SVU and the DA's office struggle with finding the right strategy in a case dealing with a gay man who is picking up and then attacking closeted gay married men.SVU and the DA's office struggle with finding the right strategy in a case dealing with a gay man who is picking up and then attacking closeted gay married men.SVU and the DA's office struggle with finding the right strategy in a case dealing with a gay man who is picking up and then attacking closeted gay married men.
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Richard Belzer
- Sergeant John Munch
- (credit only)
Ice-T
- Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
- (as Ice T)
Dann Florek
- Captain Donald 'Don' Cragen
- (credit only)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaInspired by the Black Doodler serial killer.
- Quotes
Detective Olivia Benson: You're going to claim that a gay man married to another gay man hates gays?
A.D.A. Rafael Barba: Watch me.
Featured review
Hate crime
"Criminal Hatred" has another subject that is very gutsy, as well as relevant at the time and still is today and even more so, and also one that is very difficult to pull off in a way that's not distasteful. My memories on first watch were quite positive but not in a way that was overwhelming, while admiring what it did with the subject. Despite it being a far from easy watch and by today's standards it is likely to be one of those divisive episodes.
Have been watching and rewatching all three of the major 'Law and Order' (the original, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' via regular daily television reruns) overtime and most of my viewings compared to first viewings have remained the same. Though there have been some that have improved or gone down in my estimations in all three shows. "Criminal Hatred" is one of those 'Special Victims Unit' episodes that feelings were the same, while appreciating the handling of the subject more.
It succeeds a lot more than it fails, well actually it never really fails on anything and the successful things at their best are excellent. On a visual level, "Criminal Hatred" is solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden, while having enough momentum to make the drama sing in its atmosphere. Max Carpenter is truly frightening, mesmerisingly so as a character that is very detestable. Raul Esparza continues to be a ray of sunshine and actually didn't have a problem with Nia Verdalos (liked her chemistry with Esparza).
Furthermore, it benefits from uncompromising but non one dimensional scripting that has a lot of insight into a very tough and courageous subject not covered a lot on 'Special Victims Unit', or at least not enough at this point of the run. We are shocked at what comes out of Jeremy's mouth and shocked that anybody could think let alone say what is said, this is not the writers though being bigoted but them expressing the extreme viewpoint of a bigoted character. Can think of another example of an episode of the show that does this at the top of my head and that is Season 7's "Raw". The story is an interesting and twisty one that will resonate with those in the LGBTQ community or anybody related and make them feel a lot of emotions of sadness and anger.
On the other hand, to me "Criminal Hatred" did feel a little muddled at times. While the legal portion compels and even at its best scintillates it does also suffer from trying to cram too much in and with so many complicated legal tactics that come at a dizzying rate it got a little over complicated later.
Also didn't care for Amaro, after so much potential in Season 13 he really went backwards as a character in this season. Found him here very judgemental to a distasteful degree, and it did stick out like a sore thumb in an episode that was surprisingly a lot more tactful than expected.
In summary, quite good but not great. 7/10.
Have been watching and rewatching all three of the major 'Law and Order' (the original, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' via regular daily television reruns) overtime and most of my viewings compared to first viewings have remained the same. Though there have been some that have improved or gone down in my estimations in all three shows. "Criminal Hatred" is one of those 'Special Victims Unit' episodes that feelings were the same, while appreciating the handling of the subject more.
It succeeds a lot more than it fails, well actually it never really fails on anything and the successful things at their best are excellent. On a visual level, "Criminal Hatred" is solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden, while having enough momentum to make the drama sing in its atmosphere. Max Carpenter is truly frightening, mesmerisingly so as a character that is very detestable. Raul Esparza continues to be a ray of sunshine and actually didn't have a problem with Nia Verdalos (liked her chemistry with Esparza).
Furthermore, it benefits from uncompromising but non one dimensional scripting that has a lot of insight into a very tough and courageous subject not covered a lot on 'Special Victims Unit', or at least not enough at this point of the run. We are shocked at what comes out of Jeremy's mouth and shocked that anybody could think let alone say what is said, this is not the writers though being bigoted but them expressing the extreme viewpoint of a bigoted character. Can think of another example of an episode of the show that does this at the top of my head and that is Season 7's "Raw". The story is an interesting and twisty one that will resonate with those in the LGBTQ community or anybody related and make them feel a lot of emotions of sadness and anger.
On the other hand, to me "Criminal Hatred" did feel a little muddled at times. While the legal portion compels and even at its best scintillates it does also suffer from trying to cram too much in and with so many complicated legal tactics that come at a dizzying rate it got a little over complicated later.
Also didn't care for Amaro, after so much potential in Season 13 he really went backwards as a character in this season. Found him here very judgemental to a distasteful degree, and it did stick out like a sore thumb in an episode that was surprisingly a lot more tactful than expected.
In summary, quite good but not great. 7/10.
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 13, 2022
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