Christopher Meloni should have been nominated for an Emmy for this episode.
3 Reviews
Thin Plot, Great Acting
wrenleung4 January 2020
Secret Agent Man
bkoganbing2 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
One thing about Detective Elliott Stabler that remained constant while Christopher Meloni was on SVU. Even when he and Isabel Gillies were having problems, Meloni was always devoted to his family. So this case unnerved him plenty and understandably.
This actually starts out almost like a black comedy. The squad gets the report of the death of a young woman days before her wedding who seems to have led a normal life without any kind of real enemies who would do something like this. The parents have the answer, their prospective son-in-law worked for the CIA and he was marked for death by Moslem terrorists.
That of course intrigues the ever suspicious Richard Belzer, but both Benson and Stabler think the answer is more reasonable. They trace it to Staten Island where a man with a wife and three kids is leading a double life.
One thing about Dylan Walsh is clear. He must have some good line to persuade this woman and her parents that he's some kind of secret agent.
Then that worst kind of murderer emerges, a family annihilator as the wife who's not wrapped too tight herself and the kids are shot to death with Walsh wounded with a grazed scalp. He says that his wife Kelly Deadmon did it and killed herself.
Kudos in this episode to semi-regular forensics tech Mike Doyle who gives incontrovertible proof as to the real story.
Anyway it came down for the family oriented Elliott Stabler this one caused nightmares.
This actually starts out almost like a black comedy. The squad gets the report of the death of a young woman days before her wedding who seems to have led a normal life without any kind of real enemies who would do something like this. The parents have the answer, their prospective son-in-law worked for the CIA and he was marked for death by Moslem terrorists.
That of course intrigues the ever suspicious Richard Belzer, but both Benson and Stabler think the answer is more reasonable. They trace it to Staten Island where a man with a wife and three kids is leading a double life.
One thing about Dylan Walsh is clear. He must have some good line to persuade this woman and her parents that he's some kind of secret agent.
Then that worst kind of murderer emerges, a family annihilator as the wife who's not wrapped too tight herself and the kids are shot to death with Walsh wounded with a grazed scalp. He says that his wife Kelly Deadmon did it and killed herself.
Kudos in this episode to semi-regular forensics tech Mike Doyle who gives incontrovertible proof as to the real story.
Anyway it came down for the family oriented Elliott Stabler this one caused nightmares.
Family annihilation
TheLittleSongbird29 July 2021
Family annihilation is not unfamiliar territory for the 'Law and Order' franchise or on television, but it is very interesting and harrowing when done well and some eerily reminiscent of real life cases. A prime example being the 'Law and Order' episode "Invaders". With the right execution Season 8's "Annihilated" could have been a very tense episode, the title alone promises tension and 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' was no stranger to tension-filled episodes before and since.
"Annihilated" could have been much better and is one of those episodes that promises a lot more than it delivers. As far as Season 8 episodes go, it is one of the weaker ones. It is definitely a watchable outing, none of the 'Special Victims Unit' episodes at this stage of its run fitted this negative unwatchable distinction. But the show did have disappointments prior to "Annihilated", and "Annihilated" is another one of the disappointments and shouldn't have been.
Shall start with the good things. It is shot with the right amount of intimacy without being claustrophobic and that the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time has been great too. The music doesn't get intrusive or overwrought, even when the episode gets more dramatic. The direction doesn't try to do too much and is understated but never flat or unsure when the episode picks up.
Christopher Meloni brings his usual trademark intensity and Dylan Walsh is very good against type in a darker role. Stabler's character development interests and illuminates.
On the other hand, the case is very bland and predictable, with the truth actually being over-obvious very soon after the crime occurs. It was actually the first thing that sprung in my mind as a possibility, as someone who has seen similar scenarios in television. "Annhilated" is also rather short on twists, surprises and suspense and feels sometimes like 25-30 minutes stretched to twice as long.
The pace could have been tauter as it did feel padded out. The script needed more flow and life and less melodrama.
In conclusion, worth two watches (a first one and a rewatch) but nothing special. 5/10.
"Annihilated" could have been much better and is one of those episodes that promises a lot more than it delivers. As far as Season 8 episodes go, it is one of the weaker ones. It is definitely a watchable outing, none of the 'Special Victims Unit' episodes at this stage of its run fitted this negative unwatchable distinction. But the show did have disappointments prior to "Annihilated", and "Annihilated" is another one of the disappointments and shouldn't have been.
Shall start with the good things. It is shot with the right amount of intimacy without being claustrophobic and that the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time has been great too. The music doesn't get intrusive or overwrought, even when the episode gets more dramatic. The direction doesn't try to do too much and is understated but never flat or unsure when the episode picks up.
Christopher Meloni brings his usual trademark intensity and Dylan Walsh is very good against type in a darker role. Stabler's character development interests and illuminates.
On the other hand, the case is very bland and predictable, with the truth actually being over-obvious very soon after the crime occurs. It was actually the first thing that sprung in my mind as a possibility, as someone who has seen similar scenarios in television. "Annhilated" is also rather short on twists, surprises and suspense and feels sometimes like 25-30 minutes stretched to twice as long.
The pace could have been tauter as it did feel padded out. The script needed more flow and life and less melodrama.
In conclusion, worth two watches (a first one and a rewatch) but nothing special. 5/10.
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