Regulation & Order: SVU has by no means been afraid to ask robust questions — even when they upset some viewers.
Regulation & Order: SVU Season 25 Episode 2 was a chief instance. Natalie spent many of the hour refusing to cooperate within the investigation into her rape as a result of she did not need to contribute to systemic racism by accusing a Black teenager.
Her mistrust of the police led her to harm her case in a myriad of how, nearly letting a rapist go free within the course of. However that wasn’t justice both.
This story demonstrated that two issues may be true. There may be racism baked into the legal justice system, AND in a person case, a Black particular person may be responsible of a critical crime.
That is what made this case so unattainable. Natalie had to decide on between justice for herself and taking a stand in opposition to the system as an entire by refusing to confess a Black child raped her.
Carter’s protection of his shopper boiled all the way down to claiming that he was misidentified due to racism and that the police have been corruptly manufacturing proof.
That made him look determined, which could not have performed properly with a jury. It actually bolstered Natalie’s concern of implicating Jay, although.
Regulation & Order: SVU’s remedy of racial justice points has advanced over time; they’re now speaking overtly about it, and it wasn’t that way back that the division received sued once they mistakenly arrested a Black man who was doing nothing unsuitable.
However did this episode’s dialogue of not going too far the opposite method assist or harm the reason for racial justice?
Benson had a degree that letting responsible folks off the hook wasn’t any extra simply than convicting harmless ones due to their pores and skin shade.
However the writers made it too clear which facet they stood on.
Natalie and Brooke have been so virulently anti-police that they appeared like caricatures of people that need systemic reform, whereas Carter’s arguments have been ridiculous. And there was little question that Jay was responsible, making everybody else’s perspective appear silly.
Brooke: What occurred to this metropolis? Are the police making an attempt to show a degree?
Fin: What level?
Brooke: That we nonetheless want you?
Brooke instructed that the cops let rapes occur to show they have been nonetheless a needed a part of society, whereas Natalie would not as a lot as have a look at mug pictures with out proof past an affordable doubt that the suspects have been responsible.
Benson answered her questions truthfully, which may have harm the case. Giving the sufferer an excessive amount of proof forward of a lineup may have prejudiced her.
I additionally want there’d been a clearer connection between Benson’s obsession with discovering Maddie after the non-resolution of that case on the finish of Regulation & Order Season 25 Episode 1 and the way she was approaching this case.
Carisi thought she was pushed an excessive amount of by her obsession with Maddie’s case, and later, Benson stated that she thought she pushed Natalie too arduous due to it, however there was little proof to assist these claims.
Benson may have empathized with Natalie’s concern of implicating the unsuitable man by telling her concerning the mixup with the power drink vehicles after which explaining that there was lots of different proof on this case.
It may need backfired, however her honesty may need additionally impressed Natalie and helped her see that Benson wasn’t a run-of-the-mill cop who solely cares about closing instances.
Regardless of these flaws, the story saved my consideration.
The police work a part of the hour was strong, and as a bonus, we received two weeks in a row of Bruno, the perfect new detective.
Benson: Freeze. Proper there.
Fin: Good shirt. Travis Butler, you are beneath arrest.
Travis: For what?
Fin: You posted a video of it, genius. You virtually arrested your self.
Travis Butler was one entitled teen. He did not assume that livestreaming his crimes would get him in bother, and it by no means occurred to him that breaking into the police station was a critical crime.
Sheesh. He deserved Bruno telling him to cease being so silly after which some.
At first, I believed Natalie knew her attacker, and that is why she was so reluctant to testify. As soon as she revealed her mistrust of the police, I doubted she’d take the stand.
Her request to make use of the lavatory was a basic misdirection; I used to be certain she’d observe the drained TV trope of operating away when she was set to testify, however as an alternative, she took the stand however refused to determine her attacker.
Carter’s declare that the cops manipulated her through the recess was considerably comprehensible since she modified her story once more.
This may have been a superb time to have Dr. Huang or one other psychiatrist testify as to the way in which trauma can have an effect on victims on the stand to neutralize that line of argument.
However why did the choose object to Benson calling Natalie’s assault a brutal rape? That is what it was.
The one drawback together with her alternative of phrases was that it opened the door for Carter to assert police brutality, absent any proof of his shopper being mistreated by the police.
The case was wrapped up neatly — one thing that occurs extra usually on SVU than not — with Jay confessing and making a plea deal that concerned jail time.
However Maddie’s case nonetheless hangs over Benson’s head, and her query to Carisi about how she’s supposed to maneuver ahead now could be legitimate since she can not seem to give attention to anything.
Her assembly with the FBI agent took up all of 5 seconds of the hour; hopefully, we’ll have some extra motion on that quickly.
I additionally nonetheless anticipate Elliot Stabler and the remainder of the Organized Crime Unit to become involved sooner or later. It may well’t be a coincidence that Stabler watched the final press convention or that he has additionally been coping with fentanyl sellers.
What did you assume, Regulation & Order: SVU fanatics? Hit the large, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and tell us.
Regulation & Order: SVU’s historic twenty fifth season airs on NBC on Thursdays at 9/8c. New episodes can be found to stream on Peacock the day after they air.
Jack Ori is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. His debut younger grownup novel, Reinventing Hannah, is out there on Amazon. Follow him on X.
