S18.E18: Spellbound

[WendyCR72]

Quote

The SVU investigates a charismatic spiritual healer when a client claims he incapacitated and assaulted her using hypnosis.

[CleoCaesar]

This really is the worst season of the show. Another rich white he said/she said? REALLY?

But hey, at least we met our weekly quota of St. Benson Badgers Another Reluctant Rape Victim to Testify (via an all expenses paid guilt trip!). What I wouldn't give for at least one victim to give Benson a verbal bitchslap and explain her numerous valid reasons for not wanting to testify and stress that she alone chooses how to recover from her trauma.

[HunterHunted]

It's a good thing Chief Assistant District Attorney Olivia Benson was available to help guide Barba through the case. That was some motivational poster bullshit "Let's flip the script. Let's lean into it." Thanks counselor.

Also that 22 year old heroin arrest and friend's overdose was some weak sauce to impeach the defendant. A 20 year old addict left his friend to overdose. That clearly proves that he's still an unrepentant sociopath and liar 20 years later.

I'm guessing that the victim's boyfriend must have been minding the cop shop because every member of the squad was in the courtroom.

[25thID]

All in all, besides this being "Law and Order: Benson," I think this should also be called "Law and Order: He said, She Said." I understand a lot of cases are probably "like this," but this season has been nothing but these types of cases. With that mini rant over, I do think that this episode did have a little bit of a "twist" of the MO of this season. This was probably one of the better episodes of a lackluster season, and it seemed that Olivia was a little more relaxed and not so over-involved in every aspect of the case, as per the usual, so it had that going for it, which was nice. All in all, I didn't find it a "must see," but it did allow for some of the cast involvement, a leader who isn't baby sitting everyone, and a spin on a case that has made this show overall good in the past. It was a little on the nose, meaning that there was, at no time, a feeling that Declan could have gotten off.

As a little off topic, but related (at least to me haha), I would like to see an actual episode where the defendant may actually walk away from charges, or, at least have it be a pretty grey case, where there is no easy answer. On that same (or similar) note, I would LOVE to see Benson actually have to "pay" for some of her coaxing of the victims to testify/threatening people as with the last episode. It'd kinda be refreshing to see her maybe transferred/demoted/investigated so she would HAVE to take time away.....mainly so we wouldn't have to see her overacting/over reaching on cases and see her random expressions in court.

Sorry in advance if this isn't too deep or insightful....this is my first post on a message board.

[Gigglepuff]

Fin has some good lines and I loved his facial expression when he was talking to the lady about her "trip." It was nice to Rita again. Otherwise, snooze-fest. Another rich, white victim. Yawn. Also, is it me, or does it seem like this show constantly refers to the victims appearance as pretty or attractive, as if only rich, white, pretty women are raped in NYC. 

[25thID]

18 minutes ago, CleoCaesar said:

This really is the worst season of the show. Another rich white he said/she said? REALLY?

But hey, at least we met our weekly quota of St. Benson Badgers Another Reluctant Rape Victim to Testify (via an all expenses paid guilt trip!). What I wouldn't give for at least one victim to give Benson a verbal bitchslap and explain her numerous valid reasons for not wanting to testify and stress that she alone chooses how to recover from her trauma.

Hey, it doesn't matter, they "Got him!" Oh, her boyfriend left her and hasn't returned her calls for 3 days? Hey, according to (as you have so aptly said(all sarcasm aside)) St. Benson: "We got him!" so, it's ok! They have totally ruined a pretty decent character. I honestly laughed last week when she was gripping the grates on the window. I was half expecting some sort of '80s hair band song to start playing as she turned around.

[RafaelBarba35]

OK this was an OK episode. The premise was interesting but of course they had to make it a rich white guy episode (I don't think they are allowed to do any other type of story this season. Fuckin politics). 

Having Rafael come up with the hypnosis theory was awesome. It was like season 14 Rafi was back. Of course that was too good to be true and sure enough he went back to letting Liv telling him what to do. Grrrr. 

Enough Of the Benson in the gallery shots. It's annoying. 

I did like when Rafi talked to the victim after the trial. It was nice. 

Also hearing Rafi say my name??.

Edited May 11, 2017 by RafaelBarba35

[Snookums]

Ugh, I had problems with this one but I blame it wholly on the script. To quote Tom Servo, "It's like they have two servings of [story] that they're trying to stretch out for seven people."  Hypnosis as a rape tool could have been more believable, or at least more compelling, then this, but what was presented was ludicrous. This is the kind of case, as shown, that Barba would have laughed out of his office, not actually expected a judge to okay and jury to listen to with straight faces. There was absolutely no evidence that could have passed the grand jury sniff test, let alone not been challenged by the defense attorney before going to trial.

Olivia was fine for me this week, just Basic Olivia. They keep writing the same scene for Mariska to perform and she must be getting really frustrated at having to do "talk a victim into testifying" every damn week. You could tell she was trying not to play it too heavy. And I did appreciate, however Afterschool Special it was, that she and Barba told the victim that she did nothing wrong. There's nothing wrong with wanting more, or feeling stuck in a relationship even if you love the person. Barba should have made a LOT more of the fact that she wrote nothing about wanting to have sex with any other man (not that it would have made anything that happened okay if she did) and this was nothing but shaming. It's like somebody takes the sides right before filming and unabashedly snips out every fifth scene.

Flat out adored Finn this week though! The expression on his face while the woman who lives in a loft that costs in monthly rent what he makes in a year as she yabbers on about her "vision?" You could tell he was wondering which window to pitch her through.

Edited May 11, 2017 by Snookums

[QueenMab]

That whole scene at the end outside the courtroom with Benson, Barba and Abby sounded like a double entendre set up for a big reveal about Benson and Barba being in a relationship that's "worth fighting for" by keeping it waaaay on the DL.  This show has been just a nighttime soap opera for years so at this point I just fully expect total cheese because you know Olivia can't go for very long without banging it out with a coworker. I swear this show is "Pine Valley: After Dark and Benson is Erica Kane without the looks, clothes and sass. And their city is solely comprised of rich white people with rich white people problems. I usually end up laughing at this joke show anyway.

[JyDanzig]

At the mid-point, I was ready to pronounce this one of the rare successes in a mostly terrible season.  I loved the way the investigation unfolded, the guest cast was great, well directed with good NYC visuals, sharp dialogue.

Then the trial happened.  Oy.  What the hell was that, guys?!?  The rapist was sitting on that audio tape where she says yes to sex the whole time?  The victim knew she might have to read her essay about hating her relationship, but just couldn't bring herself to discuss it with her boyfriend in advance, because springing it on him in front of a courtroom full of people is a viable alternative somehow?  After Benson's inspiring speech about going forward with the trial and flipping the script, the next scene is just walking into the buzzsaw of playing the "consent" tape" for the jury while Barba doesn't do or say anthing?  The big twist is that we have found someone to testify about some completely unrelated bad thing the defendant did 20 years ago?

Instead of all that nonsense, why not make the trial ABOUT THE HYPNOSIS, given that that is the aspect of this week's iteration of Rich White Rapist/Pretty White Victim that is new?  Dueling expert witnesses.  Digging up other examples of different ways in which he abused his hypnotic powers in sessions with male clients.  A heated cross-examination of the rapist regarding his therapeutic hypnosis philosophies.

I wonder if the two credited writers just split the show in half, and one of them is great and the other is incompetent.

Anyway, other failed episode for SVU.  Though, this one came CLOSE to working!  And in a season this bad, that qualifies as a type of success.

[QueenMab]

I have come to the conclusion that what these characters do for a living is irrelevant. Their "jobs" just give an excuse for all these guys to mix it up with each other and cram the show with "sleazy" sex from start to finish. The stories are mish mash junk at best...they're just about sex...good enough. Its all about who's screwing who because THATs the all important focus of this show...are they or aren't they? Your standard hokey soap opera format. And just like a soap, there isn't the slightest attempt to make the characters competent in their jobs or give the "stories" the slightest whiff of realism. Its almost as good a soap opera train wreck as "Melrose Place". Almost.

[Avon.Blakes7]

I'm glad it work out. I was ready for a twist like the attorney for the 1st girl trying to revive her case through another allegation; seemed to perfect at first. IRL he would have skipped or had the verdict set aside. It had too much to do with his lying about being arrested; which was expunged.

[wknt3]

The Good:
Another solid episode for Fin. It's good to see him used well lately. They better not pull any BS and write off Ice-T to save money! Nobody has followed the rules in this squad for at least 10 years damn it so I don't care if Sgts. are supposed to start out in uniform in real life.
Solid acting from the guest cast. Which was really necessary as the script wasn't going to make it without being sold like an air conditioner in Alaska in February.
Mariska seemed to dial it back a bit as far as the over emoting and mugging for the camera goes.
It wasn't a 2-parter.

The Bad:
A weak premise. Really weak. Combined with a weak script. For the first time ever I was hoping we'd see a return to campy SVU with an over the top twist like he was using some sort of all natural organic roofies or it was a false memory and there was really some sort of completely unrelated crime going on. I'd rather see animals in athletic gear. If you are going to be bad at least be bad in an interesting gloriously WTF way.
The return of pod Barba. It seemed like he'd gotten his cojones back and was making the legal decisions again. It would possibly have redeemed this episode if he'd actually smacked down Liv, taken a slap on the wrist plea and told her that they were lucky to have gotten as far as they did. Instead we had Benson's world with Barba just living in it.
They managed to pack in just about all of the worst tropes of this season in to one episode. We had the victim wandering into the squad room and running into Liv. The rich white dudebro perp with no mystery. The he said, she said plot. Crusading St. Benson with nobody pushing back at all. The whole squad sitting around the courtroom reacting to everything. The victim being pushed to testify, being dragged through the mud, but ultimately deciding it was all worth it and singing Liv's praises at the end. Come on writers - surely you could have figured out a way to work Noah in there!

Overall this was a snooze. Both bad and boring. It wasn't as bad as say "Imposter" or a couple of this seasons other stinkers, but it probably would have held my attention more if it was. After the decent ideas that they ruined with a poorly executed script and Mariska dropping anvils on our heads, they decide that this nothing burger is one that they want to do competently? This was a decent first third of an episode, before it doesn't make it past the grand jury and they uncover something they can actually prosecute, stretched out to a whole episode and topped off with a conviction out of nowhere. Good dialogue, structure, Mariska cutting down on the facial expressions, etc. might be good things overall, but they can't make up for the fact that there is no there there. And a train wreck would have almost certainly been more interesting than this dud.

Edited May 12, 2017 by wknt3
forgot a word

[sockii]

8 hours ago, Snookums said:

"It's like they have two servings of [story] that they're trying to stretch out for seven people."

Yes, my thoughts exactly.

This was, if not one of the worst episodes, certainly one of the most boring for me to suffer through. Not just this season, but in all of SVU's history IMHO.

I, too, kept waiting for some kind of twist or spin, but nope (besides the pretty lame "surprise" of the victim having relationship doubts/issues with the boyfriend), just another very basic he-said-she-said with only the hypnosis angle thrown in.  And honestly I was screaming at the squad "hypnosis, you idiots!" until Barba finally stated the obvious. How dumb are we supposed to think these people are that they couldn't recognize what was going on themselves, especially after seeing the video interview of the earlier victim?
It just all felt so very by-the-numbers and like yet another episode that played more like a Public Service Announcement about consent than a tv show meant to be entertaining and engaging as well as educational. They're completely forgetting that "entertaining" part. Mariska wasn't as cringe-inducingly bad as last week but these scenes just feel like SVU MadLibs at this point, they're so repetitive. ("I think I've been raped."/"I'm sorry that happened to you." etc etc etc.)

The only saving graces for me were Fin's few moments of sass and Amanda's small moment poking Sonny about his girlfriend. I really miss having more personal & character moments like that.

If I wasn't such a completist for this show I would have given up entirely on this show the way it's been going this year.

[Primetimer]

A TED-talk shaman is accused of rape by hypnosis; did the episode make Sarah D. Bunting verrrrry sleeeeepy?

View the full article

[katisha]

Aaaaand we're back in the dreck at the bottom of that barrel again.  What a load of crap.  I personally believe it is conceivable that someone could be raped using hypnosis but not for a second do I believe that the jury would have bought it, not with that extremely incriminating tape.  I really only enjoyed the Fin bits and some of the banter between Rollins and Carisi in the "whole food" cafe when she was teasing him about his mystery girlfriend.  Even Mariska looked bored with the episode (although it's hard to tell with that immobile face!)

[25thID]

I'm just glad they're not putting Rollins and Carisi together....at least not yet. I can see some inter-department "romance" type of "relationship" deal or feelings, I mean, after all, the squad spends many, many hours together, so I think that it can be easy to at least think you're developing feelings for a coworker, but, it is overplayed in this series, and, to me, that brings up ethical issues, such as trying to "save" a love interest over someone else in a dangerous situation, or covering up for them, etc.

Also, like I said, it is just played out. Olivia seems to have had some sort of relationship/feelings/whatever for half the squad, IAB, Bayard Ellis, a DA, so on and so forth, and, besides being professionally inappropriate (at least to me), it's distracting and not really needed. I think it's kinda refreshing to have a budding romance for  squad member that: A) isn't within the squad 2) doesn't eat up screen time C) doesn't take away from the squad member from doing their job, and 4) they don't have to sneak around because it's "against the rules."

I may have to eat my words (I hope not) when and if the new relationship Carisi is in happens to be another SVU squad member/a DA/whomever is inappropriate. If he is in a relationship with Olivia, that will be it for me.....but it wouldn't surprise me, especially with these writers.

As a related afterthought, (sorry about the rambling), what if Carisi is in a relationship with Rollins' sister????? Maybe that's why he's being quiet about it, and how the ad for the bra came up on his work computer.....she may have access to it via visiting Amanda at work, or him taking it home....just a thought.

Edited May 11, 2017 by 25thID
grammar errors. oops

[QueenMab]

All of their relationships are "inappropriate". Of course. Benson bangs whoever she wants who's handy and around her, and not only do her superiors know it, they condone it, encourage it, and usually give her a promotion as a reward. Moral parameters? Professional ethics? Out the window. Because this is a soap opera. Everybody screws everybody they work with because that is basically the show. That they are detectives or ADA's or whatever...is immaterial to the "show". Dynasty, Dallas, Melrose Place....Law and Order:SVU joined their ranks way back. This show has enough cheese to make nachos for everyone.

[25thID]

11 minutes ago, QueenMab said:

 This show has enough cheese to make nachos for everyone.

That is true.....it's too bad that I'm becoming lactose intolerant. Thanks, SVU!

[QueenMab]

HAHAHAHA! Me too! Hey...just get your chips (and guacamole) and enjoy an hour of pure fantasy and escapism every week like I do. They need a new detective....how about Susan Lucci? Over the top DELICIOUS!!

[25thID]

Isn't the guac extra? I'm not made of money, ya know.

[QueenMab]

Sorry.Ha! I forget not everybody lives in California where it grows on trees!

[25thID]

If it grows on trees why is it so expensive!!!!!!

[JyDanzig]

2 hours ago, 25thID said:

As a related afterthought, (sorry about the rambling), what if Carisi is in a relationship with Rollins' sister????? Maybe that's why he's being quiet about it, and how the ad for the bra came up on his work computer.....she may have access to it via visiting Amanda at work, or him taking it home....just a thought.

That's exactly what I've been thinking.  It just seems like it can't actually be some legitimately new character, as would happen in reality.  It has to be a big reveal of a secret relationship with an already established recur, a move they have loved to pull with Benson again and again and again.  Who else could it be but Sister Rollins?

I guess it could also be Lucy, the world's most amazing time manager.  Barba's assistant Carmen, finally given something to do beyond walking in with one line announcing who has arrived for a meeting?  Rita Calhoun?  One of the judges?  All options are ridiculous!

[25thID]

I totally agree. The more I think about it, which I'd rather not, it seems like all arrows are pointing towards Rollins' sister. He's being extremely vague and elusive about it; and he doesn't seem (to me) to be the type of person to necessarily shout things like that from the rooftop, he also doesn't strike me as the type of person who would be extremely hush hush about it, either.

The whole "I like to try new things" thing that he said seemed kind of cryptic, and, after thinking about it, it does seem like that would be something like a tourist/out of towner/new to town person (Rollins' sister) would do- hit up a "new age"/hipster/whatever type of restaurant, and Carisi went along with it, for whatever reason.

Edited May 11, 2017 by 25thID

[DesertCyclist]

It would have been so much more interesting if Barba had set out to demonstrate to the jurors that hypnosis can indeed make someone do something he or she doesn't want to by asking the perp how he feels while on the stand and then provoking his programmed heroin response.

His vomiting on demand would have been spectacular.

[Xantar]

When Barbar said, "Neurolinguistic programming," I immediately said, "He trained with Sophie Deveraux!"

Man, I miss Leverage.

[slowpoked]

2 hours ago, DesertCyclist said:

It would have been so much more interesting if Barba had set out to demonstrate to the jurors that hypnosis can indeed make someone do something he or she doesn't want to by asking the perp how he feels while on the stand and then provoking his programmed heroin response.

His vomiting on demand would have been spectacular.

Yes, that would have been a much more interesting episode and a more believable end to this case.

The wrap-up to this case was lame. Barba won it on a totally separate incident that had nothing to do with the case?! Please, there have been more evidences in the past that SVU had brought to Barba that had more connections to the case at hand that Barba had disregarded because it has "nothing to do with the case".

And these writers want me to believe that Calhoun - badass Calhoun - just folded the tent in regards to that "new evidence" presented? She has eviscerated more sensible things in the past, but couldn't volley this one back to the prosecution?

The trial part was really that clumsy. Too bad because I think hypnosis is an interesting concept in which to explore the possibility of sexual assault or not. They could have had an interesting case here, but they punted it so they can give St. Benson a sure win.

I was waiting for Barba to mention all the "trigger" words that Trask mentioned to the two women (plane of enlightenment, ragdoll, etc.) when Trask was on the stand to prove that Trask knows hypnosis and knowingly did it to assault women. I was thinking maybe Barba would let himself be a willing victim of hypnosis by Trask to prove the case. And really, so recording only started when he was actually laying down next to the women, but everything he said before that was not recorded at all?

[pinguina]

On a truly shallow note - What's up with Benson's hair? It does not look good.

[QueenMab]

Benson is morphing into Steven Seagal. She already has his wardrobe. Her hair is just a useless attempt to "slim" her face. Not working obviously.

[LekoBoy]

Episode was meh.

Just read an interview from a while ago that stated the show needs an openly gay character.  The actor who plays Carisa said he wanted it to be him. 

No one ever believes me, but I swear in an early first season episode, Dean Winters came very close to disclosing he was gay to Munch.

[skittl3862]

23 hours ago, 25thID said:

As a little off topic, but related (at least to me haha), I would like to see an actual episode where the defendant may actually walk away from charges, or, at least have it be a pretty grey case, where there is no easy answer.

Yes. How on earth did that jury give a guilty verdict in this episode? Do the writers think it makes fans feel better to see completely unearned, unrealistic guilty verdicts every single week? Because to me, it's insulting. This case deserved a mistrial at best. 12 people thought he was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Seriously?

19 hours ago, JyDanzig said:

Instead of all that nonsense, why not make the trial ABOUT THE HYPNOSIS, given that that is the aspect of this week's iteration of Rich White Rapist/Pretty White Victim that is new?  Dueling expert witnesses.  Digging up other examples of different ways in which he abused his hypnotic powers in sessions with male clients.  A heated cross-examination of the rapist regarding his therapeutic hypnosis philosophies.

I thought the same thing. Why didn't they bring in some hypnotism expert to talk about the technique or demonstrate for the jury? They kept talking about hypnotism like it was a scientific law and they just expected the jury to believe in it, even with an audio tape where the victim consented to sex.

I mean, hypnotism? Ok, whatever. I can't believe it was Barba to suggest it in the first place. That seems like...not his thing. Even with his previous case experience, he doesn't seem like the type to not only take it seriously, but to bring it up out of nowhere as a possible scenario to this rape.

Why am I not surprised Rollins is one of those assholes who thinks it's hilarious to mock vegetarians about eating meat? If you're proud to blindly put that garbage in your body, by all means, have at it. Being a disrespectful jerk isn't going to convince me I'm missing out on anything.

"All we need to do is prove Trask hypnotized Abby and that yes will mean nothing." That's literally impossible. How do you prove someone was hypnotized in the past? You might as well have a trial to prove God spoke to Trask and told him to have sex with Abby.

I'm not sure what the Philly cop with his story about a junkie running away after his friend ODed has anything to do with his rape case. "Heroin addict makes morally questionable choices" is not compelling evidence that he raped someone 22 years later.

Fin listening to the rich white woman talk about her trip is probably the best thing I've seen on this show in years.

[25thID]

That seems to be a common theme for this season- weak cases with little evidence and a weak defense (or, in the drunk rape case, a confession in court),and the case  is won. There seems to be little to no arguments from the defense, and the prosecution argument is pretty weak, yet there's been an overwhelming amount of convections.

Granted, not every case is a slam dunk, especially on a he said she said case, but it's been pretty weak all season. I think this precedent was set about 2-3 years ago, and has gotten worse. I think the faces St. Benson makes in court are what seal the deal. Maybe the judge just wants to get her out of the court so he won't have to see her make those faces, and figures that "guilty" makes it easier so there won't be a retrial....

[DesertCyclist]

2 hours ago, LekoBoy said:

Just read an interview from a while ago that stated the show needs an openly gay character.  The actor who plays Carisa said he wanted it to be him. 

From your keyboard to God's ears.

[QueenMab]

I just read on Raul Esparza's Facebook page that it has been confirmed the May 24th episode is Barba's last. Its a two partner and I shudder to think how they're going to send him off. It would be just like this show to go for cheesy drama and basically ruin him or send him off in dishonor or worse yet, now that he doesn't work with Benson anymore they can declare their luuuuv and get married and live miserably ever after. Don't like it but his FB page says May 24th is it.

[Xeliou66]

What a horrendous episode. Not as bad as Imposter but probably the second worst of the season. 

It crammed all the worst of season 18 into one episode : Arrogant rich white guy-attractive young white rich hispter type woman in a he said/she said rape case, Benson bullying the victim into testifying, Barba being Benson's bitch and taking orders from him, Olivia sitting in the courtroom with overly dramatic facial expressions at every piece of evidence presented, and a final scene at the end where the victim bows down to St Olivia. It's all so tiresome. 

Also the writing was just awful for the trial, it made no sense why Calhoun would even put on a case when there was clearly not enough evidence to convict, and the fact that the guy was a coward 20 years earlier means he's guilty of rape now? What a joke. 

This felt like a pure filler episode where the writers were just too fucking lazy to come up with an original plot and so we got an unoriginal, cliched, poorly written piece of shit episode such as this. Can't they at least come up with something different, or is MH controlling the writers so much that as long as the Queen Bee is happy they don't care. Either way, a goddamn pathetic effort from the writers, I could've easily written a better episode than that. 

Replying to the above poster, I haven't seen or heard anything about Barba leaving, if he was it would've come out by now IMO. I don't see anything on Raul's Facebook page about it either, not sure where you got that info from, but it sounds like fake news. 

[QueenMab]

Got it on his Facebook page. The guy who posts stuff for Esparza and monitors the page  for him told it in answer to a thread about people hoping Barba doesn't leave. It was just posted a couple of days ago. There was also a blurb about the episodes being shuffled around this season in large part because of it.

[sockii]

4 hours ago, QueenMab said:

Got it on his Facebook page. The guy who posts stuff for Esparza and monitors the page  for him told it in answer to a thread about people hoping Barba doesn't leave. It was just posted a couple of days ago. There was also a blurb about the episodes being shuffled around this season in large part because of it.

If that's the case, I'm actually glad for it. (Ducking before the Barba fans throw rocks at me.) He's become nothing but Benson's lap dog and a mere shadow of the character who first came on board in Season 14.

Hey, if Chicago Justice doesn't get renewed could we maybe bring Peter Stone over to SVU? :) Philip Wincerster is amazing and the best part of that show. I'd love to see Stone get the 16th back into some kind of shape with the cases they are bringing in.

[QueenMab]

I have to agree with you Sockii. Barba fan here but let's face it...the show has been swirling around the toilet bowl this season and we've seen it in the actors. Ice T is just phoning it in, Scanavino has tried desperately to bring some life to the show with his "Jersey Boy" imitation and sadly, especially this season, even Esparza has just been going through the motions like he doesn't give a rat's fat furry one what they do with his character because whatever they do it's going to be the "same old shit"....Benson throws Barba a case, Barba says it has fleas, Benson proceeds to bite off his dick and have it for lunch, and Barba totally whipped spends the rest of the show doing whatever assinine thing she wants him to do...even in court. I can't blame Esparza for getting bored and frustrated with a character he knows is popular and could be so much more than Benson's "little bitch on a leash". 

[25thID]

I don't want to turn this board into an echo chamber, but, I have grown to kind of feel sorry (for lack of better words) for Barba. As mentioned numerous, numerous times, he started out as a pretty damn good character who could win cases. Unfortunately, he has become a casualty of bad/apathetic writing.

There have been sparks/glimpses of his "former glory" this season, and this last case seemed to show a little of that, with him kind of "digging deep" and thinking outside the box to come up with the hypnosis deal. Part of me agrees with sockii, and hopes for a merciful exit, so he can leave with a little bit of dignity, and we can see him go before his character gets plastic surgery to look like St. Benson.

I REALLY hope that that'll be it- he gets to  leave gracefully, and not have some off camera romance with Steven Seagal aka St. Benson. I don't see the writers (or anyone else *cough cough St. Benson cough cough*) "allowing" the character to shine as he once did. At this point, even through some miracle, I think the damage has been done to his character- after going from a pitbull in a tie to a turtle in a cutoff t-shirt, any type of writing to try to turn his character around wouldn't be believable, at least to me. That's a shame and a waste.

[QueenMab]

I too would like to see Barba move onward and upward but, cheesy soap opera that this show has become, I fully expect them to take the low road and send him packing in disgrace, giving up his whole career to save Benson's over something they did together ( like him now to sacrifice himself for her...maybe their long term intimate relationship gets revealed) or worse, they kill him off to give Hargitay the chance to go over the top with grief and bad, soap opera acting. If he's leaving it will be ALL about how Benson takes it...guaranteed.

[25thID]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. Since this is all Benson, all the time, and how she takes it, I'm sure he'll be written off in such a way that it'll show just how vested she is in this job, and how this is all she has, and how it'll impact her relationship with Noah.

On that note, maybe, just maybe (or, hopefully!), someone will discover/stumble upon him knowing about how she adopted Noah. I vaguely remember them talking about it, and they used the hypothetical tense, about Noah and his family....well, maybe the Real Fake News guy digs deep, makes good on his "threat" about discovering the "truth" about how a detective "getting a kid." When he does, that snowballs; the media latches onto that, a distant relative (who has been looking for him) finds him. A trial is convened for misconduct of an ADA/detective, and it is found out that Barba knew all along and covered it up/didn't pursue it, and he has to resign in disgrace, AND St. Benson has to give up Noah.

As much as I like Barba and dislike Noah/Noah stories, that is an episode I would like to see. I would even be somewhat excited to watch that.

Edit: Since St. Benson had threatened the Real Fake News guy, that is why he dug deeper, and that comes to light. It's highly unlikely, since she walks on water, but it would be outstanding to see that pop up and bite her in the ass and have some real repercussions. It could also lead to some (shocking, because the writers would actually have to write!) character development and depth.

Edited May 12, 2017 by 25thID

[numskully]

On 5/11/2017 at 0:07 AM, RafaelBarba35 said:

OK this was an OK episode. The premise was interesting but of course they had to make it a rich white guy episode (I don't think they are allowed to do any other type of story this season. Fuckin politics). 

Having Rafael come up with the hypnosis theory was awesome. It was like season 14 Rafi was back. Of course that was too good to be true and sure enough he went back to letting Liv telling him what to do. Grrrr. 

Enough Of the Benson in the gallery shots. It's annoying. 

I did like when Rafi talked to the victim after the trial. It was nice. 

Also hearing Rafi say my name??.

So using the fake idea of hypnosis for rape makes sense to you? You realize hypnosis has been debunked many years ago. The 2 consented to sex, no idea how you put someone in prison for that.

[MaggieG]

21 hours ago, 25thID said:

I totally agree. The more I think about it, which I'd rather not, it seems like all arrows are pointing towards Rollins' sister. He's being extremely vague and elusive about it; and he doesn't seem (to me) to be the type of person to necessarily shout things like that from the rooftop, he also doesn't strike me as the type of person who would be extremely hush hush about it, either.

The whole "I like to try new things" thing that he said seemed kind of cryptic, and, after thinking about it, it does seem like that would be something like a tourist/out of towner/new to town person (Rollins' sister) would do- hit up a "new age"/hipster/whatever type of restaurant, and Carisi went along with it, for whatever reason.

I really hope this isn't true. I can't stand Kim Rollins

[25thID]

10 minutes ago, MaggieG said:

I really hope this isn't true. I can't stand Kim Rollins

Me either, but, at this point, it really wouldn't surprise me. Maybe we should start a pool- a 5 dollar buy-in. If this happens, the winner(s) take all! haha

Edited May 12, 2017 by 25thID

[RafaelBarbas]

10 hours ago, QueenMab said:

Got it on his Facebook page. The guy who posts stuff for Esparza and monitors the page  for him told it in answer to a thread about people hoping Barba doesn't leave. It was just posted a couple of days ago. There was also a blurb about the episodes being shuffled around this season in large part because of it.

I looked through his facebook page and haven't seen anything of the sort. In fact his official page hasn't even posted in a week or so.

[mccartygirl]

On 5/11/2017 at 0:07 AM, RafaelBarba35 said:

Enough Of the Benson in the gallery shots. It's annoying. 

I did like when Rafi talked to the victim after the trial. It was nice. 

Also hearing Rafi say my name??.

I am so tired of Benson and Rollins being show in the gallery. Can't we always just pan to Carisi and Fin?

I had to laugh at your last comment because I love it when Klaus talks to his daughter, we have the same name :) Makes me smile every Saturday morning when I watch the Originals. 

[Xeliou66]

Yeah I know, I took a look at Raul's Facebook page and I could find nothing about Barba leaving. It would be known by now if he was IMO.

I certainly hope Carisi isn't dating Kim Rollins, I hate how they tried to make Kim Rollins sympathetic now with a total OOC explanation for her evil behavior, apparently they can't have an evil female on the show.

This past episode was such utter garbage, it certainly won't help the shows chances of renewal to put out such a terrible episode this close to the season finale. The only good part was Fin who was in classic mode and provided some great lines, Carisi was good as always and I really like how they've changed Rollins into being a competent, professional detective and I like her partnership with Carisi. 

[RafaelBarba35]

8 hours ago, numskully said:

So using the fake idea of hypnosis for rape makes sense to you? You realize hypnosis has been debunked many years ago. The 2 consented to sex, no idea how you put someone in prison for that.

No I did not realize that.  By whom?

[skittl3862]

Raul has a verified Facebook and that says nothing about him leaving. And if it's true, I think it will be officially announced a little more publicly than buried in the comments of a Facebook post.