Smoked
- Episode aired May 18, 2011
- TV-14
- 1h
A rape victim is killed right before the trial of her accused rapist, a celebrity hair stylist, begins. However, prosecuting the suspected killer is difficult because he is working as a fede... Read allA rape victim is killed right before the trial of her accused rapist, a celebrity hair stylist, begins. However, prosecuting the suspected killer is difficult because he is working as a federal informant.A rape victim is killed right before the trial of her accused rapist, a celebrity hair stylist, begins. However, prosecuting the suspected killer is difficult because he is working as a federal informant.
Photos
- Sergeant John Munch
- (credit only)
- Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D.
- (credit only)
- ME Dr. Melinda Warner
- (credit only)
- Captain Donald 'Don' Cragen
- (credit only)
- Annette Fox
- (as Alice Barrett Mitchell)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode airing May 18, 2011 is the last episode in which the character Sister Peg (played by Charlayne Woodard) appears. Her first appearance was in season three airing on May 17, 2002.
- GoofsThe deals given to Eddie would be unlikely, as a homicide charge would trump a sexual battery charge. Additionally, the gun would have been checked against records and would have turned up as missing from the federal operation, so there was no need to make a deal regarding the ATF agent.
- Quotes
Eddie Skinner: [to Jenna after she shoots up the squadroom] You crazy bitch. I should've killed you with your mother.
[Jenna raises her gun to shoot Eddie, but Stabler fires his gun and shoots Jenna]
"Smoked" however was truly disappointing and did not live up to the hype, perhaps not the worst episode of Season 12 and marginally better than the other four episodes listed as disappointing above but it's a contender for the biggest waste of potential. 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' did have some outstanding season finales, especially "Scourge" (Season 1), "Soulless" (Season 3), "Screwed" (Season 8) and "Rhodium Nights" (Season 13), but this is their fourth disappointing season finale in a row.
It is not a complete loss. It is one of the best looking episodes of Season 12, perhaps the best looking. Especially the location shooting which is very striking and is a little more elaborate than most episodes of the season. The music isn't too over-powering or overused and tonally it fits.
The regulars are all fine, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay particularly, and the supporting cast likewise. Hayley Macfarland is very poignant as Jenna. The opening is truly attention grabbing and tense.
However, a lot doesn't work. For one thing, "Smoked" doesn't feel like a season finale. Having most of the SVU missing was a mistake and made it feel like Stabler and Olivia were stuck in another show. It is a very anti-climactic final appearance for Stabler and it was like the writers had gotten bored with him or didn't know what to do with him. Or had gotten the message that fans were getting tired of his over-aggressive personality, unprofessionalism and melodramatic personal life and decided to write him out in a cheap abrupt way.
Also felt that the story tries to do far too much, there is too much going on (some of it going off on a tangent) and as a consequence it felt rushed and confused. The lack of suspense after the promising opening and the increasing predictability hurt it too. Quite a lot of the dialogue is very over-heated and ham handed, while what is said about guns is preachy and reiterates when a viewer already knows what the writers' point of views on guns are from watching previous episodes of not just 'Special Victims Unit' but also the original 'Law and Order'. Worst of all is the absolutely ridiculous and melodramatic ending that comes out of nowhere.
In conclusion, could and should have been so much better. 4/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jun 3, 2022
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1