Reviewer Rating: 4/5.0
4
I agree with Benson. It was great to see Rollins.
This scores high in the review for Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 3 because let’s be honest, it’s always better when Rollins shows up.
However, this is not a typical SVU case. It doesn’t quite reach the level of a spin-off backdoor pilot, but something feels off.
‘Law & Order Us: SVU’ Season 26 Episode 3 Review Verdict: This case would fit better on another Dick Wolf show
SVU got involved because one of the victims was raped, but the case wasn’t solely focused on that, though Benson insisted to Rollins that it was her priority.
The search for international terrorists who rob and sometimes rape people seems more like what the FBI has been doing in recent weeks, and the Albanian mob angle reminded me of Season 2 of Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Of course, there are aspects of this story that fit perfectly into the usual SVU tropes.
Benson’s support for the victims and her insistence that finding the rapist is more important than making sure terrorists don’t get on the plane is typical of Benson, even though she and Rollins have no real reason to disagree.
Rollins: DNA is probably our only chance of getting these people.
Benson: I understand, Sergeant, but all I care about is finding the person who raped Nora Fletcher.
If Rollins wants to make sure criminals don’t leave New York, and one of the criminals is a rapist, what’s the problem?
Benson and Rollins don’t need to clash for the sake of drama.
This nonsense cost them a few points in the review of Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 3, and more importantly, because Benson talks to Rollins like she’s a wimp ‘s random cop, not someone who worked at SVU for ten years before changing jobs.
Their argument didn’t last long.
Still, it makes no sense and seems written to fulfill a silly TV trope that doesn’t quite fit into the story of police from different departments fighting over whose case is more important.
Rollins and her new partner were the best part of the hour
Even though this was a bit of a backdoor pilot, I liked Rollins and her new partner so much that I wanted more.
I’d love a Rollins-centric crossover on any Dick Wolf show, especially if she brought Corgan along.
Although appalled by the depravity involved in the case, he got along well with everyone and had a great attitude.
Fin: Do you want to be honored?
Corgan: Hell no. I’m in the intelligence service. We keep it clean.
His banter with Fin was particularly funny and elevated the episode, earning him a lot of points in this review of Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 3.
The Most Shocking Part of Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 3: What the Husband Didn’t Do
It appears that the husband was involved in the robbery and rape almost from the beginning.
He let the robbers in without checking who was at the door, made his wife fulfill their demands, and had a complicated financial motive that I only half-believed.
Even after it turned out that his business manager was the bad guy, I didn’t believe him, and half expected Benson and Nora’s final scene to be about Benson encouraging Nora to make a plan to escape safely from her abusive husband.
The only plot twist here is James’ innocence.
He’s an overprotective guy who worries about the state of the world, but despite how many red flags he raises almost every time he opens his mouth, he’s not committing a crime.
As usual, Benson went out of his way to support the victims
Benson’s interactions with Nora and her friend Valerie are standard SVU fare, but there wasn’t much to it in this episode.
I love that Benson goes the extra mile to provide help and support to survivors who feel helpless in the face of what’s happened to them.
Nora needs Benson’s encouragement to put herself first after her trauma, but Valerie also needs a pep talk.
The conflict between Nora and Valerie presents a dilemma with no easy answer.
As a survivor, Nora has a right to privacy and the right to decide who she tells her story to, including the police.
Yet Valerie tries to be a good friend by reporting injustices that Nora is afraid to report, especially considering that Nora’s silence is due to her fear of upsetting her husband.
Nora’s need to keep James calm at all costs is bad for her mental health and a strong sign that there’s some abuse going on.
But Valerie chooses to tell the police what happened to Nora, which makes Nora feel even more powerless at a time when she needs to have as much control over her situation as possible.
Well done, SVU, for raising this dilemma without explicitly giving the right answer.
Xu things
As usual, I want to end this review of Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 3 with some random thoughts.
- Silva is out for the second consecutive week. What’s the point of introducing her in the premiere if she’s going to disappear later?
- I know this is how romance works in police procedurals, but Carisi seemed strangely formal and distant in calling Rollins by her last name when questioning her about the case.
- I was extremely disappointed because we didn’t get to see any real Raleigh West family scenes. Rollins obviously works long hours and rarely sees her family, but this episode was great timing.
Over to you, Law & Order: SVU fanatics. What do you think of Rollins’ return?
Vote in our poll to rate this episode, then voice your thoughts in the comments.
“Law & Order: SVU” airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC and Fridays on Peacock.
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