Guest Star Michael McKean
This week on Law & Order SVU, the show opens with a gritty film noire look. Captain Don Craigen (Dann Florek), Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), and Detective Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) walk over to the uniform at a hostage situation who says the perp asked for her by name. The next scene then announces itself as ‘Five Days Ago’. This style of storytelling has been used many times by other dramas, but is a first for Law and Order SVU. Cut to the next scene where Benson is on stage delivering a speech on “…increase in drug facilitated assault,…survivors suffer from guilt, self-blame.” Cut to what is obviously an actress arriving to an audition; Malory Jenner meets the producer of the reality show for the first time. The producer, Burt Sandow (Michael McKean) says, “Show me you will do whatever it takes to get this job. Hold the documentary trophy, seduce the audience. Let them know you want this.” Next scene, it’s night time, a girl is zonked out on the park bench. A creep comes up upon her. He makes a lame attempt to wake her, “Miss, you okay?”, then proceeds to take advantage of her. Are you kidding me? What a creep! Another guy comes by walking his dog and sees what’s going on. He is the Good Samaritan that chases him down and stops him. The cops come for the clean-up. Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) says, “No purse, no wallet, no stalking, shoes on the wrong feet.” The perp tries to blow off the arrest. “I thought she was dead”. Detective Odafin Tutuola (Ice-Y) can’t believe his ears, “Excuse me?” Cue the theme music.
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 perp is in the interrogation room. He pleads his innocence, “I’m no rapist. Okay, I’m not saying I haven’t done things. I just like shearling. Check her coat.” Turns out he only rubs up on women in subways, but they must have a shearling coat on first. He is not and has never been a rapist. He's just a creep with a shearling fetish. That’s rare.
#4 Best Moment of the Show. Burt Sandow is sitting next to his attorney in the interrogation room when Amaro and Benson question him. Sandow says, “I didn’t rape those girls. Why would I have to? They’d do anything to get on stage.” Cut to Benson walking into Amaro questioning Lacey Ford (Miranda Lambert), the latest victim. “Lacey, the counselor at the hospital says you refused the rape kit. Mr. Sandow assaulted another girl. He assaulted you. We need your help to stop him.” Lacey counters, “If he goes to prison, what happens to the show? I really want this part.” OMG, Sandow was right! These girls are driven by fame at any price.
#3 Best Moment of the Show. Detectives Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) give Sandow news of the hostage standoff. “You want me to talk Eddie (his son, played by Cameron Monaghan) off the ledge, what are you going to do for me? You want my help. You pay my price. All charges dropped. I go free. A public apology. When my lawyer signs off, then we’ll talk.” Sandow won’t cooperate. Are the cops stupid? Anyone who’s been watching the show can see this coming. People who have been looking out for themselves all their lives do not suddenly think of others in a crisis. It felt good to say, “I told you so.” to the screen.
#2 Best Moment of the Show. The situation is tense inside the apartment. Eddie has two hostages, his girlfriend Jess (Kelly Karbacz) and her daughter Lily (Emma Rayne Lyle). Jess wants to take her daughter to the bathroom. Eddie says no. There is a struggle, the gun goes off, Jess gets shot in the leg. The cops want to rush the room, but Benson talks them out of it. She talks Eddie into letting her in to see to the wounded. Brave girl.
Finally, the #1 Best Moment of the Show. It’s the world against Benson. She’s the only one who says she can talk the kid down. All the ATTs are ready to take the sniper shot and kill the 19 year old. Benson ends it. First she gets the kid to realize how evil his father is, and then the kid thinks he’s just like his father, “I’m a monster”, and the only thing to do is to take himself out. But then Benson reveals her past, “My father did terrible things to women, to my own mother. You have a choice. I’m nothing like my father. You don’t have to be like yours.” It worked! The kid gives up the little girl hostage and his gun. It’s all over. “Good job, detective.”
Next week on Law & Order SVU, we find out the hard way that Detective Amanda Rollins is a closet gambler with a debt to a loan shark, who exacts payment for her outstanding debt.
