Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Her Negotiation (2013) User Reviews

The First of a Five Episode Character Arc for Benson that Dramatically Changes Her Life. Unbelievably Suspenseful!

[NemoToad369 · 10/10 · 2 July 2015]

I honestly believe that this particular story-line revived the whole SVU series. First off, The acting is just absolutely 110% there with everybody giving their best, including Hartigay (Olivia Benson) & Schreiber (William Lewis). Throughout these 5 episodes and the few or so in-between (when Schreiber doesn't appear), we get to see a total transformation of Benson as her character goes through an unbelievable ordeal with a Serial Killer/Rapist. Everything from supporting characters to costumes and special effects, right down to the music chosen (When Two Worlds Collide) could not have been more captivating. I have to say that the acting was far beyond superb and the dialog was written so perfect that the first episode of this ARC just draws you in on the edge of your seat holding your breath in suspense. Schreiber was so convincing in playing his part and Hartigay hasn't had that great of a chemistry with anyone since Christopher Meloni was her partner. I gotta say that the suspense of waiting a whole summer what happened definitely renewed my interest and many of the people I know who were avid fans SVU. And the 1st episode of Season 15 picks up right were it left off becoming "Part II" of this incredibly shocking and suspenseful Story-line. We get to see how Benson becomes traumatized as she becomes the victim and become bewildered how her character endures on while she breaks down.

I tried not to mention anything that would spoil it if you haven't seen it. If you still have not seen them and you are a fan of SVU in particular, than it is definitely worth renting or buying the seasons on Amazon's Instant Video and watching them in a one or two day marathon. Trust me, you won't regret it! It will be some of the best acting you have ever seen on television.

The negotiator

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 15 July 2022]

"Her Negotiation" is notable for not just being the season 14 finale, but also the beginning of the William Lewis story arc. A story that started off extremely well, brilliantly in fact, but felt like one episode too many by the end. Not because of the character himself, he is iconic, but more to do with the writing. Season 14 was variable, with winners such as "Lessons Learned" and "Monster's Legacy" but also msifires such as "Presumed Guilty" and "Funny Valentine".

This was a brilliant season finale (one of the best of 'Special Victims Unit' in my view and one of the few great latter seasons ones), a more than promising start to the story arc and easily one of the best episodes of Season 14. My opinion of "Her Negotiation" was extremely high on first watch, it's even higher now with even more to appreciate. Which was pretty much the same with "Lessons Learned" and "Monster's Legacy" as well.

Everything works here. What immediately stands out is the performance Pablo Schreiber, he is absolutely fantastic and truly chilling as one of who is still to this day one of the memorable, creepiest and most ruthless characters svu has ever had. Mariska Hargitay here gives her best performance of the season, showing her steel and vulnerability and not the fatigue or aggression she showed in some Season 14 episodes, the difference in acting between "Brief Interlude" and this is staggering. The chemistry between her and Schreiber scintillates.

Raul Esparza is a breath of fresh air and it is great there is a lot of him here. Love his dress style and his snappy one liners that Esparza delivers with zest. All the cast are excellent, but those three are particularly standout-worthy. "Her Negotiation" has a very suspenseful story that is never obvious or thin or too over-stuffed or convoluted. That Lewis makes such a huge impact as a character helps. The dramatic highlight is perhaps the chilling interrogation scene.

Writing is closer to the taut intelligent writing of the early seasons than the dull and dumbed down kind the mid-late seasons had too often. It was great to have everyone play strong roles and important to the case.

It is slickly photographed throughout, a perfect match for the gritty tone, and the location work looks both striking and atmosphere-filled. The music is only used when necessary and when it is used it does stick in the mind and not done so ham-handedly. Both the main theme and opening voice over are memorable.

Overall, fantastic way to end an inconsistent season. 10/10.

Phenomenal

[williamsh-40942 · 10/10 · 2 May 2020]

This episode and the ensuing story arc will send chills down your spine. Intense, believable character acting, direction, the music (especially the intro), and a visceral, mounting sense of dread make this one of the best drama you can watch on cable.

Remarkable episode

[vocare_pegasus_88 · 23 May 2013]

I have watched every episode yet in SVU and this stands out as in the top 5. Pablo shreiber (the wire) plays the villain and plays it so well it is beyond belief the best way to describe his performance is by comparing him to Mads Mikkelsen as hannibal lector.

The only disappointing thing is that,being the season finale, it ends of a cliffhanger leaving me,and i'm sure many others, almost punching their screens at the thought of having to wait until October for the triumphant return.

I simply can't praise this episode enough it is very near crime television perfection.

Dangerous shrewdness

[Dorjee_Wang · 8/10 · 12 October 2016]

The episode opens up with the SVU squad enjoying a nice off-day. Then Rollin's fine day is ruined when she catches a guy compliant of at least a misdemeanor, although she has a much more troubling "gut" feeling about him. Then the case starts blowing up slowly.

The perp in this guy is not only shrewd but also has an extreme case of good luck. As it's revealed that he has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and murder previously, but each time his indictment has been unsuccessful because either the victims were too "traumatised" to testify or the witnesses were too "unreliable". And even in this case, the DNA evidences were appropriately "mishandled" by the lab techs. The man probably could've won millions playing lotteries, but I digress. Not to mention he had left no paper trail prior to now as his name was spelt incorrectly during each of those cases, and he has burnt his fingerprints off as a forensic countermeasure.

Alas the severity of this case digs deeper as it's made clear he has some agenda regarding Benson as well, as the episode ends on a sinister note. So it's not far from the truth to say that this guy is a frustrating perpetrator to watch as they try to nail him for all the charges, albeit still an entertaining episode. The arc further continues to three more episodes in the next season (fifteenth). With those episodes intensifying interms of induction of frustration among the viewers. 8/10

Dr, Hannibal Lecter Level Terror

[norareign · 10/10 · 6 November 2019]

This story arc is by far the most chilling of the entire series. Well written, well acted, well directed.

Very suspenseful

[barbararush-95830 · 9/10 · 16 October 2021]

The rapist in this episode was creepy enough, but I thought his attorney was worse. I was disappointed we didn't get to see her reaction to how things turned out in the end, which has been delayed until next time. It was not entirely believable to me that Detective Hargitay, as savvy as she is, would taunt him like she did but she did show she was unafraid of him when he was arrested and questioned.

Cunning psychopath

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 2 February 2014]

It's the weekend and the whole staff is off and Kelli Giddish is holding down the fort. A complaint comes in about a man flashing two young girls in Central Park and an alert citizen Judith Ivey actually takes pictures of him doing it. When Pablo Schreiber the perpetrator and Ivey and the two women are brought in, something sets off Giddish's radar.

Schreiber has burned the tips of his fingers off, no prints can be had,no identity can really be verified. So we have a dilemma there, but he's arrested anyway, but released on his own recognizance pending the trial.

The activities of Schreiber and the squad take up this and two more episodes of SVU. After you've all the episodes you will probably come to the conclusion that you've not seen a more cunning psychopath as a criminal on the big screen and small for some time.

I will only add that it's not Giddish that arouses his particular attention but rather Mariska Hargitay. She's on one frightening odyssey for the three shows.

Lewson: Hypothetical

[yazguloner · 10/10 · 30 July 2021]

For 15 years at Svu, we had watched hypothetical stories that touched upon the loopholes of law in law (judgement) and order (system). Or we've seen stories about how the law has been applied to cases with lawsuits. Just like in real life...

This time the story is like a combination of all of them. There's kidnapping, murder, torture. But no DNA or fingerprints. There is crime, but there is also reasonable suspicion.

The delinquent (Pablo Schreiber) knows every trick, he's very competent. But Barba knows every trick too. Yet the culprit is so smart and strong, he has no intention of giving up. There is a very good defense attorney who does her job with dignity and passion. Lewis is already a master manipulator. There are theses, but they create anti-thesis against these theses.

The official way of justice, which cannot find a way out, tries to overcome it through negotiations.

The first act of the struggle between delinquents and the Law is being started.

Very typical episode

[stratus_phere · 4/10 · 14 June 2018]

I don't know what these writers are thinking. They have the most vile thugs who do the most horrendous things, but magically they can never get convicted. This episode was no different. You've got witnesses, DNA evidence, a victim who said he did it, and then these street thugs end up with these super star lawyers who alway, every time, get all evidence thrown out and the so-called expert DA can't do anything. The lame-brain judge just lets him walk.

It's so unreal and unbelievable. That's why people call this show "UnLawful Disorder", because the criminals run the whole thing. Give me a break.

Lazy writing

[sulibarri-35267 · 4/10 · 20 October 2021]

Once again the writers screw up what otherwise would have been a decent episode. For one thing we know that detective Benson in the past when going home or to a friends house and seeing that something was amiss would act like a cop and actually immediately draw her gun and be suspicious of someone having broken into her home. So here the riders expect us to believe she gets home alone after just finding out that this guy was released knowing how obsessed he is with her and she hears something in her house and instead of drawing her weapon and being cautious she goes around your house saying hello? Hello? That is the most idiotic thing the riders could do I swear they're so very lazy sometimes and making the characters consistent. This is not the first time that they have made her do something so out of character Just to push the plot forward. Live as a character is so much smarter than that. There is no way that is soon as she heard a noise in her house that she would not have drawn her weapon I've been prepared for someone to be in there. Especially knowing that the guy had just made bail and had it out for her. In fact the writing was so lazy but it wasn't even a surprise that they were going to do that. They spelled it out for us when they said that he was released on bail and then had everyone else go out and Olivia takes a rain check and just wants to go home and they told her to go home for two days. Of course they had to throw in the The captain joking about her not coming in for two days or he'll have a arrested. Because that just makes it convenient that if she doesn't show up or they don't hear from her from two days that no one will question it. That just makes this whole episode so worthless the writer for this episode or writers just were completely lazy they could've come up with so many different ways to make it we're live was captured like that if they wanted to have this as a two-part. Instead they made it so she acted so out of character and it just ruins it because we know that there is no way that she would not have had had her weapon drawn and been prepared for someone to be in her house the momentShe heard the noise when she was in her kitchen.