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S20.E16: Facing Demons


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Episode description from Googling "SVU Facing Demons

Benson and the SVU investigate the death of a man they believe to be a pedophile; when they dig deeper, they realize things are not what they seem and that the case actually hits really close to home.

This episode has Cassidy making a guest appearance, so it maybe an ALL BENSON FEST.

Edited by Drogo
Removed air date from title.
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I have a feeling this will follow up on Cassidy having been molested by his little league coach, given the title and the synopsis. I have a feeling it was also focus on a lot on Benson’s reaction to it since he’s only told Stone about being molested and Benson doesn’t know. 

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6 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

I have a feeling this will follow up on Cassidy having been molested by his little league coach, given the title and the synopsis. I have a feeling it was also focus on a lot on Benson’s reaction to it since he’s only told Stone about being molested and Benson doesn’t know. 

Cassidy was the one molested, but I have no doubt there will be a strong focus on how Benson feels about it. I wonder how many times she will say “I’m so sorry” ina whispery voice and then give him one of her uplifting speeches.  Gosh, I’m so cynical. 

Seriously, I hope it’s a good episode and they don’t waste Cassidy’s return.  

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38 minutes ago, ChristiKRN said:

Cassidy was the one molested, but I have no doubt there will be a strong focus on how Benson feels about it. I wonder how many times she will say “I’m so sorry” ina whispery voice and then give him one of her uplifting speeches.  Gosh, I’m so cynical. 

Seriously, I hope it’s a good episode and they don’t waste Cassidy’s return.  

I have a feeling a lot of the focus will be on how Benson feels about it as well. Don’t get me started on Benson overdramatic reactions and whispering, which I’m sure we will get a lot of this week.

Edited by Xeliou66
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Let's just hope Benson doesn't give Cassidy some extra-special Tender Loving Care, wink wink, nudge nudge.  Benson isn't getting any from Stone, Barba left town, so I hope the show doesn't go there with a pity fuck romantic interlude.

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Okay, Liv, so it's okay to jump to conclusions when you think Micah is a pedophile but... not when he may have been a victim?  How does that work, now?

Potato!  Cute, and a good actor!  

Like the callbacks to Carisi's germophobia and to Kill or Be Slaughtered.

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So far, this is boring af.  It's totally the Cassidy and Stone show, two characters I'm neither interested in or care about.  Color me surprised, though, that Benson's legendary insight didn't make the connection right away.  On the plus side, this ep continues the recent trend of it not all being about Liv.

And Cassidy going around, trying to get guys he thinks might've also been victims of Coach Gary to testify when he won't?  I have loads of problems with that.  Hypocrisy is the least of it.  His reasons were BS.  Everyone - everyone - has people in their lives.  You don't get to claim it'd be worse for you, if the people in your life found out, just because you're a cop, Cassidy.  That's total BS.  You don't know their lives.

Also, Stone?  There's no such thing as putting it behind you.  I know.  So, shut it, Show, about closure.

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That was a decent episode, I liked some of it and disliked other parts.

I had a feeling that Cassidy’s abuse was going to become more about Benson than Cassidy and I was right. Her speech at the end was painful to watch, we’ve seen it in almost every episode in the past few seasons, I’m sick of the victim empowerment speeches designed to put MH on a pedestal. 

Stone was awesome in the episode, I enjoyed the Stone/Cassidy road trip and it’s always nice to see hardass Stone in charge of the legal stuff, we haven’t seen enough of that this season. I also liked that it was Stone that stopped Cassidy from confronting Dolan at the apartment instead of St Olivia. 

Not nearly enough of Fin and Carisi, they were great in their limited scenes but they weren’t used nearly enough, but of course Rollins gets a solid amount of screen time. 

Benson was way too quick to assume Micah was a pedophile and she should’ve apologized to the parents for doing so, if Micah was a woman Benson wouldn’t have been so quick to judge, I’m certain of that.

Overall this was a decent outing, I enjoyed the episode in spite of the Benson stuff, probably because Stone was great and we haven’t seen enough of hardass, determined Stone this season.

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So, Cassidy was molested, but somehow its all about Olivia and HER angst about not having noticed it. And dont forget, she was a victim too...apparently...

Thats something that has really increasingly bothered me about her. For all her preaching about the importance of talking to survivors and them standing up to their abusers and telling their stories, it always seems to be about Olivia. Its about HER tragic backstory, HER angst, HER big speech, how this makes HER feel. Making someones horrible trauma all about you over and over again, especially as a professional who works with SVU, is just such a bad look. 

Speaking of bad looks, when the girlfriend of poor Micah said that she didnt want to sound like a jerk because she broke up with her boyfriend because he was molested, I was like "well, you dont NOT sound like a jerk..." 

Anyway, I did like a lot of aspects of this episode. Cassidy was frustrating in how he was handling everything, resorting to violence and trying to get other survivors to take the stand when he wont, but I also found it understandable. From what I have understood, its especially hard for male victims of sexual violence to come forward and talk about what happened, especially if they later are in a "macho" profession like being a cop. I think that lashing out or dealing with the problem with violence, threats, or anger would probably be common, especially if they felt like they were digging up old wounds. Its one of the things that really gets me about people like magic guy. Their victims are stuck dealing with the fallout for their whole lives, and can become seriously messed up later on, while they get to go along their merry way so often.

I left the episode wishing we got more of the story of Micah, and less of Olivia working on her sermons and starring at coffee. It sounds like he was so often crying out for help (telling his girlfriend, hurting himself as a kid, sending emails to his old friend) and no one ever realized what was going on until it was too late. Oh, and way to assume he was a molester, and letting it get out, Liv. I really hope she apologized to his parents after that. I get that you have to look at all avenues, but those pictures were so clearly old! 

Also, I always love when SVU tries to write for gamers. "Suddenly its just Game Over." Also, how often do detectives come to your house to ask about your recently deaceased childhood friends, dude? Put the game on pause for five seconds!

Poor cute Potato! I hope the nice neighbor got to keep him, or maybe his parents. 

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47 minutes ago, Xeliou66 said:

Benson was way too quick to assume Micah was a pedophile and she should’ve apologized to the parents for doing so

Hopefully, someone went back and fully exonerated Micah, to his parents and the parents of his supposed "victims" and the bookstore lady.  It would've been nice to see it onscreen.

This episode needed a lot more connective tissue.  I mean, what were they even charging Coach Gary with?  What was their evidence, that wasn't circumstantial and their just knowing in their heart of hearts he was guilty?  Who sent the photos to Micah and why?  Why were these prior bad acts allowed in testimony, as they'd never been investigated or tried and were prejudicial rather than probative?  I was zoning out, so I probably missed some of this in the ep, but all of it, I dunno.  I would've liked more of the investigative side of it, to balance out the Cassidy angst-athon.

Potato was the best part of the ep!

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57 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

So, Cassidy was molested, but somehow its all about Olivia and HER angst about not having noticed it. And dont forget, she was a victim too...apparently...

Well, she lived with him and considered having his children. Of course its all about her.

And the episode had to end with the smug face filling the entire screen. You go St. Olivia, Brian did it all for you.

Edited by preeya
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2 hours ago, Grundoon59 said:

I was glad to see Gloria from Orange is the New Black as the defense attorney ( sorry I am blanking on the actress' name) but other than that, I would like to have my hour back.  

Selenis Leyva. She had a recurring part on the Mothership as Detective Mari Rivera.

3 hours ago, Gigglepuff said:

And of course, Liv's a victim in all this too. 

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Thats something that has really increasingly bothered me about her. For all her preaching about the importance of talking to survivors and them standing up to their abusers and telling their stories, it always seems to be about Olivia. Its about HER tragic backstory, HER angst, HER big speech, how this makes HER feel. Making someones horrible trauma all about you over and over again, especially as a professional who works with SVU, is just such a bad look. 

"We lived together. I thought we were in love. But he couldn't share this with me?!?!"

Are you serious bitch?????? Please tell me you're not fucking serious! Hell naw! This bitch is fucking serious about this shit.

"You're a victim too Liv."

I hate this show.

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3 hours ago, Gigglepuff said:

lol, do they expect us to believe that Cassidy was a young teen/older child in 1985? 

Dean Winters is 54 now; he would have been 12 years old in 1976, nine years difference from the actual actor's age.  Hudson strikes again, this time Hudson Youth League!

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21 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Selenis Leyva. She had a recurring part on the Mothership as Detective Mari Rivera.

"We lived together. I thought we were in love. But he couldn't share this with me?!?!"

Are you serious bitch?????? Please tell me you're not fucking serious! Hell naw! This bitch is fucking serious about this shit.

"You're a victim too Liv."

I hate this show.

You get a Useful like, a Laugh like and a Like Like (Heart) from me on this post.

__________

Called it!  (I fully expected that first twist.)

No way was Micah a pedo; not the owner of sweet little Potato.

Benson:  "Let's not jump to conclusions."

Me at TV Screen:  "YOU JUST DID!"

Edited by CrystalBlue
Auto merge makes it confusing.
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1 hour ago, CrystalBlue said:

Dean Winters is 54 now; he would have been 12 years old in 1976, nine years difference from the actual actor's age.  Hudson strikes again, this time Hudson Youth League!

My siblings and I always talk about the secret cloning labs and twin research going on the Law & Order universe. What else could explain why there are sometimes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 identical individuals walking around the tri-state area. Maybe Cassidy's parents stuck him in Hudson Cryogenics for a decade.

Edited by HunterHunted
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11 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

My siblings and I always talk about the secret cloning labs and twin research going on the Law & Order universe. What else could explain why there are sometimes 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 identical individuals walking around the tri-state area. Maybe Cassidy's parents stuck him in Hudson Crygenics for a decade.

Well, Cassidy DOES have a double in dirty cop Mike Stoat from the CI episode, "Purgatory"... Hmm. Always have the Prudential Mayhem guy stop in and say howdy. So there's two right there!

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1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

Well, Cassidy DOES have a double in dirty cop Mike Stoat from the CI episode, "Purgatory"... Hmm. Always have the Prudential Mayhem guy stop in and say howdy. So there's two right there!

There's also Ryan O'Reily...not quite the same 'verse, but there was a lot of overlap.

I stuck this one out for as long as I did solely for Dean Winters, 'cause I miss him on my TV. 

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12 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Speaking of bad looks, when the girlfriend of poor Micah said that she didnt want to sound like a jerk because she broke up with her boyfriend because he was molested, I was like "well, you dont NOT sound like a jerk..." 

Ha! So true. I mean I realize they put that in there to establish why the other men in the episode would refuse to testify because of the stigma, etc, but still... you're a jerk, lady!

I'm glad everyone else was as enchanted by Potato as I was. I hope he went to the parents, so just they could hang onto something living that was a part of their son's adult life.

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Another line that I HATED in this episode was when Cassidy said that Benson “was the only person who ever saw any good in him”. What the fuck was that, Cassidy surely has people in his life other than Benson, I know that he was pretty close with Munch for one. 

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(My post seems to have disappeared into the ether. I guess I'm a victim too now. Let's try this again)

The Good:
Benson didn't get ALL the screen time even though this was clearly all about her in the end, as advertised. I liked that somebody else was the one to get through to Cassidy and do the interviews with other victims even if it was the showrunner's pet character. It made it much more tolerable. There did seem to be a different tone to this latest version of The Suffering of St. Benson - they came pretty close to suggesting that maybe she was wrong. At least as close as they could come without risking the wrath of Mariska.
Some nice work by the guest cast.
Carisi got a few nice moments even if they were all too brief.
Dean Winters. I like him even if I don't necessarily like what they've done with Cassidy.
The promo for the next episode looks promising.

The Bad:
Not nearly enough Fin. I wish we could see him having a heart to heart with Benson instead of Rollins. I know that with Giddish being pregnant, the Fin-centric episode, and the budget cuts we're probably getting a lot less Fin for the rest of the season, but it still sucks.
Too much BS (Benson Stuff). The whispering, the constipated faces, all of the stuff we hate so much.

Overall this was a much more competent execution of a plot that has been done to death the last few years. It was kind of meh, which is probably pretty good considering I expected to actively hate it. I appreciate that they are trying to balance things out a bit more.

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On 2/22/2019 at 1:22 PM, Xeliou66 said:

Another line that I HATED in this episode was when Cassidy said that Benson “was the only person who ever saw any good in him”. What the fuck was that, Cassidy surely has people in his life other than Benson, I know that he was pretty close with Munch for one. 

Argh! This show! Early seasons Cassidy was a decent thoughtful guy, but a dope. He was inexperienced and truthfully kind of dumb. However, later seasons of Law & Order: SVU have decided that Cassidy is a much more smart and savvy person than he used to be. Additionally, the show has also decided that he's a stealth douche/asshole. Granted he is way more worldly than he was in the beginning, but that doesn't mean that he would become a cynical jerk who has a propensity to criminality. Olivia is the only one to see good in him? I'm glad that the show can denigrate Cassidy's friends and family and every one of Cassidy's training officers, partners, and commanding officer. If this is true why was he promoted to detective, assigned to SVU, internal affairs, and the DA's office.

This is a weird screwed up depiction on him that it's as much to do with Mike Stoat as it does to Ryan O'Reilly and Dennis Duffy, but it's certainly not Brian Cassidy.

Edited by HunterHunted
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Benson's whispers of courage strikes again. It's amazing how Stone drove to different states with Cassidy and still couldn't get him to testify. But lieutenant whispers comes along and all of a sudden Brian testifies. BTW the team owes the suicide victim's family an apology for automatically suspecting him.

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On 2/22/2019 at 10:37 AM, gesundheit said:

I'm glad everyone else was as enchanted by Potato as I was. I hope he went to the parents, so just they could hang onto something living that was a part of their son's adult life.

I rewatched the beginning of "Facing Demons" (on Hulu) just so I could see Potato again!  I noticed during the first-aired watch that Micah said Goodbye to Potato, so final.  I thought at the time, "Don't you tell your dog 'I love you' when you leave?"  ❤️ I thought maybe it wasn't macho enough.  I didn't see the suicide coming at that point.

I noticed the neighbor lady who took care of Potato called him Po.  So cute!!!  I think the dog is a terrier but don't know if he's a cross-breed.  I wish I could find out more about that dog Potato!

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6 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

I rewatched the beginning of "Facing Demons" (on Hulu) just so I could see Potato again!  I noticed during the first-aired watch that Micah said Goodbye to Potato, so final.  I thought at the time, "Don't you tell your dog 'I love you' when you leave?"  ❤️ I thought maybe it wasn't macho enough.  I didn't see the suicide coming at that point.

I noticed the neighbor lady who took care of Potato called him Po.  So cute!!!  I think the dog is a terrier but don't know if he's a cross-breed.  I wish I could find out more about that dog Potato!

Arguably, the most memorable and compelling guest star they've had all season!  And I mean that sincerely.  ☺️

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The episode started well enough, since Olivia was barely a factor, but of course it had to swing back to her, because it's probably required in her contract. However, she really needs to have all the seats and stop her "woe is me" act about how Brian didn't confide in her. I distinctly remember that one of his chief complaints that lead to their breakup is that she never opened up to him. He tried to get her to talk about William Lewis and be supportive, but she wasn't having it with him. She pretty much shut him down most of the time. 

Anyway, it was a different sort of episode, sort of. I do agree that it was rather eyerolling to watch Brian flat out refuse to testify at first, but practically guilt other victims into doing so. Step up and lead the way dude! It's not easy for anyone. But I did like to see Peter and Brian interacting, just because it was a different sort of thing we don't see often on this show anymore. 

I also agree that poor Micah was slandered so easily by Olivia, but she kept hesitating to believe that he could have been a victim. I mean, his mother sure it was him in the photos, while the other parents knew that it wasn't their kid in the pictures, but you know, Olivia just wanted them to be sure (shades of that iffy photo ID from last episode). 

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I thought it was an OK episode.  Fin and Carisi scenes are always a highlight; once again not nearly enough of these two.  Why are these two just used peripherally? Much of the screen time allotted to Rollins could have gone to them.   It just seemed they were inserting Rollins into scenes just to give her more screen time; why was she in Stone's office  when Stone and Gary's attorney were discussing plea deals?  The 1st Stone and Cassidy scene when Stone stops Cassidy from going after Gary was well done; also glad to see that Stone did not break the "bro code" and tell Benson about Cassidy's past.  Surprised that Benson didn't lay into Stone for not telling her.  I thought it was a little strange that a busy prosecutor could just drop his schedule to go on a road trip that was unnecessary for him to go on.   I liked it when Cassidy shut Benson down on the street when she started to give him one of her speeches.  Surprisingly enough, I wasn't put off by Benson lamenting to Rollins about Cassidy not telling her; I kind of thought it was a normal reaction.  I did think it was odd for Rollins to call her a victim, especially considering Rollins thoughts on victims; hmmm, does Rollins think of Benson as weak?  I also thought it was strange that Benson immediately stormed out to arrest Gary when Stone brought in Cassidy's old teammate before hearing what he had to say and that she went to arrest Gary without  anyone else with her.   I know it was for the dramatic effect, but impulsive for a lieutenant.   Potato was absolutely adorable.  

Something that I didn't understand was how Micah came into possession of his own pictures that Gary had.  I wasn't convinced it was a suicide.  This part of the story could have been more fleshed out.  Not surprising how Benson told the other parents not to jump to conclusions when she herself immediately did when speaking with Micah's parents about his victims when it turned out Micah was a victim himself.  Fin and Carisi were also guilty of this.  Poor Micah was victimized again in death by SVU planting in people's minds that he was a pedophile like Gary.  

MH really needs to work on her facial expressions.  It's just painful to watch.

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11 hours ago, ChristiKRN said:

Something that I didn't understand was how Micah came into possession of his own pictures that Gary had.  I wasn't convinced it was a suicide.  This part of the story could have been more fleshed out.  Not surprising how Benson told the other parents not to jump to conclusions when she herself immediately did when speaking with Micah's parents about his victims when it turned out Micah was a victim himself.  Fin and Carisi were also guilty of this.  Poor Micah was victimized again in death by SVU planting in people's minds that he was a pedophile like Gary.  

MH really needs to work on her facial expressions.  It's just painful to watch.

One of the Polaroids had "I'm Sorry" written on it.  I figured Gary had sent Micah the pictures either recently or he had them from long ago.  Micah definitely killed himself.

MH does work on her facial expressions; works them, works them and works them.  😃

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On 2/21/2019 at 10:14 PM, Grundoon59 said:

I was glad to see Gloria from Orange is the New Black as the defense attorney ( sorry I am blanking on the actress' name) but other than that, I would like to have my hour back.  

She was also a detective on the Mothership.  Short lived. Mainly handing stuff to Anita. Lol

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I’m glad to see I am not the only Potato fan!  Potato for the Emmy!

(I like to think Potato is either with the neighbor or with Micah’s parents.)

I could look at that doggy’s face all day long, unlike Liv’s face with her pained expressions as she makes Cassidy’s trauma all about herself. Selfish bitch. 

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This week's deleted scene, with Rollins trying to convince Cassidy to testify.

Adds a little context to why Cassidy suddenly changed his mind about testifying, but truly, seriously, really, this show needs to get over preaching the sermon that testifying is the best thing, or even beneficial at all, to all victims.  It's not and it isn't.  Stop being absolute about it, Show.

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The whole “testifying is the best thing” agenda is one of the main themes of the show now, it’s coming entirely from Mariska because that’s her main agenda with her foundation and all, and I’m sick of it, Mariska does NOT know what’s best for everyone who’s been a victim of abuse and it’s remarkably arrogant for an elitist like her who has no idea what life is like for most people to tell victims of abuse what to do. In so many episodes over the last few seasons she gives a speech to a victim telling them about how testifying will “set you free” and it’s tiresome.

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On 2/27/2019 at 2:11 PM, Xeliou66 said:

The whole “testifying is the best thing” agenda is one of the main themes of the show now, it’s coming entirely from Mariska because that’s her main agenda with her foundation and all, and I’m sick of it, Mariska does NOT know what’s best for everyone who’s been a victim of abuse and it’s remarkably arrogant for an elitist like her who has no idea what life is like for most people to tell victims of abuse what to do. In so many episodes over the last few seasons she gives a speech to a victim telling them about how testifying will “set you free” and it’s tiresome.

This is so true.  Not everyone has the luxury of having the whole world, or their whole world, know about them being a victim of a sex crime.  Going to court is not therapy, it is hopefully a way to seek justice, but that is not guaranteed.

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On 3/3/2019 at 7:40 AM, CrystalBlue said:

This is so true.  Not everyone has the luxury of having the whole world, or their whole world, know about them being a victim of a sex crime.  Going to court is not therapy, it is hopefully a way to seek justice, but that is not guaranteed.

Thank you!  That's exactly it - going to court is NOT THERAPY!!!!  I've heard of so many people who did not get justice for what was done to them and they frequently say "It's like I got raped all over again." How effing shitty and horrible.  Mariska, you are on a TELEVISION SHOW.  Things don't resolve itself in an hour, you freaking moron!!!!!  It takes months and months and imagine having had to go through allllllllll of that AND a shitload of money in legal fees, only to be told that your attacker will get away with it, or get a very very light sentence.  Disgusting.

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1. God can we have one member of the SVU who has never suffered sexual assault?

2. Way to jump to conclusions about the suspect's guilt!

3. How on earth does Stone allow Cassidy to take part in the investigation? Surely that's a conflict or interest?  

4. Still, it's nice that he gets some decent screen time and actually argues cases. Although trying to convince the judge to allow a drunken witness' testimony is pretty desperate.  

5. It was all going so well then it all became about Benson..... 

6. For a second I thought Rollins was going to be the naysayer but no, she can't break the groupthink.  

7. Defence solicitor;; "Mr Accused, could you please tell us about your arrest?"

Accused; "Lt Benson told me she was a friend of Detective Cassidy and that she wanted to hurt me, then she roughed me up on the way to custody"

DS; "And indeed your injuries as a result of this brutality were noted when you were booked into custody?"

Accused; "Yes" 

8. Nice touch that the kiddie porn pictures were actually of the suicide kid himself, I wondered if the kid was actually murdered and his suicide faked?

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On 2/22/2019 at 3:07 AM, WendyCR72 said:

Well, Cassidy DOES have a double in dirty cop Mike Stoat from the CI episode, "Purgatory"... Hmm. Always have the Prudential Mayhem guy stop in and say howdy. So there's two right there!

I think these Cassidy episodes would be a hell of a lot better if just once when greeting Benson he said "hey dummy" like Dennis Duffy from 30 Rock.

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