Warning: spoilers are forward for NBC’s Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 fall finale, referred to as “Cornered” and out there streaming now with a Peacock subscription.
Legislation & Order: SVU has by no means been essentially the most lighthearted present on tv, however “Cornered” was significantly devastating because it put Carisi by means of hell and again to complete the 2024 TV schedule with a hostage state of affairs. Whereas he did not come out of the disaster the worst of the individuals who had been trapped, he ended the episode visibly traumatized, and what was presumably Carisi’s most painful episode of SVU additionally often is the biggest showcase of Peter Scanavino as an actor. But I am unable to assist however be confused by the promo for the winter premiere that may air within the 2025 TV schedule.
What Carisi Went By In “Cornered”
I knew the stakes could be sky-high on this episode, not least as a result of it might be Kelli Giddish‘s first return as Amanda Rollins since what felt like her backdoor pilot earlier in Season 26. However because it seems, I actually wasn’t frightened sufficient for Carisi, and that is saying one thing! By pure happenstance, the ADA walked right into a hostage state of affairs when he dropped by a deli to select up some flowers for his paralegal on her birthday, and every part bought progressively worse from there as he tried to speak the unhealthy guys down whereas additionally hiding that he is a former NYPD cop who turned a prosecutor.
And actually, the hostage state of affairs was so intense that I sort of forgot that this was the present all about how – to cite the opening narration of the previous 26 seasons – “sexually-based offenses are thought-about particularly heinous” till the gun-wielding Boyd began leering at Tess, a younger girl who was among the many hostages, in a means that was all too acquainted for longtime viewers of SVU.
Understandably unraveling already, Carisi needed to stand there at Deonte‘s gunpoint and attempt to speak him down whereas Boyd assaulted Tess only a room away. All of the whereas, he was making an attempt to guard Benson from buying and selling herself as a hostage for him, and every part was far too shut for consolation as circumstances bought worse and worse and worse. With Carisi lastly speaking Deonte down sufficient for him to shoot Boyd, the ADA leaned on his NYPD abilities to disarm the prison earlier than falling aside.
By the tip of the episode, Carisi was making an attempt and failing to persuade Benson and Rollins that he was okay, and presumably solely convincing himself. He turned down the Particular Victims captain’s provide to set him up together with her therapist, and simply needed to see the children, though Rollins noticed that he was too rattled for it. Once they had a second alone, Rollins requested “He isn’t okay, is he?” of Benson, who merely answered “No.” And he is actually, actually not.
Earlier than I absolutely get into the winter premiere promo, some context for why I am confused: Peter Scanavino completely nailed this episode from begin to end. I believed I used to be roughly desensitized to watching SVU with out getting rattled myself, however “Cornered” bought me. I even have to present credit score to visitor star Paige Herschell, who performed Tess, as a result of her panicked screams as quickly as she was free from the deli hit laborious. Kelli Giddish’s presence heightened the emotional stakes as nicely, particularly after Rollins was all enterprise earlier in Season 26.
All in all, for as a lot as SVU is normally a serialized present except for the occasional crossover or multi-parter, the episode ending with Carisi barely holding it collectively and Rollins and Benson agreeing that he wasn’t okay felt like a setup for a storyline that was undoubtedly going to hold over into the brand new 12 months. Perhaps it was considerably wishful pondering, as I hoped to see extra of Scanavino flexing his performing muscle groups past the courtroom.
This was the sort of SVU episode that I feel was an absolute standout, however I am unsure I am going to wish to watch once more due to what the character went by means of… and that is why I used to be greatly surprised a bit by the winter promo, seen under:
Watch On
Carisi seems to be completely tremendous in all of these pictures within the preview for SVU‘s return within the new 12 months! There’s not even a glimpse of him trying significantly introspective, which I might have anticipated from a promo that aired instantly after “Cornered” ended on Rollins and Benson sadly agreeing that he wasn’t okay. I wasn’t anticipating SVU to show right into a serialized story a la what I anticipate of Legislation & Order: Organized Crime Season 5, however I’ll begin crossing my fingers that the long-running present picks up this plot in some unspecified time in the future within the again half of Season 26.
In fact, Legislation & Order‘s fall finale additionally ended on a cliffhanger for one character after which was adopted by a promo wherein she was tremendous, nevertheless it hits tougher after SVU actually pushed Carisi to the sting. For now, we are able to solely watch for each exhibits to return within the new 12 months, with their premieres on Thursday, January 16. As all the time, the unique collection airs at 8 p.m. ET adopted by SVU at 9 p.m. ET, all on NBC.