this time so I guess we're making some progress?

Edited April 12 by wknt3
fix formatting

[Xeliou66]

One of the worst SVU episodes ever. Period. Just an hour of St Olivia worship with Benson being more unbearable than ever complete with Mariska’s horrible overacting. The plot was just a sidebar to the Benson worship - just pure cringeworthy awfulness from start to finish. Benson saving the day, Benson taking it personally, Benson in another hostage situation, Benson threatening a suspect and coercing a confession and it gets glossed over and we’re still supposed to think Benson is some kind of hero instead of a loon who is unfit for duty, and worst of all the Benson/Noah discussions to give Benson more drama and allowing her to play super mommy. The worship and complete focus on St Olivia has reached its all time high this season and is dragging down the show terribly. And as if this week wasn’t bad enough, next week we are in for round 2 of Benson taking it personally.

I had a lot of questions about the plot - who exactly were the perps? How did they get away with prior assaults, they were pretty stupid and were tracked down easily. What exactly were they planning to do with the girl they abducted? But god forbid they actually give us more details about the case, that would mean less focus on St O.

Why waste one of Carisi’s appearances on this crap? He was basically acting as Benson’s shrink, and the part where Carisi searched with them at the marina was giving me bad flashbacks to season 21 where Carisi was an ADA but they had him act more like a detective than a lawyer. I wish they would get Carisi back into court, but that would mean less Benson focus again and the Queen Bee won’t allow that. 

And again we have a high priority abduction and yet Fin and Sykes are nowhere to be found.

Not even the awesome Bruno could make this piece of shit episode worth watching.

Just pure awfulness from start to finish, and it looks like we are in for more of it next week. Just a horrible, cringeworthy episode that was 100% a Benson circle jerk. 

[preeya]

51 minutes ago, Xeliou66 said:

One of the worst SVU episodes ever. Period. Just an hour of St Olivia worship with Benson being more unbearable than ever complete with Mariska’s horrible overacting.

This ↑ and on that note, I'm finally OUT.     FINITO!

[Andyourlittledog2]

Seriously, Mariska is such an idiot. This tonight is what she thinks is brilliant drama.  She is mistaken.  Very very delusional. She should see someone about this.

[EtheltoTillie]

I was shocked when Benson said call the hostage negotiating team. Then she restored my faith in my predictive skills by doing the negotiation herself. 

I love Carisi but would he really be in the hospital room to report that the parents took their kid off life support?  

Please no more Noah drama. Ugh. 

This torture the perp plot is sick!  As sick as the perp is 

Edited April 12 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

I want a dollar for every time Benson says “it’s not your fault.”  I’d be as rich as Moneybags. 

[Ohiopirate02]

I noped out of this episode after that extended intro.  The acting, the writing, the directing were all too painful to watch.  I did not buy Noah as a tween when he was coming off as some sheltered 6 year old.  And that dialog made it seem like Benson has left Noah in the dark about a lot stuff that he should be able to handle developmentally.  

I did catch Carisi mention the upcoming trial for Maddie's abductor.  As much as I want to see him in a courtroom and see all the dangling threads from that case get resolved (who provided that picture of Maddie to the sex doll company), I don't know if I actually want to see it and how Benson will react.

[wknt3]

14 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I want a dollar for every time Benson says “it’s not your fault.”  I’d be as rich as Moneybags. 

Yeah I don't know where she got the idea she could just keep repeating that and get acclaim and awards. Or maybe I do...

 

Edited April 12 by wknt3

[Sake614]

I won’t bother repeating what others have already so eloquently stated about the episode but one thing that stood out for me was the closet full of stilettos in Olivia”s apartment. Are we supposed to believe she actually wears those things?

and why was Noah googling his mother in the first place? That in itself was pretty creepy!

[Medicine Crow]

I hope that was part one because I want to see those weasles punished!!!

[Xeliou66]

38 minutes ago, Medicine Crow said:

I hope that was part one because I want to see those weasles punished!!!

I hope this is a joke because I don’t think I could stomach part 2 of this shitshow. 
Next week will probably feel like part 2 given that it looks like another hour of St O taking it personally. 

[Medicine Crow]

3 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

I hope this is a joke because I don’t think I could stomach part 2 of this shitshow. 
Next week will probably feel like part 2 given that it looks like another hour of St O taking it personally. 

Actually, I wasn't joking, but I wish I was because it was such a stupid premise.

[The Wild Sow]

On 4/11/2024 at 11:12 PM, Xeliou66 said:

I had a lot of questions about the plot - who exactly were the perps? How did they get away with prior assaults, they were pretty stupid and were tracked down easily.

Maybe the prior assaults were girls who said "Hell yeah!" to smoking a joint with them?

50 years later, do not ask how I know this.

I'm curious how they transported her between locations - did they have a car?  I just can't see them dragging her around on the subway or the bus with a belt around her neck!

[Fostersmom]

On 4/12/2024 at 2:48 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I noped out of this episode after that extended intro.  The acting, the writing, the directing were all too painful to watch.  I did not buy Noah as a tween when he was coming off as some sheltered 6 year old.  And that dialog made it seem like Benson has left Noah in the dark about a lot stuff that he should be able to handle developmentally.  

I did catch Carisi mention the upcoming trial for Maddie's abductor.  As much as I want to see him in a courtroom and see all the dangling threads from that case get resolved (who provided that picture of Maddie to the sex doll company), I don't know if I actually want to see it and how Benson will react.

How old is Noah supposed to be these days? I'm sure it's over the age of 10, so I'm not really understanding why Olivia was so surprised the kid knows how to use a computer and Google. Also, he goes to a real school and isn't homeschooled by his nanny, so I'm sure he hears things at said school about his mom and her cases. And, am I completely remembering wrong, but didn't we get an episode with Noah having an also adopted brother and him learning about his father then? Or am I making this up? 

Edited April 15 by Fostersmom

[Xeliou66]

11 minutes ago, Fostersmom said:

How old is Noah supposed to be these days? I'm sure it's over the age of 10, so I'm not really understanding why Olivia was so surprised the kid knows how to use a computer and Google. Also, he goes to a real school and isn't homeschooled by his nanny, so I'm sure he hears things at said school about his mom and her cases. And, am I completely remembering wrong, but didn't we get an episode with Noah having an also adopted brother and him learning about his father then? Or am I making this up? 

Noah was said to be 12 last season, so yeah I’m not sure why St O is so shocked he knows about some of her cases. And yeah I’m pretty sure he knew about his bio dad before now as he discovered he had a half brother last season. But then again I don’t pay much attention to the Benson/Noah plots, they are crap designed for Mariska to play super mommy and show how awesome Benson is. 

[jabRI]

And of course Saint hostage negotiator (because none of the other 50 cops nearby had any real expertise) won over the perp by calling him a rodent. huh, go figure that would work.

[tinkerbell]

I was disappointed because the story was too much on Olivia. I wanted to know - what did the boys plan to do with the kidnapped girl? Who were these other boys? How did the older boy get them to commit crimes with him? Did they all get life sentences?

The story just switches back to Olivia and Noah, leaving the main story hanging.

[wknt3]

On 4/11/2024 at 11:12 PM, Xeliou66 said:

One of the worst SVU episodes ever. Period. Just an hour of St Olivia worship with Benson being more unbearable than ever complete with Mariska’s horrible overacting. The plot was just a sidebar to the Benson worship - just pure cringeworthy awfulness from start to finish. Benson saving the day, Benson taking it personally, Benson in another hostage situation, Benson threatening a suspect and coercing a confession and it gets glossed over and we’re still supposed to think Benson is some kind of hero instead of a loon who is unfit for duty, and worst of all the Benson/Noah discussions to give Benson more drama and allowing her to play super mommy. The worship and complete focus on St Olivia has reached its all time high this season and is dragging down the show terribly. And as if this week wasn’t bad enough, next week we are in for round 2 of Benson taking it personally.

I feel like this is slightly overstated. The Benson worship was just as bad and probably worse in Season 18 and there have been previous episodes that have been equally and more Mariska publicly gratifying herself in a much more horrific way than any of Munch's various subway weenie waggers that kept him in court for just about every episode Cragen was in for 3 seasons. "Something Happened" comes to mind as does the whole Mariska as a literal angel scene. And I would say most of Season 18's episodes were worse and there has been enough utter crap in the last decade that this probably doesn't crack the bottom 10.
 

Quote

Just pure awfulness from start to finish, and it looks like we are in for more of it next week. Just a horrible, cringeworthy episode that was 100% a Benson circle jerk. 

And this is probably slightly understated so I guess it all balances out.

[Xeliou66]

6 minutes ago, wknt3 said:

I feel like this is slightly overstated. The Benson worship was just as bad and probably worse in Season 18 and there have been previous episodes that have been equally and more Mariska publicly gratifying herself in a much more horrific way than any of Munch's various subway weenie waggers that kept him in court for just about every episode Cragen was in for 3 seasons. "Something Happened" comes to mind as does the whole Mariska as a literal angel scene. And I would say most of Season 18's episodes were worse and there has been enough utter crap in the last decade that this probably doesn't crack the bottom 10.
 

And this is probably slightly understated so I guess it all balances out.

The Benson worship has been extreme in many episodes since MH became an executive producer, but this season it seems to have gone to all time high, matched only possibly by season 18, which we all know was a mess. Almost every episode now has Benson worship and portrays Benson as some majestic beacon of light and hope, it’s been this way in almost every episode this season. But this was just more nauseating than most both because of Benson coercing confessions and going rogue and because of the Noah scenes, which were worse than usual Noah scenes and that’s saying something, plus the plot didn’t make much sense and took a backdoor to Benson crap, usually there’s at least a case that’s somewhat interesting being dealt with, this was just stupid, cringeworthy Benson worship from start to finish. This one definitely goes in the SVU Hall of Shame IMO, and I don’t agree that most season 18 episodes were worse - season 18 was pretty dismal for the most part but I only recall a few episodes over the years being as cringeworthy and as hard to sit through as this one.

I honestly don’t know why I still watch - the show is mostly shit now thanks to Mariska’s enormous ego. And yet I saw many Benson lovers on social media gushing over this crap episode like it was some great work of art - apparently those are the people SVU panders to now, and to hell with fans who want better cases and some focus on characters other than Benson. 

[wknt3]

9 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

The Benson worship has been extreme in many episodes since MH became an executive producer, but this season it seems to have gone to all time high, matched only possibly by season 18, which we all know was a mess. Almost every episode now has Benson worship and portrays Benson as some majestic beacon of light and hope, it’s been this way in almost every episode this season. But this was just more nauseating than most both because of Benson coercing confessions and going rogue and because of the Noah scenes, which were worse than usual Noah scenes and that’s saying something, plus the plot didn’t make much sense and took a backdoor to Benson crap, usually there’s at least a case that’s somewhat interesting being dealt with, this was just stupid, cringeworthy Benson worship from start to finish. This one definitely goes in the SVU Hall of Shame IMO, and I don’t agree that most season 18 episodes were worse - season 18 was pretty dismal for the most part but I only recall a few episodes over the years being as cringeworthy and as hard to sit through as this one.

I am not going to go back and rewatch Season 18 to find specific examples as I don't hate myself that much, but I think even astute viewers such as yourself forget how terrible it was as only a few episodes such as "Imposter" were memorably bad. Something like 17 were the same plot and Benson was doing almost all of the investigative work, plus the scripts were even worse than this as far as plot mechanics were concerned - it wasn't even that they took short cuts to get from A to B while focusing on Benson, things just happened and you couldn't even figure out what might have been cut as too expensive or not focused on St. Liv. This week feels like pages were not shot or lost in the edit - repeatedly in my  Season 18 posts I mention that it felt like the script was a rough draft where there wasn't even a blank to fill in and figure out what was missing.

I guess my argument is that the Season 18 episodes were worse, both because of how repetitive they were (I see I went relatively easy on "Imposter" as after the last few episodes of Season 17 and the first couple episodes I was relieved to see an episode that was unquely bad ) and because they were probably even more Benson-centric with her lecturing the squad and the brass, doing more of the legwork herself, and not having anyone challenge her at all - the scene where Carsisi points out that she went too far for example would not have happened or she would told off Barba and they would have presented him as wrong. Perhaps in time I may agree that this is a standout bad episode, but right now it just seems like a mere D/D- episode that is more proof that they have lost control of Mariska again and that there are many equally bad or worse pieces of crap SVU has put out in the past 7 or 8 years.

[Fostersmom]

On 4/16/2024 at 7:39 PM, Xeliou66 said:

I honestly don’t know why I still watch - the show is mostly shit now thanks to Mariska’s enormous ego. And yet I saw many Benson lovers on social media gushing over this crap episode like it was some great work of art - apparently those are the people SVU panders to now, and to hell with fans who want better cases and some focus on characters other than Benson. 

I haven't quite gotten to this point yet, but I'm getting there. I already hate watch Grey's Anatomy, and was actively hoping they would kill off Meredith when she had covid a couple seasons ago, so I can only hate watch so much! LOL! 

[MarylandGirl]

3 hours ago, Fostersmom said:

I haven't quite gotten to this point yet, but I'm getting there. I already hate watch Grey's Anatomy, and was actively hoping they would kill off Meredith when she had covid a couple seasons ago, so I can only hate watch so much! LOL! 

At least Meredith is only on there part-time now! But yeah, I had the same hope when she had Covid, like, "This is your chance!"

I think the only hope of reducing Mariska is if she decides she wants to spend less time working and would only appear in, say, half the eps. Or if she gets too expensive.

[Zaffy]

I stopped watching at around 15 mins, which is way too much since I wanted to trash the TV Set from the moment Noah started asking things.
Someone should remove all talking mirrors from Mariska's house. For her own good!

[tennisgurl]

Oh great, yet another missing teenage girl for Olivia to obsesses over and Make Personal, we haven't had enough of that lately. I know that the episode was trying to make this into some sort of clunk Little Red Riding Hood riff, but between the stupid oily evil teen boys, the ominous cell phone calls, and the main character being a teenage girl named Sidney, all I could think about was Scream. "Hello Sydney..."

This episode was so full of cringe, from Olivia's awkward chats with Noah, who still seems like a precocious eight year old even as he hits his teen years to her taking over as hostage negotiator, it had the bones of a decent story but the actual COTW took a backseat to more Olivia worship. 

Its funny how when other cops engage in police brutality and coercion its bad, but when Olivia does it, its totally fine. 

Edited April 24 by tennisgurl