This was a solid SVU episode about a culty church and an enigmatic groomer -- but it will forever be remembered as a giant middle finger to Chris Meloni/Elliot Stabler.
As millions of SVU fans saw on social media in April of 2022 during shoots in NY for this episode, Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni filmed a sweet Mother's Day scene (the characters bump into each other on the street) during which Benson finally introduces her son Noah to her former partner -- something Stabler has been lobbying for for months.
The scene was all over social media for weeks and further hyped because this episode was part of an OC crossover that kicked off during this very street scene.
When Benson learns a child has been abducted and she happens to be the daughter of a dirty cop in OC's 'Brotherhood,' she tells Stabler she'll fill him in by phone as she races off to drop Noah back at home.
With five minutes still to go on the SVU 9-10 p.m. Clock, Dick Wolf then slides OC's Danielle Mone Truitt as Bell and Ainsley Siegers as Jet into the picture, creating a seamless transition between the two shows.
Just one problem: Meloni's scene was cut from the versions of the show delivered to Hulu, Peacock and other streaming services, and was also cut from broadcasts in Canada and beyond. So in this version the show concludes with Benson and Noah at Mother's Day lunch.
The street scene was apparently regarded as not really meaningful by the exiting producer, which is not only inaccurate but ludicrous. It cheated fans of continuity and of one of the more engaging moments of the season -- and blew the pivotal OC set-up.
The company line was that the two TV show hours had to be delivered as separate shows to the streamers. OK makes sense, but why cut anything? It's streaming! No show has to come in at an exact running time.
And in particular why cut Stabler meeting the kid, and Liv learning of this emergency?
Just pick it up with Jet and Bell doing their thing. OR start OC with Benson and Stabler meeting on the street learning of what then becomes an intersquad case. Or leave some version of it in both shows.
Wolf has already squandered an entire year with all kinds of continuity issues on the Benson Stabler front. Is it really that hard to let two characters who have known each other nearly 25 years, have one actual conversation, and maybe then figure out what if anything they mean to each other?
Nobody wants a garbage will-they-wont-they. Just let a couple of adults be adults. Maybe SVU's new producer will grasp this.
As millions of SVU fans saw on social media in April of 2022 during shoots in NY for this episode, Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni filmed a sweet Mother's Day scene (the characters bump into each other on the street) during which Benson finally introduces her son Noah to her former partner -- something Stabler has been lobbying for for months.
The scene was all over social media for weeks and further hyped because this episode was part of an OC crossover that kicked off during this very street scene.
When Benson learns a child has been abducted and she happens to be the daughter of a dirty cop in OC's 'Brotherhood,' she tells Stabler she'll fill him in by phone as she races off to drop Noah back at home.
With five minutes still to go on the SVU 9-10 p.m. Clock, Dick Wolf then slides OC's Danielle Mone Truitt as Bell and Ainsley Siegers as Jet into the picture, creating a seamless transition between the two shows.
Just one problem: Meloni's scene was cut from the versions of the show delivered to Hulu, Peacock and other streaming services, and was also cut from broadcasts in Canada and beyond. So in this version the show concludes with Benson and Noah at Mother's Day lunch.
The street scene was apparently regarded as not really meaningful by the exiting producer, which is not only inaccurate but ludicrous. It cheated fans of continuity and of one of the more engaging moments of the season -- and blew the pivotal OC set-up.
The company line was that the two TV show hours had to be delivered as separate shows to the streamers. OK makes sense, but why cut anything? It's streaming! No show has to come in at an exact running time.
And in particular why cut Stabler meeting the kid, and Liv learning of this emergency?
Just pick it up with Jet and Bell doing their thing. OR start OC with Benson and Stabler meeting on the street learning of what then becomes an intersquad case. Or leave some version of it in both shows.
Wolf has already squandered an entire year with all kinds of continuity issues on the Benson Stabler front. Is it really that hard to let two characters who have known each other nearly 25 years, have one actual conversation, and maybe then figure out what if anything they mean to each other?
Nobody wants a garbage will-they-wont-they. Just let a couple of adults be adults. Maybe SVU's new producer will grasp this.
