The previous episode "Repression" was a very solid premiere to Season 3. Expectations were high, with the previous two seasons being near-consistently good to superb (with only four disappointments that were still above average), and those high expectations were mostly high watching "Repression". So understandably there were high hopes too for "Wrath", when a season starts off as well as Season 3 of 'Special Victims Unit' it is hard to not want any following episodes to be equally good or even better.
Even better Season 3's second episode "Wrath" turned out to be. It is an excellent episode, very powerful in atmosphere and emotion. 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' tends to vary when it comes to having cases that get personal for the detectives. There are ones that show movingly how a case gets to them and where one really understands how they feel and their actions. And there are also personal episodes where the unprofessionalism gets extreme and unrealistic. Mostly "Wrath" is an example of the former and is excellent for many other reasons too.
"Wrath" is well made, unobtrusively scored (the theme tune is memorable) and sympathetically directed. What really does stand out is the acting, especially the powerhouse performance of Mariska Hargitay. She intensely and movingly shows how such a personal case gets to somebody, in Olivia's case this is as personal as one can get and one of her most personal (her previous most personal cases being "Stalked" and "Abuse").
It is also thoughtfully scripted and the story is hugely absorbing throughout. The more urgency there is, the more the tension builds. Which is nail-biting in the build up to the climax and most of the climax itself. "Wrath" is also a tear-jerker, especially when seeing how much the case affects Olivia and how we see how much Stabler cares for her evidenced in the outcome.
Some may not like that Olivia is not particularly professional here, including facing a very dangerous situation with no back-up, and some have felt that she over-reacted at the end. Personally interpreted them as the pressure of the case getting to her, causing her to not think straight, and what happens at the end was just the tip of the iceberg.
For me, only the slightly rushed and anti-climactic outcome underwhelmed a little.
Otherwise, excellent. 9/10
Even better Season 3's second episode "Wrath" turned out to be. It is an excellent episode, very powerful in atmosphere and emotion. 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' tends to vary when it comes to having cases that get personal for the detectives. There are ones that show movingly how a case gets to them and where one really understands how they feel and their actions. And there are also personal episodes where the unprofessionalism gets extreme and unrealistic. Mostly "Wrath" is an example of the former and is excellent for many other reasons too.
"Wrath" is well made, unobtrusively scored (the theme tune is memorable) and sympathetically directed. What really does stand out is the acting, especially the powerhouse performance of Mariska Hargitay. She intensely and movingly shows how such a personal case gets to somebody, in Olivia's case this is as personal as one can get and one of her most personal (her previous most personal cases being "Stalked" and "Abuse").
It is also thoughtfully scripted and the story is hugely absorbing throughout. The more urgency there is, the more the tension builds. Which is nail-biting in the build up to the climax and most of the climax itself. "Wrath" is also a tear-jerker, especially when seeing how much the case affects Olivia and how we see how much Stabler cares for her evidenced in the outcome.
Some may not like that Olivia is not particularly professional here, including facing a very dangerous situation with no back-up, and some have felt that she over-reacted at the end. Personally interpreted them as the pressure of the case getting to her, causing her to not think straight, and what happens at the end was just the tip of the iceberg.
For me, only the slightly rushed and anti-climactic outcome underwhelmed a little.
Otherwise, excellent. 9/10
