Critic’s Ranking: 2 / 5.0
2
I’ve a number of bones to select with Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 17.
“Confederate Legal responsibility” revolved round giving Carisi closure. Nice.
However isn’t this present alleged to be about supporting survivors? I’m sorry, however this one was too targeted on Carisi’s ache, on the expense of its central message about empowerment.
The Tess Subplot Continued A Latest Disturbing Development
When Tess was raped in the course of the hostage scenario on Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 8, I felt like that was tacked on to the episode in an effort to justify spending a complete hour on Carisi being held hostage by robbers.
The Tess subplot on Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 17 did nothing to vary my thoughts about that — if something, it proved my level.
This isn’t the primary time in latest reminiscence that Legislation & Order: SVU has taken the place that testifying in opposition to a rapist is at all times the best selection.
That’s an unfaithful, dangerous message, and SVU is aware of higher. Benson used to inform people who it was a private selection and that testifying wasn’t at all times the trail towards therapeutic.
However on “Confederate Legal responsibility,” Tess’ well being and well-being appeared to be secondary issues.
Tess was such a large number after her rape that she was hanging out with a drug supplier and begging to return to get extra medicine after she almost died of an overdose.
Benson and Rollins’ insistence that Tess would really feel higher if she testified was gross.
As Benson is aware of and has instructed different survivors, generally an individual feels extra empowered by deciding to not take care of the authorized system—and that’s an equally legitimate selection.
There wasn’t any compelling motive for Tess to testify. ADA Rourke mentioned the rape case was weak and that she didn’t even wish to convey prices for it.
Carisi determined that he wanted to get justice for Tess as a result of he felt dangerous about not with the ability to cease the rape after they have been held hostage collectively.
That was not his place. He was not making an attempt this case, for one factor — ADA Rourke was.
Tess didn’t owe Carisi the closure he wished to really feel on the finish of the trial. She didn’t owe anybody a rattling factor — if she felt testifying can be too exhausting, she had each proper to say no with out being harassed to dying.
Was anybody stunned that she went to get excessive minutes earlier than she was alleged to take the stand? I wasn’t.
Drug dependancy is a psychological well being problem that usually includes a robust need to flee painful emotions. The cops twisting her arm to testify in a case that the ADA doesn’t even wish to transfer ahead with would doubtless set off her need to make use of.
If this story had been about Tess’ dilemma, it might need been compelling. However that’s the factor. Tess was a rape survivor, however this story wasn’t about her in any respect.
It was about Carisi’s ache and issue coping with the trauma he suffered. It’s been like that kind of all season, and I’m sick of it. I don’t suppose that Carisi’s existence or the truth that he has a storyline diminishes anybody else’s significance.
Nevertheless, his consolation shouldn’t take priority over a survivor’s proper to determine easy methods to inform her story and who she’s prepared to share it with.
Carisi Ought to Not Have Been Allowed To Name The Pictures on Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 17
At first, I chalked Carisi’s insistence on telling ADA Rourke easy methods to current the case to him understanding an excessive amount of about how the regulation works.
It’s like when a health care provider turns into a affected person — having the information to evaluate how another person with the identical job helps you could be harmful.
But it surely was greater than that. Carisi stored performing like he was the ADA on the case.
Carisi: What can we do now?
Rourke: You retain saying ‘we’ as if we’re companions. We’re not. There isn’t a we. There may be solely me, and that is my case.
Even after Rourke admonished him, he nonetheless acted like he was making an attempt the case reasonably than merely being a witness in it.
It was extremely disrespectful for him to take over like that.
It was NOT his case. His job was to testify — that’s it.
He stored performing like Rourke was incompetent, and that was unacceptable.
I do know Carisi’s been by so much, however right here’s the factor: trauma can clarify seemingly weird habits, but it surely doesn’t excuse it, and these days SVU has been making too many excuses for Carisi.
I’m positive the intention was to inform a shifting story about how trauma impacts a male survivor by utilizing a beloved character like Carisi.
But it surely isn’t coming off like that. Benson initially inspired Carisi to get assist, however dropped it after her pep discuss received him to drag himself collectively for his subsequent case.
Ever since, Carisi has been unlikable. He’s judgmental, he’s unempathetic, he’s overly aggressive.. and sure, these are trauma responses, however once more, that doesn’t make any of this okay.
Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 15’s Unrealistic Ending Didn’t Assist Something
It made sense that Deonte wasn’t discovered responsible of rape.
Clearly, he knew what Boyd was doing and did nothing to cease it, and morally, that’s gross.
However legally, he wasn’t the man who raped her, and the jury wasn’t going to convict Boyd by proxy by convicting his good friend of that.
Nevertheless, Tess’ response to that information didn’t work for me.
This was a lady who had been combating psychological well being points and drug dependancy all through the hour, and she or he was utterly high-quality after the decision got here down.
She didn’t care. She gave Carisi a hug.
And Benson mentioned that Tess had “determined to maneuver on,” as if restoration from trauma is only a matter of selecting to stroll away.
That’s extremely disappointing, contemplating how instrumental Legislation & Order: SVU has been in serving to survivors discover their voice and reclaim their energy.
The underside line was that whereas this episode was entertaining, its messaging sucked, and when your model is supporting survivors, you want to watch out to not do issues that undermine the trigger.
How Did You Really feel About Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 17?
Whether or not you agree with me or suppose I’m off-base in regards to the messaging downside on this episode, I wish to hear your ideas.
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Legislation & Order: SVU airs on NBC on Thursdays at 9/8c and streams on Peacock on Fridays.
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