One of the depressing episodes you want to watch something funny immediately after. Not a bad episode but occasionally watch one and it just brings your down like this one. Always great acting.
12 Reviews
Done before
shahla_selena16 November 2021
Disappointing to see them rehashing old storyline's. As other posters have said, if you've seen strangers then give this one a miss. It's well acted but it frustrated me to know so early on what the conclusion would be.
Shields, Hargitay, And A Return To Taut Plot Twisting
stp4327 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
SVU breaks out of its recent qualitative rut with a strikingly taut episode that breathes some of the old plot twisting life back into the series while advancing the budding subplot of Olivia Benson and Sheila Porter's involvement with little Noah.
Olivia has two issues - first Sheila Porter goes to family court in a challenge to Olivia regarding Noah. The other issue comes from a teenage girl who suddenly appears to an officer in Central Park and is identified as a girl missing for some ten years. The girl claims to have been kidnapped by someone named "Steve," and evidence seems to confirm her story - until further video evidence begins to question her credibility and an old arrest record identifies the girl as a con artist. Things get even murkier as we see the girl's brother - and his detachment from this entire affair. Further digging finally uncovers the truth - and it's a genuine surprise.
The primary crime investigation - despite a tacky celebratory presser with NBA star Isaiah Thomas - moves smoothly and the revelation of what actually happened is handled in a genuinely impressive montage sequence, but even this becomes almost secondary to the interaction between Olivia and Sheila. A café meeting between the two turns into a heart-to-heart chat in which Brooke Shields displays a striking ability to reach the viewer through her eyes in a way David Janssen (the best at conveying emotion through the eyes) couldn't have done more effectively. Though Mariska Hargitay isn't as effective in terms of conveying emotion through her eyes (though she thankfully doesn't over-emote as she's done a few times) she still sparkles as Olivia and Sheila begin building a genuine understanding - one that reassures the viewer as Sheila finally meets her grandson.
Olivia has two issues - first Sheila Porter goes to family court in a challenge to Olivia regarding Noah. The other issue comes from a teenage girl who suddenly appears to an officer in Central Park and is identified as a girl missing for some ten years. The girl claims to have been kidnapped by someone named "Steve," and evidence seems to confirm her story - until further video evidence begins to question her credibility and an old arrest record identifies the girl as a con artist. Things get even murkier as we see the girl's brother - and his detachment from this entire affair. Further digging finally uncovers the truth - and it's a genuine surprise.
The primary crime investigation - despite a tacky celebratory presser with NBA star Isaiah Thomas - moves smoothly and the revelation of what actually happened is handled in a genuinely impressive montage sequence, but even this becomes almost secondary to the interaction between Olivia and Sheila. A café meeting between the two turns into a heart-to-heart chat in which Brooke Shields displays a striking ability to reach the viewer through her eyes in a way David Janssen (the best at conveying emotion through the eyes) couldn't have done more effectively. Though Mariska Hargitay isn't as effective in terms of conveying emotion through her eyes (though she thankfully doesn't over-emote as she's done a few times) she still sparkles as Olivia and Sheila begin building a genuine understanding - one that reassures the viewer as Sheila finally meets her grandson.
Families are Complicated: Hope and Nothing
yazguloner11 March 2022
We are watching a like mystery town movies set in autumn. Mystery gives way to tension and then tragedy and drama.
The instincts of Olivia and a mother with missing daughters get mixed up.
It's a solid episode where every member of the family, including Emma/Britney, performs very well.
Noah isn't the only one whose problems grow as he gets older. Growing up with Noah, Olivia is in turmoil and questions the veracity of her feelings.
Brooke Shields plays well. However, after the case was over, the Sheila/grandma issue was overextended in the final scene. It is sufficient to discuss the sheila/grandma issue only at the beginning or in the introduction.
The instincts of Olivia and a mother with missing daughters get mixed up.
It's a solid episode where every member of the family, including Emma/Britney, performs very well.
Noah isn't the only one whose problems grow as he gets older. Growing up with Noah, Olivia is in turmoil and questions the veracity of her feelings.
Brooke Shields plays well. However, after the case was over, the Sheila/grandma issue was overextended in the final scene. It is sufficient to discuss the sheila/grandma issue only at the beginning or in the introduction.
Complicated
bobcobb30129 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This wasn't a bad episode, just one we have seen about a dozen times in the last few years. And I expect a bit of predictability when it comes to SVU, but this was too much. We knew the role the brother played and then we knew the father would somehow be complicit in the murder.
By the book formulaic, so while it may have been entertaining, I would have preferred we got some kind of twist or something.
By the book formulaic, so while it may have been entertaining, I would have preferred we got some kind of twist or something.
Repeat episode...even so bad investigation techniques.
errekartis-3892621 February 2020
As mentioned before this episode is cut and paste from Season 10, episode 11 "Stranger". That aside, these people have doing this "job" anywhere from 5 to 18 years. Before they reunited the family together they should have verified DNA. Obviously, for store purposes they couldn't do that, otherwise there would be no episode, but still bad story writing.
Not complicated at all
TheLittleSongbird15 December 2022
The story, when it comes to the concept, sounds very been there done that initially, or at least that is the case with the first quarter. There are a good deal of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' episodes, and episodes even in the 'Law and Order' franchise, that have stories and themes done before, but they do something a lot less simple and more complex than it seems with them. They are though themes that are worth addressing and need to be.
"Complicated" could and should have been a lot better than it turned out. Of a very mixed to unimpressive season, to me this is one of the weaker episodes. It did have good things, but also has all of the flaws present in a vast majority of the season and one of the worst cases of this while also having a major plot point executed in a way that brings the episode down a lot. Very few of Season 19's episodes are bad and it takes a lot for me to call any episode of 'Special Victims Unit' bad, but "Complicated" to me very nearly was that.
Does it have good things? Yes it does, have said more than once about no 'Special Victims Unit' episode being irredeemable and "Complicated" is no exception. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. Some of the direction is suitably accomodating.
Really liked the teaming of Carisi and Rollins, a teaming that has proven to work very well in the past and the episode proves it even more. It was great to see Barba so supportive and while the acting is all fine only Raul Esparza stands out particularly well. He was always one of the main reasons as to why the show was still stuck with when it declined and he has still lost none of his spark.
However, "Complicated" could have been so much better. The case is predictable, over stretched and lacks suspense and have already really tired of how sanctimonious and stubborn Olivia has become since she was promoted, compared to how she was in the earlier seasons it is like seeing a different Olivia and a far less appealing one. Did appreciate that the Olivia personal life subplot was advanced but it added very little to the overall story. The biggest reason as to why the story is as predictable as it is is that it is derivative of Season 10's "Strangers". Which is a much better episode despite not being perfect itself, which robbed it of any kind of suspense.
Furthermore, there is a lot of truly sloppy teamwork, especially regarding the forensics and the "reunion". Isiah Thomas' cameo was beyond awkward and had no reason to be there, like it was lifted from somewhere else entirely. Everything regarding the manslaughter charge was unrealistic, considering how long the victim had been missing there wouldn't realistically be a case because the the statue of limitations cut off point for manslaughter doesn't allow that. The dialogue is on the most part rather trite and needed to be much tighter.
Overall, underwhelming. 4/10.
"Complicated" could and should have been a lot better than it turned out. Of a very mixed to unimpressive season, to me this is one of the weaker episodes. It did have good things, but also has all of the flaws present in a vast majority of the season and one of the worst cases of this while also having a major plot point executed in a way that brings the episode down a lot. Very few of Season 19's episodes are bad and it takes a lot for me to call any episode of 'Special Victims Unit' bad, but "Complicated" to me very nearly was that.
Does it have good things? Yes it does, have said more than once about no 'Special Victims Unit' episode being irredeemable and "Complicated" is no exception. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. Some of the direction is suitably accomodating.
Really liked the teaming of Carisi and Rollins, a teaming that has proven to work very well in the past and the episode proves it even more. It was great to see Barba so supportive and while the acting is all fine only Raul Esparza stands out particularly well. He was always one of the main reasons as to why the show was still stuck with when it declined and he has still lost none of his spark.
However, "Complicated" could have been so much better. The case is predictable, over stretched and lacks suspense and have already really tired of how sanctimonious and stubborn Olivia has become since she was promoted, compared to how she was in the earlier seasons it is like seeing a different Olivia and a far less appealing one. Did appreciate that the Olivia personal life subplot was advanced but it added very little to the overall story. The biggest reason as to why the story is as predictable as it is is that it is derivative of Season 10's "Strangers". Which is a much better episode despite not being perfect itself, which robbed it of any kind of suspense.
Furthermore, there is a lot of truly sloppy teamwork, especially regarding the forensics and the "reunion". Isiah Thomas' cameo was beyond awkward and had no reason to be there, like it was lifted from somewhere else entirely. Everything regarding the manslaughter charge was unrealistic, considering how long the victim had been missing there wouldn't realistically be a case because the the statue of limitations cut off point for manslaughter doesn't allow that. The dialogue is on the most part rather trite and needed to be much tighter.
Overall, underwhelming. 4/10.
Show is almost out of steam
bobbooker9 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Generally, for me, no Elliot, no watch. A rule that is strongly reinforced by this piece of dreck. The "Olivia has a kid" subplot is boring. As noted in trivia, the main plot had been used in an earlier episode. There is no way the NYPD would release the found girl to the family without DNA or other further investigation. Especially implausible considering they find her real identity in about 10 minutes. And, when the body is dug up, Carisi picks her up and somberly walks down the hill. C'mon, that place would have been taped off and swarmed by crime scene and coroner personnel. Stick a fork in this show.
sad
abbyirsan12 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
You'd expect a repeated plot... but this episode is literally copied from a previous one
spoiler ahead: if you watched the episode "Stranger" then don't waste your time watching this one.. it's the exact same episode and you'd figure it out from the look on Glynn face few minutes into the episode
spoiler ahead: if you watched the episode "Stranger" then don't waste your time watching this one.. it's the exact same episode and you'd figure it out from the look on Glynn face few minutes into the episode
Seriously??
ShooShooFontana25 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's bad enough when a show rips off a general storyline from another show but recycling your own previous episode where the only difference is the sibling is male instead of female in this episode? Weak. Instantly predictable and recognizable as the same episode we saw years ago ("Stranger"), I was waiting for the twist that would somehow make this episode different. Never happened. If you've seen "Stranger", skip this nugget of insulting laziness.
Law & Order: "SOAP" Victims Unit (SVU)
Ed-Shullivan9 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
What the heck does a former detective recently promoted to the level of Captain named Olivia Benson and her relationship with her adoptive son Noah have to do with a television drama series titled "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"?
I am a fan of a crime series that contain multiple story lines in each episode but I must say that the only reason I am writing this episode review is because I am just so fed up with Mariska Hargitay developing scripts that have nothing to do with the "special victims unit" and solely relate to almost anything and everything that allow Mariska Hargitay to interject herself in to the episode story line.
It just makes no sense that ever since Olivia Benson was promoted to Captain of the Special Victims Unit in season 17 that the foundation of this longstanding series now in its 19th season has turned more in to a daytime soap opera each week, with a really soapy story line that always has to involve the new Captain Olivia Benson and her adoptive son Noah. The previous 16 seasons when Dann Florek played Captain Cragen the series multiple story lines concentrated on special victims and not on the captains personal life.
This weeks story line is about a missing five (5) year old girl who appears to have been found after missing for more than a decade. Oh did I mention the other story line has Olivia in tears because Noah's maternal grandmother,Sheila Porter, (played by Brooke Shields) has sought a court injunction to see her grandson Noah. (booo-hooo) I guess that is what happens when a main star of a longstanding series becomes an executive producer, and to cut costs we get less product and a heck of a lot more soap.
Olivia and Noah should just move to a weekday daytime soap and maybe the series could then promote Ice-T to the Captain position so we could get back to the old format where the Captain provides leadership and the story lines could go back to concentrating on what the series is titled "Special Victims Unit" not the SOAP unit.
I cannot give this episode anything higher than a 4/10 rating.
I am a fan of a crime series that contain multiple story lines in each episode but I must say that the only reason I am writing this episode review is because I am just so fed up with Mariska Hargitay developing scripts that have nothing to do with the "special victims unit" and solely relate to almost anything and everything that allow Mariska Hargitay to interject herself in to the episode story line.
It just makes no sense that ever since Olivia Benson was promoted to Captain of the Special Victims Unit in season 17 that the foundation of this longstanding series now in its 19th season has turned more in to a daytime soap opera each week, with a really soapy story line that always has to involve the new Captain Olivia Benson and her adoptive son Noah. The previous 16 seasons when Dann Florek played Captain Cragen the series multiple story lines concentrated on special victims and not on the captains personal life.
This weeks story line is about a missing five (5) year old girl who appears to have been found after missing for more than a decade. Oh did I mention the other story line has Olivia in tears because Noah's maternal grandmother,Sheila Porter, (played by Brooke Shields) has sought a court injunction to see her grandson Noah. (booo-hooo) I guess that is what happens when a main star of a longstanding series becomes an executive producer, and to cut costs we get less product and a heck of a lot more soap.
Olivia and Noah should just move to a weekday daytime soap and maybe the series could then promote Ice-T to the Captain position so we could get back to the old format where the Captain provides leadership and the story lines could go back to concentrating on what the series is titled "Special Victims Unit" not the SOAP unit.
I cannot give this episode anything higher than a 4/10 rating.
Actual Repeat
RunningToParis19 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I love SVU. Even the increasingly flawed later seasons have the redeeming qualities of Barba and later Carisi. But holy heck. Not only is this a literal repeat of Stranger, the personal drama in this show is way too much. No one wants a soap opera in their police procedural. Stabler's divorce was bad enough, but the season 13 onwards drama has lost a lot of fans.
To Dick Wolf & Mariska Hargitay: Stop that.
As for the repeated storyline, the only thing I can think of to explain it is they wanted to cover the CBS special of JonBenet Ramsay that aired the year before. Genuinely, the only difference between Stranger and this is it's the brother, not sister, and everyone involved is somehow less experienced and smart than they were 9 years ago.
To Dick Wolf & Mariska Hargitay: Stop that.
As for the repeated storyline, the only thing I can think of to explain it is they wanted to cover the CBS special of JonBenet Ramsay that aired the year before. Genuinely, the only difference between Stranger and this is it's the brother, not sister, and everyone involved is somehow less experienced and smart than they were 9 years ago.
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