Law and Order: SVU"Undercover"
Original Airdate: 4-15-08
Kara - TwoCents Reviewer
Hands down, this is the most disturbing episode of SVU I've ever seen.
It was also one of the best episodes I've ever seen which sounds like an odd thing to say considering it left me upset and shaking. But that's what good TV does, isn't it? When an episode is done extraordinarily well, it puts you in that moment, makes you feel that emotion and sticks with you for awhile. This episode is so burned into my mind, I don't think I will ever be able to forget it. I should have known we were in for something extremely intense when it started out with a graphic content warning. I can't remember ever seeing one before an SVU episode. I should have taken that as a stronger warning than I did but they always put a similar warning before 24 and the content on that show barely phases me.
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Law and Order: SVU
ReplyDelete"Undercover"
Original Airdate: 4-15-08
Kara - TwoCents Reviewer
Hands down, this is the most disturbing episode of SVU I've ever seen.
It was also one of the best episodes I've ever seen which sounds like an odd thing to say considering it left me upset and shaking. But that's what good TV does, isn't it? When an episode is done extraordinarily well, it puts you in that moment, makes you feel that emotion and sticks with you for awhile. This episode is so burned into my mind, I don't think I will ever be able to forget it. I should have known we were in for something extremely intense when it started out with a graphic content warning. I can't remember ever seeing one before an SVU episode. I should have taken that as a stronger warning than I did but they always put a similar warning before 24 and the content on that show barely phases me.
The episode involves a Corrections Officer who is raping both Ashley Tyler and her mother, Risa. Ashley Tyler isn't in the prison but her mother is and the C.O. is threatening and raping both women. Ashley's rape kit is stolen by the C.O. and without it, there is no case. Despite warnings from Captain Cragen, Stabler and Dr. Huang, Olivia decides to go undercover in the prison to try and find out which C.O. is the rapist. This is no easy task as the prison has 42 reported rapes and there are several officers that would fit the profile. Olivia is strip searched and made to shower in front of everyone as a voiceover from Huang explains how she'll often feel humiliated and want to get out. Mariska does this whole sequence so well because I felt so degraded for her and just wanted to jump into the TV and get her out of there. Actually, I felt that way through the entire second half of the episode. Olivia soon finds out that Risa is dead and that it appears she hung herself. A letter from Risa to Ashley and Risa's autopsy prove otherwise and now Olivia's not only looking for a rapist but one that has no problem murdering his victims as well.
Fin's in the prison too, posing as a new C.O. as no one can know that he or Olivia are cops. Having him there is a good plan, except when there's a TB breakout and the entire place is shut down. Everyone must be tested for TB. While the women in Olivia's block are waiting to be tested, the shifty C.O. who Olivia thinks is the rapist tries to take her somewhere by herself. She refuses, starts a bit of a verbal riot and soon C.O.s in riot gear are running through the place, throwing women down to try to restore calm. Another officer, Lowell Harris, asks who started the whole mess and Olivia is blamed. Harris grabs Olivia and takes her to the hole. She soon notices they're going to a completely different location and she spots two mattresses piled up in one corner. Harris tells Olivia she'll do as she's told and she screams and it's one of the most gut-wrenching sounds I've ever heard.
What follows next was one of the most disturbing scenes I've ever seen on television. For what feels like forever, the corrections officer attempts to rape Olivia. I actually had to pause the episode on the DVR to give myself a minute before the scene even started. He tells her she'll do as she's told and I'm hitting pause so fast, I didn't even remember grabbing the remote. The scene is excruciatingly long and when Olivia hits him and tries to get away, only to find a locked door, it felt like my entire body sank into the ground. Over and over, I thought, "They can't do this. It's Olivia. It's Mariska. They're not going to have this scene happen." Towards the end of the scene, after he's punched her in the stomach, hit her in the back of the knees and handcuffed her to the door, I felt such a sense of hopelessness.
During the entire scene, Fin is stuck waiting for his TB test, then decides to leave without it, finds a female inmate and has her take him to where the C.O.s take their victims. He's struggling with keys for another exceedingly long time and he finally, finally, finally storms in the room, shouts he's a cop and Harris backs off. Olivia is having trouble catching her breath from screaming for so long and she's obviously very shaken and upset. She gets to her feet and through tears and a broken voice, tells him why he's under arrest. Harris says to her, "You're a cop?" and Olivia replies, "Who's the bitch now?"
Despite attacking and trying to rape Olivia, Harris gets let go and is back at work the next day, having tested negative for TB, the only thing that could have still connected him to Ashley's rape. Olivia is upset and Stabler asks her what happened in the basement. She tells him nothing happened. At the hospital, Ashley wakes up and Olivia goes to see if Ashley can identify Harris from a photo. She can't and Olivia asks her if there was anything different about her rapist's penis. Ashley remembers there was a mole and the next scene is Harris in custody and being photographed for evidence. M.E. Warner asks Olivia how she knew to ask Ashley about the mole and Olivia says she saw it in the basement. Warner asks if Harris raped her and Olivia quietly admits, "It's the closest I've ever come."
If Mariska doesn't get an Emmy for this episode, there is no justice in award shows. I know many people already have plenty of cases where that already proves true but seriously, if she doesn't get an Emmy, I'll be shocked. Not only will I be shocked but I'll be screaming from the rafters that she was robbed. What an incredibly tough job that must have been to be able to turn out a performance like that and what a way to come back from the writers strike. I'm still stunned from the episode and I've been thinking about it all day. Over and over again, I just want to state that Mariska Hargitay is such a phenomenal actress, as if there was any doubt.
Next week, Bill Pullman guest stars and in two weeks, Robin Williams is on the show in what looks to be a very creepy role. I can't help but wonder how many of these guest spots were landed on the picket lines because I'm pretty sure I saw both Bill Pullman and Robin Williams out there.
I Havent seen this episode, but I reallly really want to..........ah well. I will watch it on reruns.......anyway got to go....NCIS awaites
ReplyDeletewatched it on netflick...started to cry when Mariska started screaming...she is an awsome actress...what a dareing role for her...
ReplyDeleteI know it's been a long time since the original posting of this review but I just saw the episode for the first time. One thing I'd like to point out:
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the episode, when Warner asks if Benson was raped and Benson replies, "It's the closest I've ever come"... did anyone else notice that is NOT the same thing as saying "no"? The answer could still be "yes" and "as close as I've ever come" would be technically true.
Just food for thought... they left us with a "lady or the tiger", and I think we're meant to always wonder a bit whether the guard was able to complete his crime before Fin came to the rescue. :(
You've just made a very good point about the statement Liv made at the end. Well, if you have watched later episodes of SVU you will find that Liv starts attending therapy and the only person that knows this is Fin. Now, if you ask me Fin and Benson have a connection. He is keeping her secret from Elliot and that's a big shocker! Liv and El are the best actors I've ever layed my eyes on. On that note, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit goes done in MY book as the BEST crime-filled drama NBC has ever presented.
ReplyDeleteHow did she know after the C.O. took her to the basement that it was him who raped Ashley Tyler?
ReplyDeleteI watched it and Finn hits her and she starts to bleed wats that all about?? An amazing episode though :D
ReplyDeleteI think so she could go to the people who performed first aid and see about Risa; which is how she found out she was dead.
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