Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Pandora (2003) User Reviews

Anger Forming

[nicknelson-32447 · 7/10 · 12 May 2017]

I agree with those reviewers who point out the problems with the depiction of the Czech Republic and their law enforcement.

However I think the transnational and financial basis of much child sexual abuse was handled very well.

Personally I wanted to see those abusers castrated - and I don't mean chemically.

It makes me sick that such people exist.

To Prague And Back

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 23 July 2014]

The murder of a motorist and then the subsequent murder of her husband in their home leads in a trip to Prague for Christopher Meloni and other places in the Czech Republic in search of a missing 14 year old girl. It also leads to a rough and uneasy partnership with William McNamara as the lead detective on the husband's homicide.

The motorist was a volunteer informant for the FBI and US Attorney's office on pedophiles so a lot of people want to see harm done to her. The trail takes the investigation to Prague and back.

Lothaire Bluteau is outstanding in this episode as the Czech whoremaster for kid sex. By the way see Meloni use interrogation techniques that are banned in the USA.

Not the US Embassy?

[kkeither1 · 7/10 · 30 July 2009]

I'm 99% sure that was not the US Embassy. I lived in Prague for 4 months and went there twice. The embassy does not have a view of the Charles Bridge as the bridge is almost directly east of the embassy, lengthwise, and other buildings block the view. The camera angle they used would have you believe that the embassy was right on the river either north or south of the bridge. You can walk to Charles Bridge in 5 minutes from the embassy. I would like to know what building they used. Granted, the building they used looked a lot nicer than the actual embassy. I never heard of the other town they mentioned. I guess I'll look it up.

"You've opened Pandora's Box detectives. This is huge"

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 7 October 2020]

"Pandora" was actually an episode seen quite a bit later than most of the early seasons episodes of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'. It was interesting to have a different setting and see Stabler working with somebody else other than anybody in SVU. It is an episode that seems to have divided viewers, despite the high rating here there are fans of the show here that don't care for the episode. Do applaud any episode that takes on the difficult subject of child abuse.

While not a bad episode in my view, "Pandora", even on re-watches, is somewhat disappointing. Not up to top 'Special Victims Unit' standard and actually think it is one of the weakest episodes of Season 4 (and of the show up to this point), as far as the previous episodes go only "Disappearing Acts" is worse. As said though, "Pandora" is not bad, not as bad as others have said anyhow, and does have a good deal to recommend. Including its approach to child abuse.

Can completely understand the criticisms of how the Czech Republic and its law enforcement are portrayed and actually do agree that it is rather condescending and not tactful. Up to this point of its run, 'Special Victims Unit' didn't have this problem to this extent. Was not a fan of the character of Kate, who seemed rather cold and patronising but maybe that's just me.

Although William McNamara does more than credibly as Olivia's (very, very briefly seen early on, pretty much a cameo) temporary replacement with some nice grit, the chemistry between Bishop and Stabler didn't quite catch fire and could have done with more spark. The uneasiness was taken a little too much to extremes and it felt somewhat disconnected instead.

However, there was a lot that worked. 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. Enough of the script is intelligently done and intriguing, even if it took itself a little too seriously at times.

Did appreciate that at least the actual case was handled with tact and didn't hold back on the tension or emotional power. The character of Claudia Williams returns and she works much better and is more likeable than she was in "Disappearing Acts", more professional and more likeable. Christopher Meloni is excellent as is a chilling Lothaire Bluteau. Pam Grier does very well too.

In conclusion, not bad but a long way from great in my view. 6/10

Rape and Murder Turned Into Something More Dangerous

[shelbythuylinh · 7/10 · 11 December 2021]

As that over in Elliott and his temporary partner Sam Bishop a homicide detective investigate since it is the latter's turf and it leads to an online pedophile not just on a national level but international there with children at the target and victimize.

As it leads Elliott to work with the Czech Republic there to nail and working with the authorities there.

At least Claudia and Elliott worked well this time. And both of them put aside their own egos in order to catch the network of these sickos. Elliott urged that they work together and not act like children.

Really wished Pam Grier was back on there.

Nice plot, shame about the script

[greatwhitelandshark · 4/10 · 7 October 2006]

It's probably best that non of this episode was filmed in the Czech Republic as the cast and crew would have been in danger of being lynched by angry Czechs.

Despite taking place more than ten years after the fall of communism and being set in what was always one of the most liberal and cosmopolitan former Warsaw Pact countries the writers trot out all the Cold War clichés, children can be bought and sold for a couple of dollars, the police are either incompetent or corrupt and everyone wears a fur hat.

The writers also seem to have no idea of how law enforcement occurs or how police act outside of the USA. The idea that a European police force is going to let armed foreigners run around arresting people, that interviews are done in what looks like a dingy cellar without a representative of the local force being present and, most of all, that visiting American coppers are going to be permitted to beat information out of a suspect is ridiculous to the point of stupidity.

They also seem not to have spared five minutes to perform a google search into what Europol is. The organisation is depicted as some sort of trans-national FBI whose agents travel Europe undertaking investigations and making arrests when in reality it's nothing more than an information service for Europe's national police services.

This episode had a strong central idea but to anyone outside the US and probably more than a few inside it the amateurish effort that ended up on the screen is a major letdown.

Clumsy, lazy writing

[finnbarius · 4/10 · 4 June 2009]

I have to agree with the Peter Hall's review.

This is a poor episode of an otherwise pretty good series.

The patronising and, frankly, insulting portrayal of the Czech Republic is a travesty. Any Czech watching this episode would probably wonder if the writers could be sued for such a pejorative and offensive distortion.

There are so many other little things wrong, too, which make it lack credibility.

Example : The supposed Europol detective/agent/employee is clearly meant to have an English accent rather than American, yet she says "entrepen-oor". Only somebody who spoke American English would use that pronunciation. The English pronounce it "entrepen-urr", as the French do.

It may seem trivial, but it's the lack of attention to minor details like this which draw attention to the clumsiness of the appalling clichés.

If you can suspend your disbelief to the required degree, you'll probably enjoy the episode, but I advise you to have a large pinch of salt handy to take it with.

Agree it was not that good but not that bad!

[ShelbyTMItchell · 5/10 · 24 October 2009]

Wonder if the Czech Republic will sue as you know how Hollywood can be about the way they act. Meaning that they don't take into consideration. As we only see Liv in the first five minutes or less. Then she disappears. Elliot is working with a temporary partner from homicide since that is his turf. As the feds are working with a young girl to help them nab a child predator distributing porn. And that how can the US Attorney's Office obtain a passport when in fact, only the State Department can do that. Liked the temporary partner despite him being a jerk in the beginning. He mellowed out considerably during the end. Also Pam Grier's character whom I didn't like in the first time we saw her, also mellowed out a bit. And was a lot more nicer and helpful. Guess US Attorney's Office seems to show a better than thou attitude as Hollywood would love to portray them to be.