Debt
- Episode aired Sep 28, 2004
- TV-14
- 41m
The detectives are stumped by cultural barrier when smugglers hold illegal Chinese immigrants captive.The detectives are stumped by cultural barrier when smugglers hold illegal Chinese immigrants captive.The detectives are stumped by cultural barrier when smugglers hold illegal Chinese immigrants captive.
Photos
- Detective John Munch
- (credit only)
- Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D.
- (as B.D. Wong)
- Li Mei
- (as Ming-Na)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBD Wong, Ming-Na Wen, and James Hong have previously appeared together in, or rather lent their voices to, Mulan (1998) the 1998 animated movie about a girl named Mulan (Ming-Na) who impersonates a soldier to save her father from going to war, but falls for her superior officer Shang (B.D. Wong) while saving China from invaders.
- GoofsDuring the arrest scene in the pool hall, Stabler "hand cuffs" Ricky but you can see as Stabler leads Ricky out of the pool hall Ricky is holding the cuffs in his hands and wasn't actually handcuffed.
- Quotes
Elliot Stabler: Li Mei, you gotta trust me.
Li Mei: I am afraid.
Elliot Stabler: I understand that you're afraid, but I can't help you, your sister, or her daughter unless you do trust me. You've gotta tell me everything. Now let's start with Ping. How old is she?
Li Mei: Fifteen. Ping was only a baby when Jiao and her husband came here. They couldn't take her on the boat. We saved every penny to bring her to America. And then Jiao's husband left and took all our money.
Elliot Stabler: Where's Ping now?
Li Mei: I don't know.
Elliot Stabler: Come on, Hannah told you Jiao paid the man to bring her over here from China.
Li Mei: Yes, but I don't know if Ping is here.
Elliot Stabler: And the wedding money is for the smugglers, right?
Li Mei: These snakeheads charge $50,000 and until you pay off the debt, they own you.
Elliot Stabler: Now, these snakeheads, I need names.
Li Mei: I don't know.
Elliot Stabler: Li Mei, these are the people who have your sister. Now, every second you waste keeps us from finding her.
Li Mei: Please, you must believe me. I don't know. I begged her not to go. I told her that these people kill if you don't pay them back.
Elliot Stabler: Your sister took a huge risk.
Li Mei: Do you have children, Mr. Stabler?
Elliot Stabler: Yeah, I've got four.
Li Mei: Then wouldn't you deal with murderers to get your baby back?
- ConnectionsReferences The Lion King (1994)
"Debt" is not as brilliant an episode as "Birthright", but it is still absolutely great and hard hitting second episode. The subject is one of the season's toughest and one knows from even reading the premise that the episode was not going to be an easy watch. This was not unexpected well before reading the synopsis with me though, as 'Special Victims Unit' is no stranger to heavy, controversial subjects and dealing with them in a pull no punches way. Which is exactly what "Debt" did and wonderfully.
If there is one thing that "Debt" disappoints a little in, it is that Munch and Fin are rather underused, neither of them have enough screen time and their material has been a lot more entertaining and intriguing before and since.
Otherwise, "Debt" comes together wonderfully. It does so well, and that is a big understatement, in showing the incredibly dark side and world of immigration and human trafficking, the depiction of it being harrowing and terrifying. It would be explored many times throughout the show's run, but it is an issue always worth addressing and should be done so more. 'Special Victims Unit' explored it better than most shows, often in a chilling and realistically uncompromising way. There is plenty of suspense and emotion, this difficult subject is the complete opposite of sugar-coated.
Plus it contains one heck of an interrogation scene and a villain that really makes the skin crawl. Really rooted for the victims to be okay and was always on the edge of my seat. There are uniformly terrific performances from the regulars, especially Mariska Hargitay on tough and sympathetic form (vintage Olivia basically). Ming Na Wen's performance is deeply felt and Jack Wang is truly frightening, especially when being interrogated, absolutely agree many being likely to have an extreme negative reaction to his demeanour when being interrogated. "Debt" is very intelligently scripted, with a lot of intensity and a wide mix of emotion. As usual for the franchise there is a lot of talk, but it didn't feel overly-so here.
Photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone. The episode is sympathetically yet uncompromisingly directed. It was interesting to see how the case affects the SVU, especially Stabler and Huang (the latter also shines here) and how they approach it.
Summing up, truly great. 9/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 20, 2021