"Spiraling Down"

Guest Star Treat Williams

This week on Law & Order SVU, the show opens on a white girl and a black boy in bed.  The boy gives the girl a present; it’s a piece of jewelry.  She breaks into a big smile.  She’s obviously in love.  The next scene, a man walks into the apartment with a pair of hot pink platform pumps in a shoe box.  The girl adores the pumps and can’t wait to try them on.  The black boy asks the man, Marcus, “How much?”  Marcus puts up five fingers.  “Oh no way,” says the boy, “take those shoes off.”  Marcus chimes in, “Maybe we can work something out.”  Marcus starts kissing the girl.  The girl tries to pull away.  The boy stops her, “Come on baby, it’s Marcus.”  We all know how this is going to go.  The next scene we see a John walking out of a hotel room, complaining to the black boy, “She’s crying.  Give me my money back.”  The boy walks back into the hotel room; the girl says she doesn’t want to do it anymore.  There’s a scuffle.  She hits him.  He goes to the bathroom to see to his wound.  She uses her cell phone to call her dad.  Cue the theme music.

The girl’s dad walks into the squad room looking for Detective Nick Amaro (Danny Pino).  “My daughter Vicki.  She’s in trouble.  I’m Captain Haines.  I served with your wife in Baghdad.  My daughter Vicki is only 14.  You have a daughter.  You have to find her. 

This is not a summary of the episode; it is a recap of the five best moments of the show.  Here’s the countdown to the Five Best Moments of the Show.

#5 Best Moment of the Show.   The cop finds Vicki in the hotel room where she turns tricks.  But she doesn’t want to leave.  “Vicki, your dad wants you to come home.”  “No, I’m not leaving.”  The cops arrest her pimp, Trey, who is cocky as all get out, “She won’t talk.  I own that bitch.”  Finally, the cops figure out a guy like that’s got to have something on the side.  “Let’s check him out online.”   They find a photo of Trey’s real family, to include two children in Brooklyn.  They show the photo to Vicki.  “I guess Trey never told you about his baby momma.”  That finally gets Vicki to break her brain washing.

#4 Best Moment of the Show.  The cops decide to hold a sting to catch all the Johns, when who walks in but the famous ex-football star Jake Stanton (Treat Williams).  He’s all talk when the cops raid him.  The next thing we know, Stanton is holding court in the squad room, reliving his finest hour.  Jake looks at his wallet and sees the note reminding him to call his wife.  “Oh, I’m supposed to call my wife.  Got me on a short leash.  I know what she’s gonna say.  The same thing she always says, “Get a lawyer!”  Looks like this melodrama has been played out before.   

#3 Best Moment of the Show.  Jake’s wife lays it all out for the cops.  “Jake has taken too many knocks to the head during his quarterback days.  The MRI is inconclusive.  There is no treatment.  All the doctor says is don’t let him out of my sight.  We’re broke.  He handled the finances until this year.  There is nothing left.  I can’t even get a lawyer to come down to help us.  He says we’re going to have to use a public defender.”  The wife tries to hold it together.  She fails.  She burst into tears.  This is when Benson reaches into her desk and pulls out a business card, “He’s a friend”.  This is a first.  The arresting officer refers the defendant to a lawyer, Bayard Ellis (Andre Braugher).

#2 Best Moment of the Show.   Amaro is Skyping his wife, Maria.  She asks about Jason, her military buddy.  Amaro has doubts about his wife and Jason’s relationship.  He thinks they may be having an affair.  “He’s a good dad.  I’m glad you can help him out.  Thanks for doing this for me.”  Amaro pushes, “I never heard of this guy until he showed up.”  The wife pushes right back, “I hate this call.  I think we’re having a conversation, turns out you’re interrogating me.”  Looks like there’s trouble in paradise.

Finally, the #1 Best Moment of the Show.  Stanton is on the stand.  He admits to prostitution.  His mind keeps flipping back to his quarterback glory days.  His lawyer asks him three times, “How many years have you been married?”  Stanton produces three different answers.  It’s obvious even to him that he’s lost his mind.  “Do you know where you are Jake?”  “Please, stop.  I’m very tired.  I just want to go home.”  He’s lost it.  It’s painful to watch.  Outside the courtroom the crowd gathers around Stanton, asking him to relive his glory days, even the cops.  Stanton can’t take it anymore.  He sees an opportunity to take the cops gun.  He does.  He points it at himself and pulls the trigger.  It’s over.  His wife screams.  Ellison is in shock.  Amaro calls it in.  It’s all over for Jake Stanton, football hero.

Next week on Law & Order SVU, a playact goes horribly wrong, with the entire audience watching; yet nobody calls the cops.  Whose fault is that?