Anybody who has read any of my other reviews for for example individual episodes of the 'Law and Order' shows, have been for the past three years slowly working my way through writing reviews for all the episodes of 'Law and Order and 'Special Victims Unit' with a long way to go, will know already how much admiration there is from me for anything that tackles difficult and controversial themes and issues. The topic here did sound interesting and quite brave.
"Manhattan Transfer" is the first part of the second two parter of Season 17, the first being "Devil's Dissections"/"Criminal Pathology". The subject here is a courageous and scary one and also very sensitive, that in the right hands can be powerfully explored. Though there also can be the risk of heavy handed-ness and one sided-ness. "Manhattan Transfer" and its second part "Unholiest Alliance" for me was in the former category and is a very good episode.
Nearly everything works and there for me was little to criticise. It is an incredibly well acted episode, with no real sore spot. Raul Esparza is heart breaking jn his reaction to Benson and tucker and Robert John Burke gives one of his best performances of the show. Love Tucker's softening and development. The story is harrowing and chilling, an example of a subject in need of an umcompromising edge getting exactly that. It really chilled and moved me and it's only the first part of the two parter. It's also tactful, which is not always the case with episodes that have religion playing a big part.
The script is intelligent and tight, not coming over as melodramatic or too on the surface level. It looks good, with the usual slickness and subtle grit. Really liked too that the photography was simple and close up but doing so without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when used, and luckily it isn't constant, and when it is used it doesn't feel over-scored. The direction is controlled but also tight.
However, considering how Tucker treated SVU in the past, where he was very antagonistic and one of those love to hate it characters, he and Olivia are not ringing true yet.
A bigger issue is that Olivia makes a lot of basic mistakes here, the worst one being the senseless and unrealistic stuff with Nina.
Otherwise, very good indeed. 8/10.
"Manhattan Transfer" is the first part of the second two parter of Season 17, the first being "Devil's Dissections"/"Criminal Pathology". The subject here is a courageous and scary one and also very sensitive, that in the right hands can be powerfully explored. Though there also can be the risk of heavy handed-ness and one sided-ness. "Manhattan Transfer" and its second part "Unholiest Alliance" for me was in the former category and is a very good episode.
Nearly everything works and there for me was little to criticise. It is an incredibly well acted episode, with no real sore spot. Raul Esparza is heart breaking jn his reaction to Benson and tucker and Robert John Burke gives one of his best performances of the show. Love Tucker's softening and development. The story is harrowing and chilling, an example of a subject in need of an umcompromising edge getting exactly that. It really chilled and moved me and it's only the first part of the two parter. It's also tactful, which is not always the case with episodes that have religion playing a big part.
The script is intelligent and tight, not coming over as melodramatic or too on the surface level. It looks good, with the usual slickness and subtle grit. Really liked too that the photography was simple and close up but doing so without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when used, and luckily it isn't constant, and when it is used it doesn't feel over-scored. The direction is controlled but also tight.
However, considering how Tucker treated SVU in the past, where he was very antagonistic and one of those love to hate it characters, he and Olivia are not ringing true yet.
A bigger issue is that Olivia makes a lot of basic mistakes here, the worst one being the senseless and unrealistic stuff with Nina.
Otherwise, very good indeed. 8/10.
