When defense attorney Nikki Staines is raped after a police charity event, Benson reluctantly looks to her own for a suspect.When defense attorney Nikki Staines is raped after a police charity event, Benson reluctantly looks to her own for a suspect.When defense attorney Nikki Staines is raped after a police charity event, Benson reluctantly looks to her own for a suspect.
- Sergeant Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
- (as Ice T)
- ADA Peter Stone
- (credit only)
- Andrew Rogers
- (as John Bermudez)
- Trainer Wyatt
- (as Ngoli Okafor)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is the first episode Chief Dodds appears in since Flight Risk (2018) (19x11).
- GoofsThe report on JJ Austen shown on the computer lists his DOB as 5/16/75 and date of arrest as 1/15/16, but his age of offense as 44. This episode takes place in March 2019, so he is currently 43 and will not turn 44 until May (and also was not that age when the offense was committed three years prior).
- Quotes
Deputy Chief Dodds: [to Olivia] I heard about the traffic stop. I'm as upset as you are. I have a phone call to the superintendent of the State Police to find out what happened.
Olivia Benson: My son, Dodds. They did this to me in front of my son. Noah was hysterical. He didn't sleep all night.
Deputy Chief Dodds: We'll get to the bottom of this.
Olivia Benson: We're already at the bottom of it. This is about your friend, Rob Miller.
Deputy Chief Dodds: Why do you think Miller is involved?
Olivia Benson: I think that Rob Miller raped Nikki Staines.
Deputy Chief Dodds: Well, I find that hard to believe.
Olivia Benson: Well, he admitted to having a sexual encounter with her. He claimed that it was consensual, and when I threatened to arrest him, the next thing I know is I'm being pulled over by State Police.
Deputy Chief Dodds: Okay, let's just slow all this down.
Olivia Benson: Slow this down? Please don't tell me that he's got something on you.
Deputy Chief Dodds: What are you talking about?
Olivia Benson: Well, that's how it works, doesn't it? Rob Miller finds your vulnerability, and then he exploits it. He puts a marker on you and owns you for life.
Deputy Chief Dodds: No one owns me, Lieutenant.
Olivia Benson: Well, then what? You introduced me to our target. You directed me to speak with him about the investigation. For all I know, you could be the one leaking details about this case.
Deputy Chief Dodds: Okay, Liv, stop. You're upset?
Olivia Benson: Understandable. Yes.
Deputy Chief Dodds: So I'm going to put aside for a moment what you just accused me of.
Olivia Benson: Well, you're not denying it. Help me understand. Tell me that I'm wrong. Miller deliberately misled me. He manipulated a judge and he intimidated our victim.
Deputy Chief Dodds: Olivia, I'm not saying you're wrong.
Olivia Benson: Then what are you saying? Hm?
Deputy Chief Dodds: That if we strike at the king and miss, it will be both our heads on the chopping block.
Olivia Benson: So let's make sure we don't miss.
"Blackout" on rewatch was one of the more than decent if not enough out of the ordinary episodes, that is neither quite one of the best or worst of Season 20. So more or less what was felt on first watch. The many great things showed its potential to be one of the better episodes, but that the pacing felt off at times made that not be the case. The basic idea for the story is not much new, but luckily to me it didn't feel too predictable (was though to begin with) once things start being revealed.
Am going to start with the good. The photography and such as usual 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. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way.
The script is taut and thought provoking, avoiding melodramatic soap opera and cheese. It is very uncompromising but also surprisingly tactful, not always expected with this type of story. The story is engrossing enough and delivers on the suspenseful drama later on. The regulars are all strong, and even better are the super guest turns from Peter Gallagher, Callie Thorne and Titus Welliver.
Did feel that "Blackout" was a little perfunctory and predictable to begin with, which to be honest was not unexpected. The ending also felt rather too neat.
My biggest issue is that the episode felt too short and rushed. It would have been better as a two parter, some nice ideas here not done enough with and a longer length and more than one episode would have solved the problem.
Concluding, more than decent but not great. 7/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jun 29, 2023