Have always had a thing for promising concepts, and "Control" epitomises that to a tee. The subject is a hard hitting and creepy one and not always easy to execute well, with potential dangers of being too sleazy. While the earlier seasons in my view are better, 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' has grown on me as there are some great mid-run/late episodes (as well as misfires). The show has varied though when it comes to mixing the case with personal life issues of a team member, with dangers of dominating too much or being overwrought.
That luckily was not the case with "Control". It is one of the best episodes of Season 5, the best since "Loss" perhaps, as well as one of the most shocking and poignant. It is interesting for being one of not many early season 'Special Victims Unit' where the killer is actually not the person one hates by the end of the episode, and a great job is done with Olivia's demons and how they tie in with the case (actually just about avoiding the potential traps that personal life subjects in 'Special Victims Unit' can fall into).
"Control" has so many great things, brilliant even, the best assets being so good that it didn't matter to me too much that it was relatively clear early on that there was more to the victim than what is initially seen. It is elevated enormously by the performances. Mariska Hargitay is very moving here, up there with one of her best performances of the season and Christopher Meloni has a lovely steely yet sympathetic chemistry with her. The supporting performances are every bit as excellent, Jacqueline Bissett and Samantha Mathis are powerful in their roles (especially Mathis with more to do and with the meatier role), Austin Pendleton always played a creep well and he is suitably loathsome here and David Thornton plays one of the smarmiest defense lawyers with relish.
Also thought that the script and story were top standard. The script is intelligent, tight and thought-provoking, Olivia's dilemma really hits hard and is poignant without being too sentimental and the opening and closing statements show how well balanced the writers are on this particular issues. Olivia is very well developed here, with more learnt about her, and it is always interesting when one sees a different side to her. She wasn't out of character in my view and her chemistry with Stabler is great, love them together.
She still has her steel but she has a vulnerability in how she reacts to the situation, shows her guilt from her past mistake when it becomes personal, which was handled poignantly without it being too over-dominant. The story is an emotionally powerful one and one is left shocked and creeped out when the motive for the initial crime is revealed, that chamber of horrors and the modus operandi agreed are likely to stay in the mind a long while after. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction is sympathetic but also alert.
In summary, wonderful. 10/10
That luckily was not the case with "Control". It is one of the best episodes of Season 5, the best since "Loss" perhaps, as well as one of the most shocking and poignant. It is interesting for being one of not many early season 'Special Victims Unit' where the killer is actually not the person one hates by the end of the episode, and a great job is done with Olivia's demons and how they tie in with the case (actually just about avoiding the potential traps that personal life subjects in 'Special Victims Unit' can fall into).
"Control" has so many great things, brilliant even, the best assets being so good that it didn't matter to me too much that it was relatively clear early on that there was more to the victim than what is initially seen. It is elevated enormously by the performances. Mariska Hargitay is very moving here, up there with one of her best performances of the season and Christopher Meloni has a lovely steely yet sympathetic chemistry with her. The supporting performances are every bit as excellent, Jacqueline Bissett and Samantha Mathis are powerful in their roles (especially Mathis with more to do and with the meatier role), Austin Pendleton always played a creep well and he is suitably loathsome here and David Thornton plays one of the smarmiest defense lawyers with relish.
Also thought that the script and story were top standard. The script is intelligent, tight and thought-provoking, Olivia's dilemma really hits hard and is poignant without being too sentimental and the opening and closing statements show how well balanced the writers are on this particular issues. Olivia is very well developed here, with more learnt about her, and it is always interesting when one sees a different side to her. She wasn't out of character in my view and her chemistry with Stabler is great, love them together.
She still has her steel but she has a vulnerability in how she reacts to the situation, shows her guilt from her past mistake when it becomes personal, which was handled poignantly without it being too over-dominant. The story is an emotionally powerful one and one is left shocked and creeped out when the motive for the initial crime is revealed, that chamber of horrors and the modus operandi agreed are likely to stay in the mind a long while after. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction is sympathetic but also alert.
In summary, wonderful. 10/10