I love the fact that when they found the diamonds Elliot said "so those are a girls best friend." because it's a reference to Jayne Mansfield, who is Mariska's (Olivia)mother. Aside from that, the plot of this episode is really good. the addition of more victims was a good idea, plus I always love when stories are partially based on real events. using the video evidence topped it off. some problems seem to be the predictability at some points, for example, finding the diamonds, having more victims, etc. but I feel that will be any episode involving crime investigation. add on this cast and guest stars you have a all around good episode.
5 Reviews
Porn made him do it
bkoganbing15 December 2013
Kelly Hu becomes one of the rape victims, the latest that the SVU squad catches the case for. At first it's thought that she's a robbery victim as well since she was carrying $700,000.00 in diamonds on her as a bonded messenger. But the perpetrator never even looked inside the sealed part of her purse.
No Michael Trucco had his own agenda going here, he not only rapes them, but he drugs them with scopallimine so they don't even remember the event which Hu doesn't. But he also tapes the encounter. If Hu hadn't been found disheveled and unconscious who knows how many more victims Trucco would have racked up.
Christina Ebersole's defense of him is that Trucco's addiction to porn made him do it. The rapist version of the Twinkie defense. In fact we learn that Judge John Cullum likes some raunchy porn himself which provides a bump on the road to justice.
It all gets resolved in the end, but Trucco is truly one loathsome character, one of the worst SVU ever dealt with.
No Michael Trucco had his own agenda going here, he not only rapes them, but he drugs them with scopallimine so they don't even remember the event which Hu doesn't. But he also tapes the encounter. If Hu hadn't been found disheveled and unconscious who knows how many more victims Trucco would have racked up.
Christina Ebersole's defense of him is that Trucco's addiction to porn made him do it. The rapist version of the Twinkie defense. In fact we learn that Judge John Cullum likes some raunchy porn himself which provides a bump on the road to justice.
It all gets resolved in the end, but Trucco is truly one loathsome character, one of the worst SVU ever dealt with.
Remembering and forgetting
TheLittleSongbird17 November 2021
Anybody who has read any of my other reviews for for example individual episodes of the 'Law and Order' shows, am slowly working my way through writing reviews for all the episodes of 'Law and Order, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' with a long way to go, will know already how much admiration there is from me for anything that tackles difficult and controversial themes and issues. The topic here did sound interesting and quite brave.
"Smut" however is one of those episodes that could have handled its difficult topic a lot better than it did, it succeeds at being uncompromising which is good and the perpetrator effectively gives one the creeps. But the execution in "Smut" too often didn't come over as particularly tasteful, and neither did some of the character attitudes. Is it one of the worst episodes of Season 10? No. One of the best? Again no, this is another somewhere in between effort where its efforts were appreciated but with issues had.
There are plenty of good things here. It is well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse. Much of the script is tight and intelligent, with Lutz's making one's skin crawl and it did give me chills later.
The story here is very dark and disturbing, doing nothing to sugar coat a disturbing subject and holds nothing back (though admittedly at times it goes a little too far). Did enjoy the character interaction within the SVU, namely the tensions between Stabler and Olivia, and Fin has a few great lines, such as the choirboy one. Can't fault the performances on the whole, with Michael Trucco being legitimately frightening.
However, "Smut" to me could have been a good deal better. Parts of the story don't quite add up, such as the access to the server which is never really explained. The big reveal at the end could have been revealed earlier, like at the trial, and could have been explored more. It is clever and unexpected but the way it's introduced and placed just felt too late.
While there is the disturbingly uncompromising shock value with the videos (and they are definitely enough to make one squirm), they are for my liking used rather too much and felt more of a cheap way of getting to the truth and of remembering. Really did not like how unsympathetic and tactless Stabler was throughout, like his confrontation with the husband. Greylek and Micaela McManus' wooden acting are still deadweights.
Concluding, definitely worth a look but not an essential. 6/10.
"Smut" however is one of those episodes that could have handled its difficult topic a lot better than it did, it succeeds at being uncompromising which is good and the perpetrator effectively gives one the creeps. But the execution in "Smut" too often didn't come over as particularly tasteful, and neither did some of the character attitudes. Is it one of the worst episodes of Season 10? No. One of the best? Again no, this is another somewhere in between effort where its efforts were appreciated but with issues had.
There are plenty of good things here. It is well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse. Much of the script is tight and intelligent, with Lutz's making one's skin crawl and it did give me chills later.
The story here is very dark and disturbing, doing nothing to sugar coat a disturbing subject and holds nothing back (though admittedly at times it goes a little too far). Did enjoy the character interaction within the SVU, namely the tensions between Stabler and Olivia, and Fin has a few great lines, such as the choirboy one. Can't fault the performances on the whole, with Michael Trucco being legitimately frightening.
However, "Smut" to me could have been a good deal better. Parts of the story don't quite add up, such as the access to the server which is never really explained. The big reveal at the end could have been revealed earlier, like at the trial, and could have been explored more. It is clever and unexpected but the way it's introduced and placed just felt too late.
While there is the disturbingly uncompromising shock value with the videos (and they are definitely enough to make one squirm), they are for my liking used rather too much and felt more of a cheap way of getting to the truth and of remembering. Really did not like how unsympathetic and tactless Stabler was throughout, like his confrontation with the husband. Greylek and Micaela McManus' wooden acting are still deadweights.
Concluding, definitely worth a look but not an essential. 6/10.
Good episode but stabler is so disappointing
queen_key20 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
First off Elliot could never understand what it'll be like in a victim's position (yes he could be r@ped but in his case I don't ever think he would he's strong af & almost always has a weapon) but in this case he didn't understand where Olivia or Lauren was coming from & I just feel like he was over stepping.
Sh-t would be a better title for this one!
zacdawac10 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, so porn is an addiction and watching too much of it is an excuse for violently raping women? I've never heard of a lawyer presenting a defense like "he was hooked on heroin so he couldn't help himself from robbing the convenience store!" How about "he watched too many John Wayne movies so of course, he walked into a gambling casino with a machine gun and shot every native American in sight?!" That this line of defense would even be presented, much less allowed by a judge not only defines ridiculous but it also insults and further dehumanizes rape victims.
The eighty year old judge, and yes the actor was eighty when this episode was filmed, was caught on camera wrestling with a dolphin in what could be taken as a provocative way. For that reason, he had to recuse himself from the case and declare a mistrial, after a guilty verdict against the violent serial rapist was pretty much guaranteed. Yes, this is perfectly logical and typical, too. We see it on the news, every day.
The four stars are for high quality acting by the guests and a story that kept my interest. Road Runner cartoons are interesting too and they're just as credible as this episode.
The eighty year old judge, and yes the actor was eighty when this episode was filmed, was caught on camera wrestling with a dolphin in what could be taken as a provocative way. For that reason, he had to recuse himself from the case and declare a mistrial, after a guilty verdict against the violent serial rapist was pretty much guaranteed. Yes, this is perfectly logical and typical, too. We see it on the news, every day.
The four stars are for high quality acting by the guests and a story that kept my interest. Road Runner cartoons are interesting too and they're just as credible as this episode.
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