S17.E13: Forty-One Witnesses

[FozzyBear]

I'm already bored with the "Olivia is becoming a drunk...just like her mother!" plot and it haven't even officially started yet.

[DaynaPhile]

I have the non emergency line for our local polic programmed into my phone for just those times when something seems off but not obvious enough for 911. I've used it a couple of times in the past 6 or 7 years.

[WendyCR72]

I'm already bored with the "Olivia is becoming a drunk...just like her mother!" plot and it haven't even officially started yet.

 

Not even trying for dark humor here, but the way things are going with Olivia, I can see the end of the series with her 1. completely insane and locked away, 2. killing herself, or 3. both.

 

I mean, other cops in this franchise had their issues, but ever since this character became de facto sole lead, it's just been one issue atop more issues atop terror.

 

Something's gotta give, as they say.

[Scott]

I hope Daveed Diggs is able to come back for more episodes- I like his energy.

 

I liked him as well.  I'm assuming that watching him (and Anthony Ramos) in this episode is as close as I'm going to get to seeing Hamilton. 

[millennium]

I don't think I can watch this shit anymore.  

[Save Yourself]

I have the non emergency line for our local polic programmed into my phone for just those times when something seems off but not obvious enough for 911. I've used it a couple of times in the past 6 or 7 years.

Yes I have the same, it's good because they know right away if they need to escalate it.

[Save Yourself]

I don't like two-faced characters and I really don't like it when they do it to my favorite character. I'm not a fan of Amanda's harsh words towards the victim and she becomes a mom and all of a sudden are judgemental regarding addictions, she if anyone should know better. This was my one big worry with them writing in KG's pregancy in to the show - that she'd become a complete bore. Trying to find some defense for her behavior though I wonder if the didn't use her and her dialogue to forshadow Liv & the bottle. Another reason for me to hate the writers.  

 

So not interested in who Liv was on the phone with and her hitting the bottle, cause we know they are coming as this is Liv after all. Sigh. I would've much rather see them go the route with Barba and pills. 

 

Barba was on point. I do like Carisi but my gawd he runs like a cartoon character, pls stop that. Dodds Jr didn't annoy me this episode but then again I can't remember any of his scenes either, oh yeah that one with Rollins where Fin would've given her a "I get you girl"-look but Dodds failed to even look at her. I am apologizing in advance though cause I will rip Karl's new haircut to pieces once he flashes that on screen, so frickin unflattering and I can't wait to see him get killed off in the season finale. 

 

I think Abby Miller did a good job and it's always fun to see someone who can play drunk well, kudos Patrick Breen. Still the episode didn't grip me and I find myself having forgotten most of the episode now two days after I've seen it (thank you Canada?)

The Rollins being judge thing doesn't fit with her character at all, she's always been very empathetic - to the point of things being a bit too raw for her. I don't she would really be like that, they are just purely using it to forecast Liv's addiction (as if the massive wi Ella's wasn't enough of a giveaway). And also Rollins with her baby in a sling going closer to that angry guy on the phone the start of the episode was odd, that was endangering her and the baby just like an addict can. I was yelling her to go away from him!

Aw, I like Carisi running, he was very very fast. I was cheering him on like he was at the Olympics lol.

[Bunnyhop]

I'm already bored with the "Olivia is becoming a drunk...just like her mother!" plot and it haven't even officially started yet.

Couldn't agree more!  It has always seemed to me that Liv is defined by her "issues".   Child of rape, child of an alcoholic, crime victim, single mom searching for balance.  Now we will no doubt get to have all of her baggage rolled into one big steamer trunk!

I predict that Benson will stay in denial about her drinking until Noah sets the apartment on fire or falls out of a window or finishes off what's left of Mommy's wine while Mommy is passed out.  (This might make a great season finale!)  Rollins will turn out to be her biggest supporter.  We spend a whole season hearing about Benson "protecting her sobriety".

[solequeene]

The Rollins being judge thing doesn't fit with her character at all, she's always been very empathetic - to the point of things being a bit too raw for her.

I think it made sense. Do you know how some ex-smokers are the most annoying anti-smoking activists? I guess Rollins is one of those.

Aw, I like Carisi running, he was very very fast. I was cheering him on like he was at the Olympics lol.

I like hime running, too. All tall and fast and hot.

[Princess Lucky]

I think it made sense. Do you know how some ex-smokers are the most annoying anti-smoking activists? I guess Rollins is one of those.

 

I agree. But I also think both Rollins and Benson were talking about themselves in that moment. Rollins was saying "how can she be a mother and an addict, what a terrible human being, I would never!" and Benson was saying "oh well some mothers like to imbibe and there's nothing wrong with that". Rollins was being extra harsh because of that fact; she was saying all that stuff about the victim when in reality she meant "get it together Amanda, you better not let this happen to you, that would make you the worst mother ever". Because Amanda has to be afraid, you know? That she'll slip. And then Benson was either in denial or just defensive and downplaying both the victim's problem and her own.

 

Aaand now I like Carisi even more, getting all mad about something that didn't involve him personally in any way (gasp!). That's why he never comes off as sanctimonious. He's just trying to be a good person, and he gets angry when others don't bother. Man, I just love Carisi.

[Jaded]

I don't think I can watch this shit anymore.  

I'm starting to feel that way too. I like Carisi but Olivia who used to be one of my favorite characters years ago has been driving me up a wall more and more especially since Stabler was written off the show.

[WendyCR72]

I'm starting to feel that way too. I like Carisi but Olivia who used to be one of my favorite characters years ago has been driving me up a wall more and more especially since Stabler was written off the show.

 

There was an article at TV Line about how Leight was going to bring back Stabler if S17 was the end. I say (as a non-shipper for B/S [hey, BS! It fits!] here), bring him back anyway, divorced, have Liv and her kid run off with him, and see if SVU can go on without her.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

If You See Something, Say Something
When a courtyard assault goes unreported by dozens of neighbors, the Law & Order: SVU squad has its work cut out.

[amass]

Based on the looks on Benson's, Carisi's, Rollins' et al faces - none of them knew what eidetic means lol

[LeGrandElephant]

The only time I've called 911 it was specifically because I had learned about the bystander effect. We saw a guy getting beaten up by a couple other guys. My friends said we didn't need to call because there were lots of people around and someone else would have already called. And I was like no, we just learned about the bystander effect in psych class, I'm calling. As it turned out, I was the only one who called, even though there was a whole crowd around.

[torqy]

Regarding "this may be nothing..." calls, we used to know a commander in the local PD who told us that one should always call if something seems off. He said information that seems random or insignificant to us may prove valuable when combined with other information from another source.

I once called the non-emergency number *as I witnessed* a ladder fall off a truck on a freeway, only to be told that someone had already called!

[junemeatcleaver]

After some of you mentioned the Kitty Genovese case I looked up the old newspaper reports. It seemed awful with one witness saying they were too tired to call, another didn't want to get involved. I know it was a long time ago but is it that scary to call the police? I live in a bit of a rough area and often call the police when something bad is happening - of course I wouldn't want the perpetrator know and I wouldn't put myself in harms way by directly intervening (although I might depending on the circumstances) but the police don't tell them who reported it. Last week this guy was beating up another one and I was the only one who called and the police were there within minutes. It was broad daylight and loads of people around but none tried to help. Once I was sexually assaulted in the street in the city in peak hour and was screaming for help and no one stopped.

 

The reports about people not caring or calling the police were either exaggerations or lies.  It's why I wish tv shows wouldn't keep using the Kitty Genovese case since the bystander effect myths connected to that case have been mostly debunked.

[candall]

The only time I've called 911 it was specifically because I had learned about the bystander effect. We saw a guy getting beaten up by a couple other guys. My friends said we didn't need to call because there were lots of people around and someone else would have already called. And I was like no, we just learned about the bystander effect in psych class, I'm calling. As it turned out, I was the only one who called, even though there was a whole crowd around.

 

YAY!!!!!!

[Save Yourself]

 

The reports about people not caring or calling the police were either exaggerations or lies.  It's why I wish tv shows wouldn't keep using the Kitty Genovese case since the bystander effect myths connected to that case have been mostly debunked. 

 

 

 

 

I was speaking from personal experience. I was assaulted on the main city street in Sydney, peak hour, no one helped, even after the guy left and I was crying no one asked if I was ok, I was calling out for someone to call the police but no-one did. Another time I was in my car, a man, a woman and 2 children started beating and shaking my car because I asked them to move the sidewalk as they were walking back and forth the street, blocking it so no cars could get through. Again, a very busy part of the city, peak hour, I was screaming and beeping my horn, people looking over in the cars did nothing at all and I couldn't move as the road was blocked by people and cars. I was terrified and when I finally escaped and called the police they came and said it had been happening in the area, it was a deliberate trap by this family so they could rob you. The other week there was a guy beating up another guy in the inner city, everyone just stood there watching, the guy asked for help and a couple of people actually said 'I don't want to get involved'! I called the police and 10 of them came, apparently the violent guy is 'known' to the police. So you can choose whether or not you want to believe I'm telling the truth, I obviously wasn't there for KG case but this DOES happen, just because it hasn't happened in front of you or to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen and I for one don't care whether they refer to the KG thing in the media as long as it is brought to people's attention that there IS a bystander effect so maybe other citizens will actually help each other - it doesn't take much to pick up the phone. I've heard similar stories from friends and relatives who live in different areas to me, it's pretty scary that people are have so little concern for others.

[anna0852]

As a Hamilton fan seeing Anthony Ramos and Daveed Diggs here was great. Based on the dates (and their hair!) they were doing Hamilton when this was filmed.