The penultimate episode of Season 14 "Brief Interlude" has garnered mixed reviews online, more mixed to positive here but fans elsewhere did not think too highly of it. On first watch, it to be perfectly honest didn't do an awful lot for me while not considering it one of the season's (an uneven one) worst episodes. The ending saved it, but to me on first watch the episode seemed bland and over-stretched and even most of the acting struck me as flat.
My very conflicted to fairly negative feelings on first viewing haven't changed all that much unfortunately. "Brief Interlude" isn't an awful episode and there are far worse ones of the season, but it really could have been so much better. Especially considering that the season did have glimpses of brilliance in four or so episodes and the premise didn't sound too bad. Somehow though, the execution just didn't fully ignite, and this is being said with regret.
"Brief Interlude" has good things. It is a visually slick episode, typical for 'Special Victims Unit' (or at least up to this point) and the 'Law and Order' franchise, and one with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable.
Am usually not a fan of Richard Thomas, but both his guest supporting turns on 'Special Victims Unit' really impressed me (one of them being completely against type). He is better in Season 1's "Scourge", one of the best guest turns in one of that season's best episodes, but here he is affecting. Especially at the end, which is incredibly touching and is what saves the episode primarily. The truth was also unexpected and different, though on first viewing the perpetrator's motive seemed trivial (not so much now).
However, there are too many drawbacks. The regulars are not on form, pretty much all of them coming over as tired (even Mariska Hargitay), and the same applies with their chemistry. Thomas' performance here is the only one that did much for me. Too much of the dialogue is bland, too talky and tends to over-explain and state the blatantly obvious.
Too much of the story is dull in momentum, due to being too thin for the length (this could have been done in half an hour quite easily) and scenes early on being over-stretched. When it comes to the surprises, only the truth shocks. Everything else is been there done that. Really did not like Olivia here, coming over as too rude and aggressive for no real reason.
Overall, watchable but not much more than that. 5/10.
My very conflicted to fairly negative feelings on first viewing haven't changed all that much unfortunately. "Brief Interlude" isn't an awful episode and there are far worse ones of the season, but it really could have been so much better. Especially considering that the season did have glimpses of brilliance in four or so episodes and the premise didn't sound too bad. Somehow though, the execution just didn't fully ignite, and this is being said with regret.
"Brief Interlude" has good things. It is a visually slick episode, typical for 'Special Victims Unit' (or at least up to this point) and the 'Law and Order' franchise, and one with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable.
Am usually not a fan of Richard Thomas, but both his guest supporting turns on 'Special Victims Unit' really impressed me (one of them being completely against type). He is better in Season 1's "Scourge", one of the best guest turns in one of that season's best episodes, but here he is affecting. Especially at the end, which is incredibly touching and is what saves the episode primarily. The truth was also unexpected and different, though on first viewing the perpetrator's motive seemed trivial (not so much now).
However, there are too many drawbacks. The regulars are not on form, pretty much all of them coming over as tired (even Mariska Hargitay), and the same applies with their chemistry. Thomas' performance here is the only one that did much for me. Too much of the dialogue is bland, too talky and tends to over-explain and state the blatantly obvious.
Too much of the story is dull in momentum, due to being too thin for the length (this could have been done in half an hour quite easily) and scenes early on being over-stretched. When it comes to the surprises, only the truth shocks. Everything else is been there done that. Really did not like Olivia here, coming over as too rude and aggressive for no real reason.
Overall, watchable but not much more than that. 5/10.