It seems like all the charismatic perps represented themselves: Merritt Rook (Robin Williams), William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber), and now Dr. Greg Yates. Dallas Roberts was brilliant in his role. Also nice to see Dr. Warner back as a guest star.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)
Daydream Believer (2015)
User Reviews
Review this title8 Reviews
Frightening daydream
TheLittleSongbird25 August 2022
"Daydream Believer" continues the Gregory Yates, a character loosely based on Ted Bundy, arc started in 'Chicago PD', which is introduced on this show in this 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'/'Chicago PD' crossover (the second one for this show after "Chicago Crossover"). The character was a great one, though his episodes varied, with his earlier ones being very good but the ones with Dr Rudnick felt like one or two episodes too far.
This is an episode that really stuck in my mind on first watch, namely for the creepiness of the beginning and Dallas Roberts' performance. Sticking out more vividly than most Season 16 episodes. "Daydream Believer" thankfully is one of the episodes that got better with each of my three viewings. While not mind-blowing, it is on the most part a very good episode and one of the better ones of the season and certainly of the very up and down second half of the season.
So much is done right. As ever, the photography and such are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. Have never been able to hear the song "Daydream Believer" or The Monkees in the same way again after hearing how it is used here. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The script is thought provoking and is lean with very little fat, none of it is dumbed down or over complicated.
Moreover, the story is gripping and has the right amount of tension evident from the very creepy beginning to the close. The two teams work very well together, really like the chemistry between Olivia and Vought, and for a crossover it succeeds in not feeling like too much of one show and not enough of the other (much more successful than the 'Law and Order'/'Homicide: Life on the Street' crossovers. The performances are on the most part great and more, with steely Mariska Hargitay standing out of the regulars, Raul Esparza bringing a lot of energy, Tamara Tunie is a welcome presence and truly freaky Dallas Roberts steals the show.
Was less keen on Jason Beghe, his line delivery is too much of one tone and inflection (gravelly and mumbling). Am not a fan generally of the character too, his motivations and tactics are questionable but having said that it is a little more understandable here than in most cases.
Also, some of what Yates says and does earlier in the episode should have raised more alarm bells for the people he was practically incriminating himself to.
Very good overall though and one of the better episodes of the season. 8/10.
This is an episode that really stuck in my mind on first watch, namely for the creepiness of the beginning and Dallas Roberts' performance. Sticking out more vividly than most Season 16 episodes. "Daydream Believer" thankfully is one of the episodes that got better with each of my three viewings. While not mind-blowing, it is on the most part a very good episode and one of the better ones of the season and certainly of the very up and down second half of the season.
So much is done right. As ever, the photography and such are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. Have never been able to hear the song "Daydream Believer" or The Monkees in the same way again after hearing how it is used here. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The script is thought provoking and is lean with very little fat, none of it is dumbed down or over complicated.
Moreover, the story is gripping and has the right amount of tension evident from the very creepy beginning to the close. The two teams work very well together, really like the chemistry between Olivia and Vought, and for a crossover it succeeds in not feeling like too much of one show and not enough of the other (much more successful than the 'Law and Order'/'Homicide: Life on the Street' crossovers. The performances are on the most part great and more, with steely Mariska Hargitay standing out of the regulars, Raul Esparza bringing a lot of energy, Tamara Tunie is a welcome presence and truly freaky Dallas Roberts steals the show.
Was less keen on Jason Beghe, his line delivery is too much of one tone and inflection (gravelly and mumbling). Am not a fan generally of the character too, his motivations and tactics are questionable but having said that it is a little more understandable here than in most cases.
Also, some of what Yates says and does earlier in the episode should have raised more alarm bells for the people he was practically incriminating himself to.
Very good overall though and one of the better episodes of the season. 8/10.
Maximum Sadistic Satisfaction
bkoganbing1 January 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Dallas Roberts who specializes in playing various types of unhinged psychotics gets to play a real winner here. This is a cross over episode where a Chicago PD regular Stella Maeve is kidnapped and taken to New York where after enduring a lot of torture she's killed.
Roberts is psychotic but also brilliant and he also represents himself at his own defense. He's also a psychiatrist and knows how to reach the inner parts of the Id for maximum sadistic satisfaction.
This episode belongs to ADA Rafael Barba and to former regular Medical Examiner Tamara Tunie. How she helps bring him down on the witness stand is something to see.
Roberts is psychotic but also brilliant and he also represents himself at his own defense. He's also a psychiatrist and knows how to reach the inner parts of the Id for maximum sadistic satisfaction.
This episode belongs to ADA Rafael Barba and to former regular Medical Examiner Tamara Tunie. How she helps bring him down on the witness stand is something to see.
No headline for this one
tammyrmoore5 January 2020
I LOVE Chicago PD and all it brings to the screen! The entire cast has always been outstanding and their talents are unmatched. Without Voight it wouldn't be the same and I am glad that he is still a big part of the team. I love when the shows do a crossover, mixing things up a bit. Keep up the awesome work!!
Crossover
yazguloner21 December 2021
It is an adaptation of the William Lewis story for Chicago PD. Therefore, it is an exciting episode for the Chicago PD audience, which is liked by young people. For the svu viewer, it is a repetition.
Actually, if what happened to Nadia had been told on Chicago PD, it wouldn't be a repeat. But I guess it's a copyright issue. The most stagnant crossoverder in my opinion.... Despite that, it's not a bad crossover. It shows itself.
Greg Yates and Sofia Bush dialogue is interesting, about The example of the ambiguity syndrome.
Jason Beghe is charismatic. Other young people are also quite agile.
Sountrack is good.
Actually, if what happened to Nadia had been told on Chicago PD, it wouldn't be a repeat. But I guess it's a copyright issue. The most stagnant crossoverder in my opinion.... Despite that, it's not a bad crossover. It shows itself.
Greg Yates and Sofia Bush dialogue is interesting, about The example of the ambiguity syndrome.
Jason Beghe is charismatic. Other young people are also quite agile.
Sountrack is good.
Why no death penalty?
aboamir8917 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I do understand after all these killings and rapes of all these women still he get jail time only , like wtf , i dint care if it is infinity jail time he should not be treated lime humans. I wished voight killed him so much.
Repeat episode in so many ways
stratus_phere16 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
At first I thought they were playing a rerun, so many aspects had been done before not only on this show but on various others. The serial rapist, the kidnapping, putting her in the trunk, driving cross country, finding the bodies on the beach, they catch him but no DNA to match so they go to trial, he represents himself (boy I didn't see that one coming) he puts Benson on the stand to try to get into her head.
Every single aspect of this was a repeat. All I can think is that the writers phoned this one in. They put together other not-so-good episodes, put them all in a blender, and voila...
Every single aspect of this was a repeat. All I can think is that the writers phoned this one in. They put together other not-so-good episodes, put them all in a blender, and voila...
Crossover with Chicago PD
rosegendron18 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I've watch "Daydream Believer" twice in accelerate to see Nadia's from Chicago PD murders, but never found the scene that we briefly see in the beginning of the episode "The Number of Rats" of CPD. Either somebody messed up when writing this article/summary about the episode, or Amazon Prime got the episodes mixed up with titles. "Daydream Believer is only about high school kids, partying and some photos ends up on the internet. Then they all get measles. But nothing about the murder of Nadia Descotis. I think the person that first said it was on that episode should have gotten his/hers facts straight before anything.
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