Reviews

This isan episode we need right now, especially when hyperfeminism is sweeping the countrry. I believe in the horrors of sexual assault, but the truth is that some stories are just that--stories. That's what happens in this episode of SVU, where a picture-perfect rape victim turns out to be the center of a campus case that is far more complicated than it appears. Seemingly deprived of free will following a night of hard partying, one college girl falls prey to the wiles of a somewhat unstable professor and a rating-hungry television reporter. There are no happy endings in this story, only grim truths about how lying and stupidity can cause as much damage as clear-cut malice.

Things go haywire for SVU as they race to first apprehend, then convict serial killer Dr. Carl Rudnick after their best witness is found in pieces. Rudnick is an engaging, hilariously funny villian as a cross-dressing M.E who has a little too much fun cutting people up. This deadly drag queen deals first with Detectives Rollins and Carisi, who finds themselves swept up in a bizarre road trip as they bring him back to prison (the diner scene is a must). Then it's on to ADA Barba and Sergeant Benson, who struggle to unravel a Looney Tunes-esque case full of hateable defense attorneys, freaky role-playing, and lost body parts. The truth eventually comes out in the world's creepiest confession, and that's not the only secret which is unearthed after Detectuve Rollins resumes her conversations with the terrifying George Yates. Blood, wigs, and more than one pregnancy reveal--for those of you who can stand the gore, this episode is an absolute must.

Usually, there's no excuse to abandon your kids in a crummy apartment for a week, especially if they're as breathlessly adorable as the two little Asian girls whom Benson and Stabler find in Chinatown. But their mother has a pretty rock-solid excuse--she's run afoul of a brutal Chinese gangster who turns illegal immigrants into debt slaves. It's up to SVU to unravel the mystery with the help of the missing woman's sister, a courageous individual determined to protect her loved ones by any means necessary. Stabler takes center stage as he struggles to get said sister's help--a task which isn't always easy, considering the gruesome lengths that the gangster will go to get what we wants. Things take a turn when it turns out that the missing woman's eldest daughter is being held captive in a brothel, with her life in grave danger. A fascinating, fast-paced episode which offers an unashamed picture of the dark world of immigration and sex workers. It's worth watching.

For an episode that takes place almost entirely inside the classroom, this episode was freaking awesome. Anyone who says otherwise is even more retarded then the women in Lewis's long list of conquests, and that's saying something. Lewis and Olivia launch into an intense courtroom battle where each onetries to pin the other as a villian in the story--and each one tells lies to supplement their story. The truly scary part is that Lewis's portrayal of Benson as a sex-crazed lunatic is almost as enthralling as the (almost) true horror story she tells about him. All the people who wrote bad reviews about this episode are stupid pieces of crap. and you don't deserve the gift that this episode is.

This was one of the first SVU episodes I ever watched, and it's still one of the best. Benson gets plunged into a dangerous hostage situation with an off-the-wall trio of kidnappers. The tension is high from start to finish, while both regulars (Barba's return alone makes this episode worth watching) and guests give superb performances. In the end, high-stakes game of wits between Benson, her boyfriend Ed, and the lead kidnapper reaches a thrilling and satisfying climax.

In this episode, the true character of Dana Lewis is revealed. The stalwart FBI agent of other episodes, she who has overcome all sorts of horrors in the name of justice, reveals her dark side in the case of a serial rapist. Whoever she was in the past, all I see is a cunning killer who ruthlessly attempts to manipulate those around her in order to conceal a ghastly crime from her past: a heartbreak-inspired temper tantrum that led her to a murder a young pregnant woman. Maybe she did feel sorry, but sorry isn't going to reanimate a two-month old fetus. At least she got the justice she deserved.

Although Latin-American racism and the Andrew Weiner scandal both influence this case, the real star is ADA Rafael Barba, who finds himself entangled in a complicated case involving his childhood friends and his ex, which reveals a surprisingly emotional side to the usually ruthless prosecutor. This us a rare episode with no real victims, dead or alive-the rape accusation which starts this whole mess is proved false, while the other women involved in the ensuing sex scandal do so willingly. The closest thing to a "victim" is Barba himself, who is forced to confront the disturbing dark side to his charming buddy, Alex Munoz, also known as the frontrunner in the upcoming election. Despite Barba's attempts to protect him, it soon becomes clear that Munoz is involved in a tangle of sexting, bribery, and child porn which turns the old friends against each other. Maybe I'm paraoid, but I couldn't help noticing how Alex and his wife Yelina (the aforementioned ex) have much heavier accents and use Spanish words far more often than Barba--almost as if they're using their race as a weapon to generate sympathy. That's definitely what Munoz does, holding fast to his claim that "Wall Street" is setting him up to the bitter end. Overall, an excellent episode centered around one of my favorite SVU characters.

This case centers on Micha Green, a beautiful young singer with a glittering career, a host of adoring fans, and a glamorous romance with hip-hop artist Caleb Bryant. The one small hitch is that Caleb is a violent, charismatic abuser who is forever bouncing in and out of jail, for everything from restraining order violation and weed posession to assault and murder. But despite the efforts of the SVU detectives and their ADA, Caleb manages to avoid serious punishment and keep Micha under his sway, leading to a devastating conclusion. This episode is engaging and fast-paced, tossing in a bit of humor to counterpoint Micha's grimly inevitable fate. It tells a sobering message about abuse and the fact that life doesn't always hive you happy ending.

Let's be honest. A family so slavishly devoted to a priest that they would marry their thirteen-year-old daughter to him would not sever all ties just because the cops tell them some things about him, no matter how horrible those things are. Overall, though, it was a decent episode. The squad is forced to investigate all the dark, juicy secrets of a picture-perfect tv family in order to find the man who molested their young daughter. The supposedly flawless Bakers (clearly based on the equally scandalous Duggars from 19 Kids and Counting) have naively surrounded themselves with all sorts of unpleasant characters, ranging from a peeping-tom cameraman to the aforementioned priest. But even the Duggars, while not pedophiles themselves--unless you count their eldest son, who has trouble keeping his hands off of his sisters--are still very creepy. Mrs. Baker can't conceive of a world where the heavily pregnant Rollins isn't married, while the Baker children are raised with a bizarre system of Virtue Balls and strictly regulated courtship (also, what is so sinful about soda that the kids can't drink it?) The show takes some pains to not cast the Bakers in an absolutely ghastly light, so as not to offend their real-life counterparts, but I don't know why they bother. From what I've read about the Duggar family, they would probably consider a show like SVU far too "inappropriate" to watch in the first place. Still, it would be interesting to know how they would react if they saw this episode. Would they be horrified by the rape of a child or just upset that Lane wasn't married when she conceived?

I'm not kidding. A nightmarish portrayal of the world where everyone is divided between soulless monsters forced to meet exacting standards and unloved chattel who are barred from success simply because of their genetic code. The worst part is that judging by the human race's breathtaking stupidity, this world is a very real possibility. It starts with simply removing diseases and ends with the removal of everything that makes life worth living--sex, diversity, flaws. The only comfort is that we're all probably going to die from overpopulation anyway, so our suffering will not be prolonged. Please, for the sake of your children and grandchildren, do not encourage eugenic modification and testing. It will send us down a slippery slope from which there is no return.

The episode takes a disturbing spin on Fifty Shades of Grey, trading consensual bondage for bondage-based rape. A erotic novelist is sexually assaulted by a talk-show host, and the ensuing investigation reveals dark secrets from both their pasts. To get justice for the victim, SVU turns to ADA Rafael Barba (Raul Esparza), a ruthless, whip-smart prosecutor who may be (if his very unusual cross-examination is proof of anything) just a little bit off the deep end. A sexy, engaging episode with which to send off Adam Baldwin.

A great episode! Nathan Harris is an incredibly engaging character, evoking pity for both him and for his potential victims. Ronald manages to be a wonderfully destestable villain in the few scenes he has. I also enjoyed seeing the arrogant Steyer knocked down a few pegs--she may not have killed anyone, but she was willing to sacrifice innocent lives to further her own career. The ending, blood-soaked as it it may be, was thrilling and satisfying in equal measure.

Reid and Harris are amazing together, and the episode does a great job of delving into both characters' unusual psyches. I would really like to see an episode where Nathan returns, knife in hand and a trail of corpses behind him. He has the potential to be a magnificently complex villain, even by the standards of this show.

A thrillingly dark and disturbing tale of incest, witchcraft, ghosts, and a cameo from Lucifer himself. James is a wonderfully deranged villain, and Catherine manages to be haunting years after her death. Our regular dish of crime solving, bloody horror, and madness is spiced with a fairytale-like quest to defeat evil and intense family drama.

James' fate is especially delicious--thrown down the very well where he tortured so many of his victims. Then there's the ominous ending; it looks like the Heathridges just can't escape the crazy, no matter what form it takes. I would really like to see Lara return in a future episode, perhaps wielding a bloody knife at her hellish boyfriend's side.

An intense, heartbreaking episode that I adored. Diana is a great villain, and both Spencer and Maeve gave thrilling performances. The episode offered an intimate look atone of the show's most interesting characters, while still providing plenty of action, police work, sexual tension, and straight-up insanity. The ending is brutal, but the episode itself is more than worth it.

This episode takes the romance and glamour of 50s movies, then puts it through the twisted lens of modern horror and crime. I liked that blend, especially when you combine the Psycho-esque at the end (the lips were a unique and fascinating touch; in your face, Norman!). The episode even manages to put a chilling note on what would rather be a heartwarming team-bonding moment at the end.

Along with the black-and-white imagery, antique decor, and costumes, the lighting and music for some of the scenes in the episode sounds like it was deliberately based from what you might hear in one of Rhett's precious films. If it was deliberate, then it was a nice touch. Overall, "Reflection of Desire" successfully blends modern with old-fashioned storytelling, creating an episode that is good as it is horrifying.

One of the most interesting things about this episode is that from a different perspective, Luke Dolan could easily be considered the hero of a spy movie. An ex-spy kicking ass and taking names while trying to protect his family from the evil men in suits and deceptive drones--that sounds a lot like the script for an action movie. When you think about it, this particular episode doesn't have a real villain--just a man who truly believes he's doing good. That isn't to say it's not awesome, because it it.

The storyline was deliciously terrifying, with plenty of horrifying twists and turns. Our unsub's delusions are as elaborate and entertaining as the episode's "real" storyline. The Reid-Maeve storyline added a touch of sweetness to the whole horror show, although there's not much that can make viewers forget the nightmarish dancing scene. I liked it a lot, but I would recommend viewers with weak stomachs to proceed with caution. Even for this show, this episode is insanely creepy.

Once again, Criminal Minds demonstrates its incredible ability to be both heartbreaking and creepy. You pity our unsub as he tries and fails to give his little girl the love she deserves, while at the same time loathe and fear him for the horrors he puts woman through. The episode manages to give a grim note to the most innocent of things--bedtime stories, childhood drawings, and the desire of parents to care for their children. The scene where the Jody cheerfully describes her father's murders--all lovingly painted on her wall and described through the lens of a fine fairy tale--was particularly horrifying. Even the end of the episode is chilling--even as the team comes home, another innocent woman is unwitting lured to her doom.