S22.E16: Wolves In Sheep's Clothing - Law & Order: SVU

I was afraid all episode that Garland was going to collapse of a heart attack, he was not looking good, even clutching his chest a few times. It sucks watching Garland going through so much, with the asshole old guard going after him and now someone he respected being revealed to be a terrible person the way his reverend was, but I do like that he is getting a storyline and I am never going to complain about a bunch of racist old men getting taken down. I just hope this doesn't end up him getting written off or even killed so that Benson can save the day at the end, but at least its a story with potential. It feels like they are actually going to try and say something about the issue of institutionalized racism and police brutality instead of just awkwardly throwing it out there because they feel like they have to, which does a real disservice to the actual important issue. I am also annoyed that its another plot where you need to watch Organized Crime to get the full picture, just because I don't like when shows try to force me to watch another show to follow the show I'm watching on a regular basis. Even when I watch both shows anyway. 

The case of the week was pretty solid, even if I wish it had gotten a bit more screen time. The acting was all really good from the guest stars, especially the women playing the main victim, and I appreciated the diversity of the victims and perps as well as calling attention to the issues surrounding housing. The scheme itself was seriously messed up, especially as these poor women thought that they were getting this perfect deal but with an enormous clause, and it all being arranged by a women who was supposed to be helping homeless people just makes it even worse. I am surprised that we had two unsympathetic female villains in a row, and both of them very different in motive and crime as well. The actress playing the main bad guy was really good, I wanted to get a bit more of her when she was unmasked as the ringleader. She was "helping" women by forcing them into being sex slaves so that they can have a place to live? And she think that makes her the hero in all of this? What a hot take. This was also another episode where the detectives spend a lot of time investigating crimes where no one is actually reporting a crime or asking for help, and while its good that they try to get justice when there is clearly something bad happening, I really don't know how realistic it is. Is it the NYPD's policy to investigate the claims of every old busy body complaining about their neighbors on the off chance that the neighbor is being forced into prostitution? 

The show seriously must have a new continuity person, because its amazing how much more continuity the show is breaking out lately, this week with the ex of the vet who shot his daughters rapist showing up. I did want to get a bit of follow up with her though, did she get her daughter back? Or has the process even started? That's something that show has done a lot the last few seasons, they just seem to forget characters and plot lines because they get distracted by other things. 

 Then of course the big ending which basically becomes a romance novel for the last five minutes. I don't hate Rollins/Carisi like some people do, but they have negative chemistry and honestly Carisi can do better. Does he really want to be dragged into the hot mess that is the Rollins family? Or the hot mess that is Rollins herself? We don't really know much about Carisi's kind of girlfriend but she has been rubbing me the wrong way in both her first appearance and her in offscreen land, so its not that he has many good options, but I really just don't want this romance to start taking up too much time and dragging Carisi into Rollins drama. The over the top schmaltzy camera spinning as they kissed just makes it feel really silly, like its turned into a full on rom com instead of a cop show. Then of course we get Benson/Stabler shipper baiting, and they really just need to get them together or don't. Its also more of the "you have to watch both shows" stuff that I mentioned I dislike. Not that I am annoyed that Stabler was there, it makes sense for him to be at Finn's wedding, but this double show overarching "epic" of Benson/Stabler is just so not working for me. I still don't buy this huge romance, I know that they had an intense connection and all but its been a whole decade since they saw each other, if they are true loves they really need to take things slow. 

I am glad that Finn and Phoebe are going strong at least, even if they decided not to get married and just keep up the good thing they have going for them. In general there were a lot of nice character moments, like Carisi working on the wedding speech all episode (I do feel bad that he only got to do it for Rollins) and while Benson of course had to get her "victim cries into her arms" moment, she was mostly pretty professional and I appreciated her support with Garland. Not a bad season finale, but with a lot of eye rolling elements.   

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