It was hard to not expect a lot from Season 3 of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'. Considering that the previous two seasons were consistently decent to superb and also because the previous season's finale "Scourge" was a sizzler of a finale that left such a big impact on first watch and still does. It is completely understandable as to why anybody that loved the previous two seasons and that episode would expect a lot from Season 3's opener "Repression".
Which turned out to be a solid and very well done one, lots of things to admire here and there is much genuine emotion. "Repression" though doesn't quite start Season 3 off on a bang and doesn't quite have the amount of tension that one kind of expects for a season opener and for this premise. It is a fairly subdued episode in comparison but one can understand considering the timing, with it having to be pushed back because of 9/11.
As said, it could have perhaps done with a little more tension once more things were revealed.
Perhaps too it could have been a little more clearer as to whether the prime suspect was actually innocent completely or not, though admittedly strong feelings to the contrary were felt once the truth about another character came out.
"Repression" as ever for 'Special Victims Unit' though is slickly made, even more polished than the already improved standard of the second season's production values. The music doesn't over-emphasise too much the more dramatic moments, never drowning out the dialogue, and is only used when needed which is not a lot really. The dialogue is the kind well worth hearing, the tautness and thought probing still remaining.
Despite the need for more tension, the story is compelling and makes one both sad and angry. One really feels sorry for the daughters for the suffering the family goes through and Dr Warden is a character one really hates by the end of the episode, the truth about her shocking to the core. The regular characters and how they work together don't disappoint in any shape or form, Munch and Fin are so delightful together and an individual highlight scene is when Cragen finds out about the charges. All the performances are great, Mariska Hargitay is as good as she was in the previous two seasons while the moving Amy Irving and nasty Shirley Knight give particularly strong supporting turns.
Summing up, very solid season opener but could have been even better. 8/10
Which turned out to be a solid and very well done one, lots of things to admire here and there is much genuine emotion. "Repression" though doesn't quite start Season 3 off on a bang and doesn't quite have the amount of tension that one kind of expects for a season opener and for this premise. It is a fairly subdued episode in comparison but one can understand considering the timing, with it having to be pushed back because of 9/11.
As said, it could have perhaps done with a little more tension once more things were revealed.
Perhaps too it could have been a little more clearer as to whether the prime suspect was actually innocent completely or not, though admittedly strong feelings to the contrary were felt once the truth about another character came out.
"Repression" as ever for 'Special Victims Unit' though is slickly made, even more polished than the already improved standard of the second season's production values. The music doesn't over-emphasise too much the more dramatic moments, never drowning out the dialogue, and is only used when needed which is not a lot really. The dialogue is the kind well worth hearing, the tautness and thought probing still remaining.
Despite the need for more tension, the story is compelling and makes one both sad and angry. One really feels sorry for the daughters for the suffering the family goes through and Dr Warden is a character one really hates by the end of the episode, the truth about her shocking to the core. The regular characters and how they work together don't disappoint in any shape or form, Munch and Fin are so delightful together and an individual highlight scene is when Cragen finds out about the charges. All the performances are great, Mariska Hargitay is as good as she was in the previous two seasons while the moving Amy Irving and nasty Shirley Knight give particularly strong supporting turns.
Summing up, very solid season opener but could have been even better. 8/10