Info Wars
- Episode aired Jan 31, 2018
- TV-14
- 42m
After a female pundit is assaulted during a protest, Benson and Barba struggle to put their political beliefs aside in order to help bring the attacker to justice.After a female pundit is assaulted during a protest, Benson and Barba struggle to put their political beliefs aside in order to help bring the attacker to justice.After a female pundit is assaulted during a protest, Benson and Barba struggle to put their political beliefs aside in order to help bring the attacker to justice.
- Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
- (as Ice T)
- Justin Vichinsky
- (as Adam William Zastrow)
- Antifa Protester #1
- (as James P. Chery)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode was inspired by the Charlottesville Riots.
- Quotes
Rafael Barba: [to Justin Vichinsky] You believe that Martha Cobb is a right-wing extremist?
Justin Vichinsky: Yeah, except she's way worse than the people that she provokes. Like she has any idea what it's like to be a hardworking American with her prep-school privilege and her gated Bel Air mansion. Sure, she presents as this blonde beach bunny, but in reality, she's the Joseph Goebbels of the alt-right propaganda machine and we need to stop her by any means necessary.
Rafael Barba: Hmm. Disgust, lack of control, rage. You just checked all the boxes on the rapist checklist, Mr. Vichinsky.
The subject in "Info Wars" could have been executed better. That sounds as if it was a bad episode, that is not the case in any way. Quite the opposite. "Info Wars" is a long way from being one of the best episodes of Season 19 or one of the best episodes of 'Special Victims Unit', despite having one of the more appealing subject matters of the season, but there were episodes of a generally disappointing Season 19 that had a lot of good things and that was the case here.
"Info Wars" has a lot of things that are good. The best thing about it is the uniformly strong acting, especially from Mariska Hargitay and Raul Esparza (the latter in his penultimate appearance as a regular). It is as ever shot with the right amount of intimacy without feeling too up close, even with a reliance of close up camerawork. That the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time is great too. The music isn't over-scored, manipulative or used too much. There is intimacy and tautness in the direction. The script is intelligent and lean with not many signs of fat.
Moreover, this reviewer really loved how Barba summed up the trial, which was very apt. The most apt he has been all season actually. The case is tight and intriguing on the whole. The topic is an interesting one that exposes the extreme fanatical views of both sides, some of it making for some suitably uncomfortable listening. And yes, Barba is his usual sassy and commanding self.
On the other hand, for my tastes "Info Wars" is a bit too heavy handed, while both sides are seen as heavily flawed and fanatical there were times where one side was more so than the other to a quite extreme level. Didn't like how unsympathetic and judgemental Olivia was towards the accuser when this is more an attitude she has for perpetrators. Maybe the writers were addressing what fans were saying about her jumping to conclusions too often and always believing the victims without knowing the whole picture, but somehow this felt out of character for her.
Did feel too that the outcome had a rather unresolved feel, but that is a little more understandable due to the prosecution case being weak.
All in all, above average if unexceptional. 6/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Dec 26, 2022