Tonight’s episode wasn’t about a realistic problem that society faces – there were no untested rape kits, no reluctant witnesses, no restitution for child-porn victims. Tonight’s episode was pure thriller. It was disturbing; it was intense; it left you clenching the edge of your seat.
Recap:
Horrible Lewis escapes from prison, and uses his freedom to torment Olivia by going on a crime spree in Manhattan. By the third commercial, he’s tortured and raped two people and killed seven more. His victims include a hospital nurse, prison guard, defense attorney, and a doctor and her two young daughters. Using the youngest daughter as bait, Lewis lures Olivia to a secluded warehouse. He makes one final unsuccessful attempt at raping her, then forces her to play Russian roulette. Lewis may be the world’s worst forced Russian roulette supervisor, because in the end, he takes the gun from Olivia and shoots himself in the face.
Verdict: C for realism, A for drama
What they got right and wrong:
Typically, I comment about what’s real and not real in these cases. I’ll do some of that here. But this show wasn’t about what it’s really like to be a sex crimes detective. Tonight, SVU took its heroine and put her in the most dangerous, disturbing and intense situation she could be in. It tested her mettle and set her up for hardships to come. But her choices – her willingness to sacrifice her career and her life to save a child – showed her incredible strength. Tonight’s episode was about the heroism that SVU detectives show, even if the story itself was far removed from the more mundane challenges they face.
Okay, down to brass tacks: when a prisoner breaks out of jail he usually goes to his girlfriend’s house. If he manages to stay out for a while, he might try to get a change of clothes, a steak, and a beer.
Once again, Lewis tried but was unable to rape Olivia. The inability of an assailant to maintain an erection is surprisingly common in rape cases. As a sex-crimes prosecutor, I handled several cases where the rapist became flaccid mid-act and was unable to complete it. Often, rape is about power not desire.
There really is a “Lazarus effect,” where a person appears to be dead for a long time, and is then revived. One amazing British doctor has been able to revive people several hours after they die. I’m skeptical that Lewis’s ditzy girlfriend had such skills with the meds she mixed into his cupcakes.
What do you think, SVU fans? Should prisons allow inmates to receive home-baked cupcakes? Will the people of NY blame Olivia for killing Lewis – or will they applaud her for it? And should Olivia just put her therapist on permanent retainer at this point? Leave your comments!
James Pollock says
10 April, 2014 at 1:06 amI’m afraid the writers have badly over-estimated my interest in watching “The Lewis Show”. This one’s going to sit the DVR for a while, and it’s 50/50 (at best) whether it gets erased because I finally watched it or it gets erased to have more space for other stuff.
David DeLee says
10 April, 2014 at 9:07 amI have to admit I approached this episode with no small amount of trepidation.Going in, I felt they were returning to the Lewis well one too many times. But I was pleasantly–amazingly–surprised. This was a riveting, taunt thriller with a ton of suspense and another outstanding performance by Mariska Hargitay (Between this outing and her performance in episode one this season I sure hope Emmy’s paying attention). I was on the edge of my seat watching the whole time.
I particularly like that they brought in Lt. Murphy (he will remain the unit commander through the end of the season), and the position they put Benson in with her public confessions. I bet IA can’t wait to get hold of that one!. Both elements will make for an interesting few weeks in the SVU squad room.
As for the Lazarus Effect. I think the Hollywood writers must drink at the same bar and discuss their ideas. Then steal them! This exact same prison escape plan took place on REVENGE this week as well, except the drug was mixed in with the person’s shaving cream and absorbed through the skin.
Anyway, great episode. I would recommend it to anyone..
Thil says
11 April, 2014 at 6:16 amhow the hell does un armed cripple murder a police officer and rape a nurse in a crowded hospital without being overpowered by either of them or anyone else in the building hearing?
before this my theory was that Lewis was just a sadist and really lucky, but apparently the SVU writers really are trying to play him up as a criminal genius
GreenLuthor says
12 April, 2014 at 4:11 pmI love how they couldn’t even be bothered to fully explain Lewis’ escape. “Somehow he talked the guard into removing his handcuffs.” How? Shut up, that’s how! We don’t need no stinkin’ explanations!
But, yeah, they really can’t seem to make up their mind about if Lewis is a genius or just stupidly lucky. They try to play it as if he acts on instinct sometimes, but there are too many things that really couldn’t happen unplanned, while at the same time too many things happen that he couldn’t possibly plan on happening. (The only logical conclusion is that some divine power wanted him to go on a rape-and-murder spree, because nothing else fits the plots as written…)
Thil says
11 April, 2014 at 7:00 amLewis would have killed the kid if before himself. I know that’s too dark even for SVU, but I’m sorry there’s no way he would have given Olivia the satisfaction of saving the kid
NG says
11 April, 2014 at 12:59 pmI’m going to go out on a limb and predict we find out either later this season or next that Lewis isn’t actually real and is just a manifestation of Olivia’s “inner demons” that’s she struggling with after so long on the SVU force. She repeatedly feels like she has triumphed over “Lewis” but he keeps finding a way to come back to life and make her fight him over again. In other words, this was all a dream or something playing out in her psychiatrist’s office.
Too many ridiculous things have happened in the Lewis episodes (like Benson’s public confession that she lied in a trial, which would effectively end her career) that would bleed into all the other episodes for any of this to have really happened.
James Pollock says
11 April, 2014 at 4:35 pmPerhaps Ms. Hargitay asked to be written out.
TL says
12 April, 2014 at 3:43 pmI feel she should be written out. Yes, she has given some Emmy worthy performances in the Lewis story line. However, her acting and dialogue have been off- almost forced- in her new position as Captain Benson. Could the show succeed without her? I find myself losing interest with her. Clearly, it has never been the same without Elliot.
Aoife says
12 April, 2014 at 5:23 pmI really can’t say I enjoyed it. I’m glad the Lewis storyline is over as I really didn’t enjoy it. Not that I should. I didn’t think it made for good TV.
Maybe I’m just pedantic but I would have knocked this episode down a grade solely for Olivia complaining at the start about being replaced as (acting or otherwise) captain.
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