The squad investigates a serial rapist targeting women on subways. Meanwhile, Benson begins dating an ambitious crime reporter.The squad investigates a serial rapist targeting women on subways. Meanwhile, Benson begins dating an ambitious crime reporter.The squad investigates a serial rapist targeting women on subways. Meanwhile, Benson begins dating an ambitious crime reporter.
Photos
- Detective Elliot Stabler
- (as Chris Meloni)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaReiko Aylesworth, who guest stars as an ADA, was a finalist for the role of Olivia Benson.
- GoofsWhen the detectives and psychologist brainstorm the rapist's pattern, it's mentioned that the seven victims to date share no apparent physical similarities, being an abundance of different ages, sizes, and races. Yet when they comes in for the lineups, all seven are white women.
- Quotes
[Olivia is investigating the case of a man who rapes women on the subway. Nick is reporting the case. They're kissing in her apartment]
Nick Ganzner: Let's pretend.
Olivia Benson: [smiling] Pretend what?
Nick Ganzner: That I'm the guy on the subway.
Olivia Benson: [stops smiling] OK, stop it.
Nick Ganzner: Just for fun.
Olivia Benson: No, no. No, really, stop it.
Nick Ganzner: What would you do?
Olivia Benson: [pushes him away] Oh my God. Wow.
[heads for bathroom]
Olivia Benson: I'm gonna go wash my face, and my hands, and my mouth, and, uh, there's the door. Make sure you're out when I get out of here. *Gone.*
[slams door]
"Contact" is a strong example of not being an easy watch. It mounts in tension, especially when the truth is revealed, really did hit me hard as parts are disturbing and it did bring a lump to my throat as it is quite sad. It is not quite one of the best episodes of the season (and it did have potential to be), as there are a couple of things that frustrated and could easily have been avoided, but the good things are many and are brilliantly done.
The episode does require some suspension of disbelief, namely the crimes happening in such a public place (showing that one isn't really safe anywhere) and nobody seems to notice let alone intervene and how Olivia didn't even get into further trouble for her unprofessionalism (the only episode of the season where she is more unprofessional in my mind is "Wanderlust").
Other than the suspension of disbelief, the case is compelling and quite harrowing. It was incredibly gutsy to open the episode with the single most graphic, with the first time on the show where the crime is shown explicitly rather than just the build up to it and aftermath, scene of Season 1 as well as the season's most disturbing opening scene. Found the dynamic between Olivia and NIck to be intriguing and also very creepy when Nick takes the re-enactment too literally, which clearly scares Olivia as well as the viewer. How that plot strand ends felt immensely satisfying. The identity of the culprit is surprising and the culprit evokes chills, especially the motive which is enough to freak anybody out. The final scenes are hair-raising, where sympathy and hatred is directed at all the right people.
Have no problem with the slick production values and little problem with the taut script that handles a difficult subject and moral dillemmas with tact. Munch's response to Avelino's line about being a house painter was not particularly tasteful though, regardless of there being truth to what is said. Cragen's line about Catholics may, not will, go either way as well, but that's just my view. The chemistry within the team is as dynamic, would have liked to have a little more of Stabler and Olivia together though, and how they work is cohesive and intrigues. Munch's dry humour never feels out of place and makes one smile. The acting shows an ever strong performance from Mariska Hargitay and Tom McCarthy and Sal Viscuso competing for who is the bigger creep.
Altogether, very solid with a couple of frustrations to do with some lack of realism and some unprofessionalism. The wide range of emotion felt throughout the episode, a truly gutsy opening scene, Hargitay and powerful final scenes make than compensate though. 8/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Nov 13, 2019