But it has one saving grace -- when Benson is questioned by a teacher using exactly the same presumptions and hard-hitting suspicion she uses all the time on innocent-until-proven-guilty people she's interrogating, she melts down. Yes, Mariska Hargitay's weird, face folding, scene chewing acting is horrible, but it's nice to see the hypocritical Benson be forced to take a dose of her own judgmental medicine.
Unfortunately, the scene quickly caves, with the teacher smiling and saying she believes Benson because, well, Benson and Hargitay is a producer. A show with more courage would have just let her stew for a while so we can decide whether to believe it or not.
Anyway, the rest is just a meandering plot with some stereotypes, like the low rent blond and her beer swilling pig of a husband. Remember when SVU tried on some level to exist in the real world? Now it's all soap opera.
Unfortunately, the scene quickly caves, with the teacher smiling and saying she believes Benson because, well, Benson and Hargitay is a producer. A show with more courage would have just let her stew for a while so we can decide whether to believe it or not.
Anyway, the rest is just a meandering plot with some stereotypes, like the low rent blond and her beer swilling pig of a husband. Remember when SVU tried on some level to exist in the real world? Now it's all soap opera.