Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Haunted (2004) User Reviews

promise, priorities and some small reward - a redemption tale.

[godgirl · 9/10 · 8 July 2006]

A shooting incident in a mini-mart puts Det.Tutuola's face on the cover of newspapers as the hero who saves a young boys life.... but it brings back a old ghost from the past: a mother who never knew his name but recognised him from his picture - and who blames him for the loss of her daughter who went missing shortly after an undercover narcotics operation he was involved in collapsed for lack of evidence.

A brief visit at the hospital from Det Tutuola's estranged teenage son reinforces to him that not only were the mini-mart robbers only teenagers, but so was this missing girl...

He starts to see the girl from a parent's point of view, where, in the past, working in narcotics, she was merely a strung out junkie on the streets out of choice.

Despite his shoulder injury and with the help of a narcotics squad agent, he sets out to make things right with the angry mother and find the missing girl, but the trail only leads them to further sinister reasons to keep looking for the mother's sake...

Tutuola feels personally responsible for letting the fate of the teenage girl be decided by driving the mother away, and only his personal actions can redeem him in the eyes of a mother whose last encounter with him was a gun to head and a threat to kill her if she did not leave....

With the loss of stability in the Stabler family, the further development of the paternal instincts and background of Det Tutuola's character bring the added dimension of humanity to some otherwise quite unpleasant characters and situations....

All about Fin

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 17 February 2021]

Odafin Tutuola (known best as Fin) is not the most interesting or best developed character on the SVU, and wasn't as focused on as much as Stabler and Olivia in particular. He was hardly devoid of development though, we have had previous episodes that show a different side to him or/and when cases became particularly personal for him. Up to this point though, there were very few glimpses of his personal life. Until now with his son Ken.

"Haunted" is a wonderful episode that centres heavily around Fin while far from neglecting everybody else and the case. It is tense, emotionally impactful, develops Fin beautifully and displays some of Ice-T's best acting for the character. Not only is "Haunted" one of the best Fin-centric episodes (love all the previous ones just to say), it is one of the best of Season 6 and a wonderful episode of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' in its own right.

It has been said more than once that Fin has a side that is different to his often seen tough guy persona or his playing off dry humour one he has with Munch. He showed in episodes like "Denial" that he had a more sympathetic side and an emotional side when cases get personal for him like in "Ritual". "Haunted" is one of the finer examples of this softer and also more conflicted side, especially at the end. Great to see development to him after seeing him underused in some previous Season 6 episodes, he is always interesting when he gets development and this is some of his most interesting up to this point of the show.

This is all enhanced by Ice-T's performance. He was always perfect as Fin, especially when he was spot-lighted, and here is one of his best performances as the character. Especially in the reuniting scene, where his mix of relief and regret help make that scene a very poignant and somewhat bittersweet one. Everybody is stellar, but Ice-T dominates.

Script is taut and intelligent, as usual a lot of dialogue to digest but it doesn't feel too much. The story is tense and poignant, especially at the end.

Photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way.

A brilliant episode overall and showcases Fin beautifully. 10/10

Fin keeps a promise.

[johngmurray-57968 · 10/10 · 3 May 2021]

Excellent episode with a commanding performance by Ice T as Fin. He is recovering from a shooting when awoman,well played by Head Of The Class star Jeanetta Arnette,blasts him for not finding her missing daughter back when he was and undercover narc. Finn takes it on himself to find her with help from a hotshot youngnaco detective a good performance by a pre Good Doctor Nicholas Gonzalez. The two discover she's dead,but had a baby, and finallyreunite him with his grandmother. Excellent all the way, right from the slam bang shootout opening.

Who was the actress who played the lady that Tutuola was helping look for her grand daughter?

[Rwwood48 · 10/10 · 8 April 2009]

Who was the actress who played the Mom that Tutuola had put a gun to her head,and told her to leave while he was doing undercover work? I thought that was cool when she said "Thank You" at the end.I think his son should have stayed at the hospital to get better acquainted with his dad. Tutuola's partner should have went into the store sooner.This was a good story,with a good ending. It was nice of the captain to help out when they found there was a lab involved.This is always a good show,well acted,and pretty close to what happens in real life.I hope this show has a long running series. It's nice they have the stories change in the middle,so you don't know who the real bad guy is.