S17.E14: Nationwide Manhunt (1)

[WendyCR72]

You know what the "1" means after the title: It's crossover time again, this time with Chicago P.D. Please contain your enthusiasm.

 

Chicago P.D. detectives Lindsay (guest star Sophia Bush) and Dawson (guest star Jon Seda) join the SVU in the hunt for two escaped murderers (returning guest stars Dallas Roberts and Jefferson Mays) they helped to convict.

 

(Part 1 of a 2-part Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Chicago P.D. crossover on 2-10.)

[Spartan Girl]

The only thing that's going to get me to watch this episode is the promo pic of Rollins and Barba confronting the cupcake troll, who is FINALLY in handcuffs.

Ten bucks says that she wasn't in jail before now because the DA that tried to charge Olivia with Lewis' death made her a deal to drop the charges in exchange for her testimony. That's the sort of shit that happens on this show now. *tired sigh*

[Spartan Girl]

You gotta give Olivia credit for not bitchslapping that stupid ugly bitch.

Seriously, you actually found a guy dumb enough to marry you and you STILL go trolling around for serial killers? I CHEERED when they found her tied up and beaten up in that car. That's what you get for hooking up with murderers, moron!

I'd like to think they lock her up for good this time...but you never know with this show

Edited February 11, 2016 by Spartan Girl

[wknt3]

The Good:

Nice writing for Carisi this week after some clunkers.

Actually just about the entire squad was used well including good use of Barba in an episode with no courtroom scenes. Nice to see they didn't just have him stand around drinking coffee.

Hopefully we are done with cupcake girl.

ETA: It was nice to see Liv in more of a command role, and even with a good reason to go in the field they did let other characters have most of the action scenes.

The Bad:

Another Chicago crossover. Yawn.

The whole serial killer super villain thing. It just doesn't work. If I want poorly written serial killers in this timeslot other networks have me covered thanks.

No Fin to point out the craziness.

Overall this was a lousy idea quite competently executed. As ratings grabs go this is at least much better than the last one they tried. Hopefully this is a harbinger of a return to form for the rest of the season.

Edited February 11, 2016 by wknt3

[Princess Lucky]

I'll leave a more detailed comment tomorrow because I'm dead on my feet. For now, this.

 

Carisi is seriously the best character on this show right now, and I love that he always gets so much screentime. I was worried he might get sidelined for the crossover but boom, there he was, front and center, being awesome, trying to cut down on bacon.

 

I love Carisi.

[CleoCaesar]

New drinking game: Take a shot every time Carisi starts a sentence with "My sister says..." Have 911 on speed-dial in case of alcohol poisoning.

 

I can't say the Yates/Rudnick storyline is all that interesting to me, but it is well done (well paced, well acted, etc.)

 

Am I alone in thinking Sophia Bush looks a lot like a slightly older Anna Kendrick? Either way, I like seeing Det. Lindsay on SVU.

[The Wild Sow]

At first I thought Jose (Rudnick's celly) was Evan from Nocturne!  In fact, it should have been Evan.  Is he still in prison?

 

..... going to look up dates....

 

Jeez, that was 16 years ago already!  Probably not.  Unless his life was so damaged that he's in prison again.

[candall]

Wait.  I'm a little vague on the Dallas Roberts + co-dependent psycho story anyway.  Now you're telling me Part II was on a Chicago PD, that I didn't record?   PFFFFT.  Forget it.

 

Let's just go back to Olivia and the big chug-a-lug.

[preeya]

Very poor recreation of the David Sweat/Richard Matt escape. They even managed to mention the Mexican border, when in reality the escapees never got more than a few miles from the prison. Are we now to believe Yates will be taunting Lindsay all the way to Chicago? (I haven't watched the continuation yet)

[tilly]

Favorite Carisi moment of the episode was him walking up to Olivia and Dodds after the prison break, saying only "Lieutenant, are you alright?" Yeah, screw you, Dodds! 

[solequeene]

I rather liked this episode, even if there were no Court scenes. I've liked Yates and Rudnick stories (I always like truly creepy yet charismatic perps - I hated the bore that was Lewis, though- and I think they could be right there with the ones from "Slaves", "Pure" and "Resiliece") so I'm fine with seeing them again. I don't want to have to watch Chicago PD though, I'm just not interested in it.

I liked Rollins complaining about the cuddling. Carisi continues to be perfect in everything he does. Really, how is he so perfect? And yay! Barba was in the episode! And he did more than standing there and drinking coffee! So, he doesn't drive? And Olivia could not take him to the prison for some reason? And he was all jumpy in that prison? But we haven't seen him before in jail and he wasn't acting like that. So, what gives?

PS: after reading the recap, I have a question: why does Olivia make fun of Barba for taling a cab? Is this something cultural? Help a non-US gal out!

Edited February 11, 2016 by solequeene

[psychoticstate]

Dear NBC, if you're going to do crossover shows, please tag the shows as 2 hour episodes so my DVR picks them up and I'm not stuck with only one part. 

[walnutqueen]

Dear NBC, if you're going to do crossover shows, please tag the shows as 2 hour episodes so my DVR picks them up and I'm not stuck with only one part. 

 

Better yet, don't do crossovers.  I'm not going to start watching another show just because you try to package it with one I barely care about anymore.

[Primetimer]

Greg Yates escapes from prison, turning the latest Taking! It! Personally! crossover event into an interstate slog.

Read the story

[pezgirl7]

Yates is just too creepy to be believable. Like when he knocked on the nurse's door, and he had a creepy smile on his face like he was trying to look all sweet and innocent, but it was just so over the top. I can't believe any normal person would talk to him, let alone invite him into their apartment.

 

I also was worried for a hot second about Carisi's interest in Rudnick. That is, until the scene where Rudnick is in the hospital bed, and he gives Carisi the information he needs about Yates, and Carisi violently pulls his hand away from Rudnick's and runs off to Olivia to tell her the info.

[ScarletLetter]

I really dislike these Chicago crossovers. If their goal was to make me watch the other show, then mission failed because the crossover actors just seem incredibly wooden and boring. That female detective especially - that ending sequence was rough. Not only did she do the most hilarious face plant in the woods, but the dive out of the way of Roberts' truck that had to only be going 2 miles an hour was funny too. I've seen better choreographed action sequences in those Syfy original movies.

There was a lot of clunky lines in this ep too - like the prison guard saying "Now we have to check the spouts on all these waterheads." Yiiiikes. Who wrote that? WHO WROTE THAT.

[Princess Lucky]

Disclaimer: I only saw the first part and I have no intention of watching part two.

 

The plot was decent, the pacing was tight, there was suspense (we didn't know if Yates would just kill everybody). The whole sequence in the rain was intense. Good stuff, overall.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by Carisi's screentime. The writers used that throwaway comment he made in the premiere, something like "I kinda liked Rudnick", and they made it work. I loved all the scenes with the two of them. I mean, Rudnick scolding Carisi about eating too much bacon and Carisi acting all sweet and chastised? Precious.

 

I also was worried for a hot second about Carisi's interest in Rudnick. That is, until the scene where Rudnick is in the hospital bed, and he gives Carisi the information he needs about Yates, and Carisi violently pulls his hand away from Rudnick's and runs off to Olivia to tell her the info.

 

I agree. The writers were going for a parallel between Rollins/Yates and Carisi/Rudnick, and Amanda has gotten played by Yates before, but in the end Carisi showed that he was in control of the situation, that he hadn't gotten attached. I love how, like, disgusted he looked in the end. That said, I loved how intensely he acted when he tried to stop the state cops from killing Rudnick, all "I know this man!". With someone like Rollins, I think we're supposed to accept that she likes playing with fire. But with someone like Carisi, someone that sweet, I think we're supposed to accept that he doesn't like it when people die. I remember in that episode with Michael Gaston, was he a wrestling coach or something? Anyway, Carisi found him dying and he was all "stay with me", even though the guy was a monster.

 

Seriously though, for being such a hilarious doofus, Carisi always brings it in the more serious moments.

 

Rollins needs a chill pill, and Barba needs to stop being an ass to everyone. Like, that's Anna Deavere Smith, you dick (though I noticed he didn't say much to Dodds Jr., possibly because of Dodds Sr., which, how self-serving). It was fun to finally see Benson giving the redheaded juror the what-for. And Dodds getting shot was handled even more quickly than Amaro getting shot. Pointless. And that whole sequence did not feel like SVU.

 

Crossover-wise, I wish we could have seen a little more of Jon Seda. And I normally I like Sophia Bush but she was kind of stiff and, like generic? She seemed miscast, almost? I don't watch CPD, so I don't know, maybe she had issues with SVU's different tone? Or am I just so used to Carisi's weird face and random expressions, that I think normal network tv actors act generic now?

 

Also, I never thought about it before, but seeing the very preppy-looking and sharply dressed men of SVU (Barba, Carisi, Dodds) and then seeing the CPD guys in jeans and boots and leather and all types of "badass" outfits, it was kind of jarring. Suddenly I have a new appreciation for Barba's ties and Carisi's vests.

[sabriiina2016]

First time commenting here...

 

Fantastic episode as usual, but I hope that they will stop doing the cross-overs... and btw I laughed at the way Barba rolled his eyes when Dodds told the warden that his father sends his best... 

[Snookums]

 

I liked Rollins complaining about the cuddling.

 

I'd complain too! I like my coworkers fine but don't need to be snuggled during my workday, thanks.

 

I haven't watched this yet (waiting for lunch) but is the SVU ep the first part of the crossover or the second? Because if it's the second I'll probably just watch it and not bother with the Chicago one. 

[Desperately Random]

SVU is the first part.

[slowpoked]

Didn't anyone see that redhead during Yates' trial in NYC? I mean, the camera made sure to focus on her, and she didn't exactly hide or was discreet in the courtroom, so I'm assuming someone from the squad, Barba, etc. would have noticed her then and would be curious as to why she's there. I was surprised at that scene where they were all surprised that she has been smuggling contraband freely for Rudnick. 

 

I didn't like that warden at all. Yates and Rudnick planned a very elaborate escape that obviously needed contraband items and the first thing she thought was Rollins helped them somehow because she visited them the prior day? I'm glad both Benson and Barba stood up for her. And yes, I would hate being coddled too. Go Rollins!

 

Cross-over wise, that last couple of scenes were weird. If I don't know any better, it's like they're setting up Sophia's move to SVU. But they're not totally going to do that. Or are they?

 

Oh and where the heck was Fin??? Poor Fin got only a couple of wisecracks during the second episode. His wisdom was severely missed in the SVU part.

[pezgirl7]

Didn't anyone see that redhead during Yates' trial in NYC? I mean, the camera made sure to focus on her, and she didn't exactly hide or was discreet in the courtroom, so I'm assuming someone from the squad, Barba, etc. would have noticed her then and would be curious as to why she's there. I was surprised at that scene where they were all surprised that she has been smuggling contraband freely for Rudnick. 

 

They had a conversation about how she was going to be charged, but Barba had to drop the charges against her. And Olivia was upset that he didn't tell her, so I think that's why the SVU squad was surprised, because they thought she would be in the system and not able to work at the prison.

[frogprof]

 

Chicago Corrections spinoff starring Anna Deavere Smith. Or any other thing starring Smith.

MAKE IT SO.

Although seeing Nancy McNally as a weak, lazy warden really bothered me!

 

 

Rollins's hair looks amazeballs.

Liv's, on the other hand ...

[Gigi43]

Uhg. God. First, the extra convoluted story of how Bronwin (sp?) was allowed to let the food slip by/her identity got under the radar but then we're suppose to believe Barba just never mentioned to Olivia she got off... for no reason? No. No. No. No.  His reaction to Dodd's dropping his fathers name was good, at least.

 

Carisi got to be serious. Yay! Fun fact: I had actually bought a bottle of Melatonin yesterday because it helps me fall asleep, and it made me a bit too happy that Carisi ended up suggesting it to Rollins, though I don't really know what it does to women who are postpartum. I may have a Carisi problem (just kidding, there's nothing wrong with how much I love him.)

 

Kelli Giddish really nailed that delivery of "I have a baby so I can't talk to serial killers?!" 

 

I really hate myself because I watched the Chicago PD part as well. They got to have Finn! Not much, but more than we got. Also (I'll spoil it just in case) info arose about Yates that pertains to one of his takes on an SVU-er

it turns out Yates had pregnant mommy issues, so I guess that's suppose to explain his obsession for Rollins.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Gigi43

[Grundoon59]

I sort of feel like someone owes me 2 hours of my life back (admittedly no one forced me to which the Chicago episode but I feel like someone should have warned me to run away).  I have had enough affection for this show that I formerly loved that I waded through the first hour and agree with many of the comments already made about that - Hurrah for Anna Deveare Smith, Carisi and Barba! 

 

I have never seen a Chicago PD episode or their prior crossovers with SVU.  I do not feel that I have missed anything.  Jon Seda was good although I kept wondering when he left Baltimore Homicide - yes I have watched the Mother Ship and H:LOTHS for far too long.  The rest of the Chicago people kind of blobbed together for me and I ended up disliking their female detective so much that I was almost rooting for the bad guys.  If she moves to NYC, I will most probably be done with the show for good and that thought depresses me mightily.

 

May the rest of the season be better (which for me is a very low bar to surpass).  On a cheerier note, even when the show has bothered me, I have enjoyed the commentary here so thanks for that everyone!

[tilly]

I thought the team didn't want Rollins around Yates because he'd successfully played her/gotten in her head during the previous case? I could be wrong, I might be misremembering that episode. 

[krimimimi]

I thought there was some good, already mentioned, and way more bad, also pretty well covered. Hate the hell out of all these crossovers. Please, stop. I find Chcago P.D. a particularly loathsome show, and am so proud of myself that I didn't watch part two. That, otoh, might be the beginning of the end for me. I've never missed an ep of any LAO franchise, so what does it mean for the show when I skip out on a two parter? Maybe it's just because I hate CPD so much, but it really seems like they do a LOT of these crossovers now. Is that just me, or because the Chicago shows are so popular or so unpopular and desperately in need of help? Anyone know?

I also liked the reoccurrence of the clothes snuggler. And even Bronwyn, in as much as it works towards world building. Although her character was always more of a miss for me, and the non-jailedness of her backside and Barba's neglecting to mention such was a steaming pile of poo too far.

[solequeene]

I kinda want to kbow the backstory of Jose and his blankies.

[krimimimi]

Well I first remember him getting busted for putting moves on a corpse, and then it turned out that he wasn't responsible for the actual corpsification of the victim, but was attracted by her wool coat. Or something. That might have been the ep with a woman drugged while supposedly auditioning for a documentary or reality TV, but others here are better at placing eps. And I remember Finn's reaction (I love Finn's reactions) on running into him again at a later point, and this is at least his third appearance.

edit: okay, imdb was really helpful, his first appearance was in "Father's Shadow" which I described above and then he was in the Lewis stories "Her Negotiation" and "Surrender Benson" which I try to ignore because Lewis stories are just so bad, "Perverted Justice" where the daughter recants her testimony that imprisoned her father, and then this one. Doesn't explain why he is the way he is, but...

Edited February 12, 2016 by krimimimi

[GarnetGirl]

Well, I watched both parts and it just struck me how humorless CPD is compared to SVU (and it's not like SVU is a barrel of laughs). I definitely thought the first part was more interesting and twisty and fun ("I have a baby and now I can't talk to serial killers anymore?", Carisi and his bacon issues, Barba's eyeroll, the news reports) and it wasn't bogged down in personal drama. However, the convoluted nonsense involving Cupcake Lasagna was just ridiculous. That lasagna had so much stuffed into it, I am surprised it didn't weigh 40 pounds, and I just don't believe that Barba wouldn't tell Benson the charges were dropped. 

 

Did Ice-T sign a contract that stated he couldn't have more than three lines in an episode? The dude's been sorely missed this season.

[The Bullpen]

Carisi is such a good character and so well-acted by Peter Scanavino. The introduction of his character was clunky, I thought, but any issues were quickly sorted out and now he completely rocks. He can be goofy, but he's also extremely passionate (yet controlled) and empathetic. He would be so good for Rollins... but at the same time I kinda hope they stay good friends.

The Chicago PD half was really boring. I find that I love to hatewatch Sofia Bush. She kind of reminds me of Benson, but worse. And the male detective who was with her in the first hour? Totally wooden.

Yates' body count seemed gratuitous. I get that there are serial killers in real life who have amassed similar numbers of murders, but it just didn't work in this context. Maybe because there were only two hours to plow through that much happening. (And yet it was still boring, hmmm...)

[Lillybee]

I love the chemistry between Benson and Voight. I wouldn't mind a long distance relationship between them.

 

Olivia's hair looks as limp as Pratt's. Not a good look for either of them.

[MorbidPet]

I thought the SVU part was okay, not great but okay. The pace was good, it looked cool, I like Rollins/Yates, and Carisi/Redneck (yes I mean Rudnick but for several episodes I thought they said dr Redneck and it just stuck with me, and I just find that name more entertaining & these days I need to make up my own fun when it comes to SVU)

It was okay up until the end where mini-Liv stole the show. Now anyone who complain about Rollins being a bad cop, what about Lindsay!? Dimwitt. And for those of you that didn't see part 2 I can tell you it got worse from there. 

 

It seems when CPD comes on SVU they get actual valid screen time but when SVU comes on CPD... Like what was Fin even doing there!? Yes he had the best line of the entire episode (part 2 of the crossover, yes I sat through that nightmare just cause I'm invested in Yates) but what a waste, and to not use him for an entire episode should be illegal. 

I did catch the mandatory 3 episodes of CPD before I gave that up. Just not a show or had characters I liked. I am rather clued in on what goes on with them though, seems to be like a soap, Lindsay's been on a rollercoaster since Nadia died. 

I have two good things to say about the CPD part though - they do seem to have good camaraderie on that squad. I heard them ask each other how they were holding on more times in that ep than I've heard the NY squad do during the entire run of SVU.02.

And I like Chicago Liv much more than NY Liv. Baffled how she can show Lindsay so much compassion and have close to none of that towards her own squad. Can Liv stay in Chicago? Pretty pls. 

 

I'm sad Yates is dead. I liked that sociopath. SVU really made a mistake giving that storyline to the crossover, would've been way better as a 2-parter for SVU as was the original plan.

 

Not enough Barba but I get it wasn't really a court episode and I liked his scenes in the prison & he was gold with the cupcake lady. Barba and Rollins should've taken that interrogation without Liv. Nothing against the actress, I thought she was solid in this episode, but I do hope we've seen the last of cupcake/lasagna lady. Shearling guy can come back though, he's a hoot. 
I hope Dodds getting shot is foreshadowing for him getting killed off in the finale. Sorry not sorry, I just don't like him and with hideous hairdo coming up my dislike of him will become shallow as well, you've been warned. 
I loved Amanda vs the vending machine round 2. Hair looked awesome, perfect delivery. And Carisi trying to be his usual sweet self (he seriously needs to stop dropping his sister in to every episode though). 

Did anyone else catch the Carisi slide? Early on in the ep it seems as Scanavino slips a ltl in the background during the Amanda/Liv convo. I laughed so hard at that, even made a YouTube video of it hehe (I told you I have to make up my own fun with SVU these days, thank you Peter!) 

[solequeene]

Did anyone else catch the Carisi slide? Early on in the ep it seems as Scanavino slips a ltl in the background during the Amanda/Liv convo. I laughed so hard at that, even made a YouTube video of it hehe (I told you I have to make up my own fun with SVU these days, thank you Peter!) 

 

I loved it. I stop the video and went back and yeah, he was sliding. Have you seen this: http://iheartcarisi.tumblr.com/post/138702384649/can-we-talk-about-that-little-slide-thing-peter

[Princess Lucky]

Did anyone else catch the Carisi slide? Early on in the ep it seems as Scanavino slips a ltl in the background during the Amanda/Liv convo. I laughed so hard at that, even made a YouTube video of it hehe (I told you I have to make up my own fun with SVU these days, thank you Peter!) 

 

 

I loved it. I stop the video and went back and yeah, he was sliding. Have you seen this: http://iheartcarisi.tumblr.com/post/138702384649/can-we-talk-about-that-little-slide-thing-peter

 

Ahahahaha seriously Peter Scanavino is amazing. They really lucked out with him. Sometimes I think Carisi is being written by different writers, because he's that great a character, but then I see this and I credit the actor because he's always doing the most.

 

By the way, when I went back to look for that moment, I caught another moment I forgot to mention. When the warden et al find that open manhole (or whatever) that Rudnick and Yates used to escape, apparently they also find a note. And it's written in green nail polish (which, where the hell did Yates find that?). So Barba says "omg that's one of Yates's signatures!" Like, duh? Did we need a specific clue to figure out that note was left by him? That hole practically led to his cell.

[catalogrrr]

I loathe the crossover shows. If I wanted to watch Chicago PD, then I would. I resent them trying to push another show on me. Having said that, I enjoyed this episode very much so I found the continuation. All it did was remind me how much I don't enjoy Chicago PD. I think it has to do with Sophia Bush. She cannot emote. I don't care about her character, Erin Lindsay. Erin goes off-book because she wants to or because she thinks she knows best. No one disciplines her? Please.

[The Bullpen]

It seems when CPD comes on SVU they get actual valid screen time but when SVU comes on CPD... Like what was Fin even doing there!? Yes he had the best line of the entire episode (part 2 of the crossover, yes I sat through that nightmare just cause I'm invested in Yates) but what a waste, and to not use him for an entire episode should be illegal.

Yes to both points.  What's up with barely any involvement/screen time for the SVU characters during the CPD hour?  Extremely frustrating.  And there was no Fin in the first hour, so having him say literally three lines in the second hour was dissatisfying.  But he's gotten so little screen time all season on SVU so I guess they're nothing if not consistent?

[Spartan Girl]

I too call shenanigans on Barba not telling Liv that Bronwyn aka Ginger Ugly Betty had the charges dropped against her.  I get that he probably figured that it might hinder her ability to move on from that mess...but I still find it hard to swallow that after all that bloodhound prosecutor did to try to charge Live with Lewis' "murder", nobody wanted to touch the mess of "corrupt corrections officers" or whatever the excuse was.  Not to mention how much of a slap in the face that would have been to the countless victims and their families.  I'm surprised none of them tried to file a civil lawsuit against her.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Spartan Girl

[Gigi43]

Yes to both points.  What's up with barely any involvement/screen time for the SVU characters during the CPD hour?  Extremely frustrating.  And there was no Fin in the first hour, so having him say literally three lines in the second hour was dissatisfying.  But he's gotten so little screen time all season on SVU so I guess they're nothing if not consistent?

 

 

I wonder if Ice T has asked for a reduced role? (his wife did just have a kid.) Whether he's in one scene or the whole ep, they still have to pay him the same, no? At first I was thinking maybe it was a budget thing... but now I just don't get it, because contract actors get paid no matter what, right or am I wrong about that? Can they not write an ensemble well? Barba goes missing for episodes, Finn can be in 3 minutes or less... yet, they bring in another new person with Dodds.

[Snookums]

Rollins's hair looks amazeballs.

 

Liv's, on the other hand ...

 

 

UGH to the ironed look! It's awful on her, Liv needs some waves and body around her face.

 

So I finally watched this one and maaaaaannnnn....The convoluted twirlings and swayings to just get those two assholes out of prison (like they'd be in the same prison in the first place) was inadvertently hilarious. "Oh, my fifty pound lasagnas can't absorb cancer rays!" "Nobody here's seen Shawshank!" "Quick, bribe ConEdison!" All of it was such Impossible Land bullshit. 

 

And when Cupcake Lasagna was finally being questioned? The delusions? Are strong with this one. Even as everybody is yelling YOU FUCKING IDIOT in her face she's still sitting there with bruises and scratches insisting that Rudnick was actually changed! I didn't blame Liv one bit for getting all "allright gonna give this bint some what for" and telling Barba to screw off when he was all "calm down." Hell, no, she's not calming down! She had to live through that entire fucking arc and she's still downing glasses of wine the size of her head! She is not calming down!

 

And totally agree with the poster who points out that there is NO WAY Cupcake Lasgana wouldn't A) have faced charges with helping Lewis escape and B) had the not facing charges unknown by Olivia. That's just total crap and even Esparza couldn't sell the whole "nobody wants to confront the corrupt guards at Rikers problem" thing. That's just beyond stupid.

[TheDarryla]

 Erin goes off-book because she wants to or because she thinks she knows best. No one disciplines her? Please.

 

I totally agree. However, to be fair, Liv, along with almost all of the SVU members probably should have been fired or at least suspended for all of the times they went off-book as well. Sometimes I don't understand how any of them have managed to keep their jobs at all!

 

I agree with the poster up-thread who mentioned that Liv was far more likable in Chicago PD. It seems as though the PD writers know who to write her better than the writers on her own show.

 

I found this episode to be rather lame and predictable. I mean, what are the odds that Yates, Rudnick, and Jose were all in the same prison? And that Cupcake Lady, just happens to be their therapist? Come on. That's laughable. The whole situation is laughable, as is the show itself most of the time. What did the writers do? Rip five different stories from the headlines, put them in a blender and haphazardly try to make a story out of them?

 

If rumors are true that Andy Karl is leaving the show (I hear he's just been cast as a lead in an upcoming Broadway production), then kudos to him for leaving this mess of a show and returning to the work that he is capable of. I kind of hope he takes Raul with him. SVU seriously under utilizes two of their most capable actors in favor of Liv torture porn and plots that are beyond ridiculous.  

[Bananna]

The SVU part of the episode was fine, Chicago PD is seriously as dull as tar. There's a reason I don't watch it.

 

I shall miss Dallas Roberts, I do enjoy him as an actor. Hopefully we've seen the back of Cupcake Lasagna, and of Rudnick too. I don't dislike Jefferson Mays, just I find his character rather boring. I forgot Fin was in the Chicago part, and it seemed like a cheap way to actually make it seem like a crossover.

 

Barba, Rollins and Carisi were good in the half they were in, it make me think that SVU would be a lot worse if they didn't have the good part. The writers have really lucked out with Esparza, Giddish and Scanavino who generally make the most of the mediocre material at best. Otherwise, it would probaby be a dour affair, like PD.

 

 

I found this episode to be rather lame and predictable. I mean, what are the odds that Yates, Rudnick, and Jose were all in the same prison? And that Cupcake Lady, just happens to be their therapist? Come on. That's laughable. The whole situation is laughable, as is the show itself most of the time. What did the writers do? Rip five different stories from the headlines, put them in a blender and haphazardly try to make a story out of them?

 

If rumors are true that Andy Karl is leaving the show (I hear he's just been cast as a lead in an upcoming Broadway production), then kudos to him for leaving this mess of a show and returning to the work that he is capable of. I kind of hope he takes Raul with him. SVU seriously under utilizes two of their most capable actors in favor of Liv torture porn and plots that are beyond ridiculous.  

Yeah, I thought the set up reeked of contrived coincidence.

 

About Andy Karl leaving, he has been cast as Phil Connors in the musical adaptation of Groundhog Day. But I think that he'll stay for the remainder of the season. The show doesn't hit Broadway till '17 and the Old Vic production isn't until June.

[Princess Lucky]

If rumors are true that Andy Karl is leaving the show (I hear he's just been cast as a lead in an upcoming Broadway production), then kudos to him for leaving this mess of a show and returning to the work that he is capable of. I kind of hope he takes Raul with him. SVU seriously under utilizes two of their most capable actors in favor of Liv torture porn and plots that are beyond ridiculous.  

 

I actually wouldn't mind that. Dodds needs to go (and I'm sure he will, or else they'd have made Andy Karl a regular by now), Fin needs to become the Sergeant and then we can get a new detective (hopefully a more interesting one, like Carisi). And, much as I like Barba, I feel that he doesn't have that much to offer anymore, besides a few well-placed eye-rolls and, like, being a hilarious dick. A new ADA would shake things up. Make it happen, show! Wasn't Raul Esparza a Warren Leight choice? Maybe they can leave together.

 

I totally agree. However, to be fair, Liv, along with almost all of the SVU members probably should have been fired or at least suspended for all of the times they went off-book as well. Sometimes I don't understand how any of them have managed to keep their jobs at all!

 

True, but I somehow feel that the SVU detectives mess up because they're trainwrecks, whereas the CPD people mess up because they're "loose cannons who don't play by the rules", you know? Those generic action/cop cliches. At least on SVU the characters seem more realistically messed up, even though the fact they never face repercussions is totally unrealistic.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Princess Lucky

[RafaelBarbas]

And, much as I like Barba, I feel that he doesn't have that much to offer anymore, besides a few well-placed eye-rolls and, like, being a hilarious dick. A new ADA would shake things up. Make it happen, show! Wasn't Raul Esparza a Warren Leight choice? Maybe they can leave together.

I couldn't disagree more. I feel like he has a ton to offer, but just isn't being given the chance to show it. There's his political ambition, for one. There's a lot of things they've barely touched on and could go back to. If anyone should leave, it's Carisi, who in my opinion is unbearably dull, lifeless and cliche.

[StaceyNotStacie]

I actually wouldn't mind that. Dodds needs to go (and I'm sure he will, or else they'd have made Andy Karl a regular by now), Fin needs to become the Sergeant and then we can get a new detective (hopefully a more interesting one, like Carisi). And, much as I like Barba, I feel that he doesn't have that much to offer anymore, besides a few well-placed eye-rolls and, like, being a hilarious dick. A new ADA would shake things up. Make it happen, show! Wasn't Raul Esparza a Warren Leight choice? Maybe they can leave together.

 

I wonder if the mentions of Carisi going to law school are leading him up to eventually working in the DA's office. 

[Lebanna]

Well, I don't completely agree because I love Carisi and it's not a competition - I love both! What Barba did bring to this episode was a dose of normality - he worries about his ridiculous car fare because, being a city boy, he doesn't drive, he bops past rolling his eyes at Dodds' egregious nepotism, and then reacts like a completely normal person (not a blasé superhero) to being in the middle of a violent prison break. And then unsuccessfully tries to cover for the fact that he's completely petrified, as most of us would be.

He's just so real. He's fantastic.

[Princess Lucky]

I actually wouldn't mind that. Dodds needs to go (and I'm sure he will, or else they'd have made Andy Karl a regular by now), Fin needs to become the Sergeant and then we can get a new detective (hopefully a more interesting one, like Carisi). And, much as I like Barba, I feel that he doesn't have that much to offer anymore, besides a few well-placed eye-rolls and, like, being a hilarious dick. A new ADA would shake things up. Make it happen, show! Wasn't Raul Esparza a Warren Leight choice? Maybe they can leave together.

 

 

I couldn't disagree more. I feel like he has a ton to offer, but just isn't being given the chance to show it. There's his political ambition, for one. There's a lot of things they've barely touched on and could go back to. If anyone should leave, it's Carisi, who in my opinion is unbearably dull, lifeless and cliche.

 

Taking this to the post-Warren Leight thread.

[TheDarryla]

I couldn't disagree more. I feel like he has a ton to offer, but just isn't being given the chance to show it. There's his political ambition, for one. There's a lot of things they've barely touched on and could go back to. If anyone should leave, it's Carisi, who in my opinion is unbearably dull, lifeless and cliche.

 

Yes. 100% Yes. I just haven't warmed up to Carisi at all, and I don't think I ever will. As far as Barba goes, I stand by my opinion that SVU doesn't utilize their best actors. Esparza, like Karl, is a very capable actor but is being limited by poor writing and a show which must center around Benson. The days of SVU being a true ensemble show are long gone. Maybe, hopefully, SVU will return to its roots once WL is gone.

 

True, but I somehow feel that the SVU detectives mess up because they're trainwrecks, whereas the CPD people mess up because they're "loose cannons who don't play by the rules", you know? Those generic action/cop cliches. At least on SVU the characters seem more realistically messed up, even though the fact they never face repercussions is totally unrealistic.

 

You know, that's a pretty good observation. Let's face it, most of these people should not be running around with guns.  

[solequeene]

Both Barba and Carisi have given new life to the show. I know I wouldn't have endured the Benson Suffers And Everything Hurts saga if not for Esparza being awesome.

I can't wait to see his political ambitions get some screentime (TPTB said they would! And something about more of his personal life, too). I like that he brings the matter of class to a lot of plots (and race, but not being American does not help to understand it that well) and that you can see just from lookibg at him how aggressively assertive this guy is.

And then the super relatable stuff like the cab fare and the fact that he wants to get the hell out of that place because it's awful and dangerous.

Carisi, otoh, is the one who is not burdened by having a terrible life/past/werewolf curse. It is nice to see someone who still has faith in humanity and spring to their step.

I want to know what he will do once he graduates, tbh.

Edited February 12, 2016 by solequeene

[Spartan Girl]

UGH to the ironed look! It's awful on her, Liv needs some waves and body around her face.

So I finally watched this one and maaaaaannnnn....The convoluted twirlings and swayings to just get those two assholes out of prison (like they'd be in the same prison in the first place) was inadvertently hilarious. "Oh, my fifty pound lasagnas can't absorb cancer rays!" "Nobody here's seen Shawshank!" "Quick, bribe ConEdison!" All of it was such Impossible Land bullshit.

And when Cupcake Lasagna was finally being questioned? The delusions? Are strong with this one. Even as everybody is yelling YOU FUCKING IDIOT in her face she's still sitting there with bruises and scratches insisting that Rudnick was actually changed! I didn't blame Liv one bit for getting all "allright gonna give this bint some what for" and telling Barba to screw off when he was all "calm down." Hell, no, she's not calming down! She had to live through that entire fucking arc and she's still downing glasses of wine the size of her head! She is not calming down!

And totally agree with the poster who points out that there is NO WAY Cupcake Lasgana wouldn't A) have faced charges with helping Lewis escape and B) had the not facing charges unknown by Olivia. That's just total crap and even Esparza couldn't sell the whole "nobody wants to confront the corrupt guards at Rikers problem" thing. That's just beyond stupid.

Damn straight Olivia had the right to be there. When the bitch tried to make it sound like she had "anger issues" toward her, I screamed "WHY DO YOU THINK?!" the same time Liv did.

And the fact that she showed NO REMORSE over any of the victims Lewis killed made me wish that the squad forced her to do the NYC version of the Game of Thrones Walk of Shame and let everyone throw trash at her.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Spartan Girl