User Reviews

The people complaining about the line Benson uses on Lila, how most women are in prison because of men's lies, completely missed the point of the line, and I enjoy the fact that it shows Benson blurring ethical lines.

Someone who has been manipulated is most likely to respond to manipulation, which is exactly what Benson did when using that line.

A young woman is strangled and apparently humiliated during the crime. The latter is what brings the SVU squad in on the case.

The trail leads back to an empowerment group for professional women, that's headed by a man. Sebastian Roche heads the group and what it really is is a Wall Street Manson family. This Roche plays some piece of work.

Kelli Giddish is now pregnant causing some personnel problems for Mariska Hargitay. And she's having other problems with a growing Noah.

You'll not forget Roche in this story.

One of the biggest appeals of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' has been the topics it addresses and issues that come with the topics addressed. Also with how they are explored, the execution more often than not was hardly sugar coated or trivialised and was often pull no punches in quality. "Accredo" was definitely one of those kinds of episodes of having difficult subjects and exploring them (mostly) in a way that doesn't compromise. This is one of those quite liked but not loved it episodes on first watch.

It was pretty much the same when rewatching Season 20, which was more or less overall on rewatch what was felt about it on first watch (wasn't really blown away, despite a couple of great episodes like "Alta Kockers"). There are some 'Special Victims Unit' episodes that have one half that is better than the other, sometimes by a little but at other times significantly. "Accredo" is one of those tale of two halves kinds of episodes and to the latter extent (so significantly this time).

"Accredo" has a lot of good things. 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 episode is sympathetically yet uncompromisingly directed.

Enough of the writing is thought probing and uncompromising while not being too soapy. Actually had no problem with Olivia's line on Lila, which was indeed a case of the manipulated responding to manipulation. The balance of personal life drama and the case are handled quite well, did appreciate that the former didn't dominate too much and while the case is far from perfectly executed it compels in general. The first half is particularly compelling, as well as tense. The acting is very good from the regulars and the team interaction is cohesive and intriguing. Sebastian Roche makes strong unnerving impact.

However, while the first half is great the second isn't so much. The episode runs out of steam here, where it lost its momentum (so the pace was duller) and the case became very predictable. Also thought it was wrapped up too neatly and easily.

Didn't buy how unrealistically easily the GPS data was obtained, personally think it wasn't by professional means either. Rollins can come over as too whiny.

Overall, starts off great but runs out of steam. 6/10.

Wow, did Olivia really say most of the women in prison is because they believed a man's lies. Is this show really about a women's Empowerment Group lead by a man, that is a cult. WTF?! I am insulted as a woman, that all of my problems in life is the fault of men.

"Accredo" is one of those many recent SVU episodes that lurks near the surface of relevance but ultimately just sinks into a quagmire of pandering. The gist is a cult leader brainwashes otherwise intelligent women into becoming sex slaves.

As part of that social justice theme -- bad man holding down even successful women in the patriarchy -- it misses some of the other obvious social justice dimensions, as this cult only seems to be made up of privileged White people (in turn being investigated by Benson and Rollins). So, is the message that men bully women or that White people only flock to each other and keep others out of their inner circle?

The problem with pandering is who the show panders to may also become obvious. And that ain't pretty, either.