User Reviews

Sarah Booth is an American Ranger on leave home, presumably from Afghanistan and she's at that most masculine of leisure time activities a fight club. On the way home some other person participating decides to assert his male privilege and rapes her.

This episode is about the survivor more than the crime itself. Booth is a Ranger all the way and she struggles with the fact she's also a victim and hurting. But an army ranger is not supposed to show any weakness.

This is one of Mariska Hargitay's finest moments in the history of SVU and also Ice-T's because before he became a rapper and an actor he was also an army ranger. There are many ways to show strength of character and Mariska shows her how.

One to stand up and cheer Mariska Hargitay for.

In Svu, the stories of female soldiers in the army are always dark gray, solid and intense.

This episode is equally impressive and gripping. It's not a very strong episode, it's an average episode. The soldier this time is as hard as an iron, very, very sharp. She sees the recovery in her military duty. Olivia has a hard time reaching her.

The story progresses in Svu format until the last few minutes. In the last minutes, however, we see that the female soldier has been persuaded. This persuasion is more formal, very militaristic. Recent statements sound like a patriotic informative public announcement... not sincere. It could have been more candid.

However, instead of being ashamed, I support being a role model and an example of courage in the society.

It is tragic and ironic that Fin's phrase Rangers lead the way was uttered by the female soldier victim.

Was disappointed by most of the first half of Season 18. The opener was promising, but the next five episodes ranged between average to weak before improving a little between "Next Chapter" and "Great Expectations" (despite no great episodes). "No Surrender" is another one of those Season 18 episodes that did little for me on first watch and was not watched with high expectations on my rewatch of the season to see how it held up and whether any episodes improved or worsened.

"No Surrender" fared pretty much the same on rewatch, meaning still not caring for it for the same reasons (some being also general issues with the season). It is not a terrible episode for me as there are a few things that work, but a lot does not and it is a below average outing overall. As far as Season 18, which was not great, goes, "No Surrender" is one of the weakest episodes (though others did fare worse, including Episodes 2-5).

Am going to start with the good. The 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 regulars are very good and do valiantly with what they are given.

However, there are too many shortcomings for me to recommend "No Surrender". The case is very thin and predictable, with no tension or suspense. It is also hurt by that it is very difficult here to sympathise with the victim, she isn't given much depth so we don't get to know her. Also felt Sarah Booth's performance to be on the cartoonish side. The dialogue is mundane and has the subtlety of an axe.

Sticking out like a very sore thumb too is the heavy handed and one sided portrayal of the military, 'Special Victims Unit' do not have a great track record when it comes to its portrayal of the military (the original 'Law and Order' however has generally been very tactful in this regard) and "No Surrender" is one of the worst examples. The episode really should have been Fin centric, considering his background it would have made a lot more sense for him to be the lead. Instead he is far too under utilised. The lead instead is Olivia, and here this is a good example of how increasingly unlikeable she became since her promotion, for reasons given in my reviews for the previous Season 18 episodes and for some of those from the previous two seasons.

Very disappointing all in all. 4/10.