Great episode but it seemed like an Emmy bait for Mariska. Even so, she was incredible in this episode. Glad to see her back.
6 Reviews
Emmy Episode
wrenleung27 December 2019
A new Character?
azweasel212 November 2006
I am very gratified to see Vincent Spano in a guest shot, and see the somewhat "antagonistic" relationship between Benson and agent Porter might be groundwork for another appearance of the caustic FBI agent. I do hope so, as a little new blood and story side-line would be a plus. Use Spano again - he is tailor-made for the L & O franchise!
We have watched Law and Order in all it's forms since the early beginnings and have seen it evolve into an intelligent and powerful show. The two other L & O spin-offs are equally fantastic. I guess I would have to say that Special Victim's Unit is the mist intriguing and edgy, with all characters developed to a very human status. Do consider adding Spano to the group as that dark, brooding and enigmatic character is worth delving into!
We have watched Law and Order in all it's forms since the early beginnings and have seen it evolve into an intelligent and powerful show. The two other L & O spin-offs are equally fantastic. I guess I would have to say that Special Victim's Unit is the mist intriguing and edgy, with all characters developed to a very human status. Do consider adding Spano to the group as that dark, brooding and enigmatic character is worth delving into!
Her sense of justice
bkoganbing28 October 2013
This episode belongs to Mariska Hargitay. While Christopher Meloni has been dealing with some different partners back in New York, Mariska has infiltrated an ecoterrorist group or so the FBI thinks as a result of another episode. She's now in Iowa with her new found associates and demonstrating when she runs afoul of local law enforcement. She gets roughed up by one of the sheriff's deputies.
The head of a pharmaceutical corporation that is the target of the demonstration is murdered and suspicion falls on her group. But Olivia with her training and experience recognizes a sex crime when she sees it. She starts her own investigation, her sense of justice impels her to do nothing less. She clashes with the sheriff played by Charles Martin Smith.
And back on the New York City ranch one of her cases is in danger of being tossed out because she's unavailable to testify. Ned Eisenberg makes one of his semi-frequent appearances as a defense attorney. Eisenberg is oily, but he's good.
This is a good one, see out it all works out in a rather interesting way for all involved.
The head of a pharmaceutical corporation that is the target of the demonstration is murdered and suspicion falls on her group. But Olivia with her training and experience recognizes a sex crime when she sees it. She starts her own investigation, her sense of justice impels her to do nothing less. She clashes with the sheriff played by Charles Martin Smith.
And back on the New York City ranch one of her cases is in danger of being tossed out because she's unavailable to testify. Ned Eisenberg makes one of his semi-frequent appearances as a defense attorney. Eisenberg is oily, but he's good.
This is a good one, see out it all works out in a rather interesting way for all involved.
Well, well, well...
zafrom14 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Well, 5+ years since this was broadcast on Halloween 2006 and I finally saw it. It's great to see Olivia back with SVU after Mariska became a mother. While Olivia was undercover she got to trade quips with the likes of Charles Martin Smith (looking more mature, if not with classier wheels, since his night as Toad 33 years previously) and Vincent Spano ('Sheik' 23 years previously). And I especially enjoyed, for a welcome change, an upbeat ending to an SVU episode. That, thankfully, was not a spoiler for me. What did have me puzzled, however, was an activity of one of this episode's victims, who was abducted at age 10 and held captive until age 17 before managing to escape, in part because this victim drove a car. How and when did the victim learn to drive? Olivia says to the victim, "Well, he conditioned you to never leave that room." The victim's room for 7 years did include games and a television. Well, I guess that if someone watches enough television...
Undercover invasion
TheLittleSongbird17 June 2021
"Infiltrated" impressed me massively on first watch and an easy standout episode of Season 8 (not one of the show's best seasons but a lot better than Season 7), way back when in my late teens. Was overjoyed at seeing Olivia Benson again after noting and feeling her absence in the previous few episodes and liked very much that it was a different kind of story. Not many episodes had Benson going undercover and ending up being on the other side of the law and that was interesting.
My positive feelings on "Infiltrated" are still very much the same and actually to me the episode is even better than it was back then. The change of pace was handled brilliantly, there are some great moments that fans won't forget and Olivia's character writing here epitomises why she is one of the franchise's longest serving characters and deserving of being. "Infiltrated" is a brilliant episode where everything is wonderfully done, one of the best of Season 8 by far.
Knowing where to begin with the praise is very difficult. Mariska Hargitay is incredible and when it comes to individual episodes in terms of her acting "Infiltrated" is one of her best. Up to this point of the show, only her Emmy-winning performance in Season 7's "911" surpassed the one she gives here but she was consistently great at this point and still is. Diane Neal is every bit as good, determined but also sympathetic. Evident in the powerful exchange with affecting Candace Thompson, who plays one of two of the episode's most rootable character (Britney played beautifully by Molly Camp being the other). Vincent Spano is a nice addition and has fun chemistry with Hargitay.
The tension that Olivia has with the police sizzles, even if one is deliberately infuriated by the officers' lack of competence and ability to listen. The story is basically two plots in one, but "Infiltrated" doesn't feel like two episodes in one. Thanks to the two stories being equally brilliantly executed, Olivia's plot line grabs the attention and has tension. It is also one where one feels absolutely no sympathy for the murder victim. The episode has a good deal of heart too, where it was easy to feel empathy for Britney and especially Chelsea. The court subplot also has tense anticipation, where getting justice done is very touch and go and very dependent on a crucial source of evidence being there but with obstacles in getting there.
Really loved the ever taut and thought-provoking (entertaining often here too) dialogue, especially Munch's love child line which was an in-joke to Mariska Hargitay's real life pregnancy. Classic Munch that line. Olivia saying "Elliot" in her sleep was funny too, the whole scene was. Plus the feminising the fish line. The episode never gets dull and the characters are all believable, even the cops just about.
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.
Concluding, brilliant. 10/10.
My positive feelings on "Infiltrated" are still very much the same and actually to me the episode is even better than it was back then. The change of pace was handled brilliantly, there are some great moments that fans won't forget and Olivia's character writing here epitomises why she is one of the franchise's longest serving characters and deserving of being. "Infiltrated" is a brilliant episode where everything is wonderfully done, one of the best of Season 8 by far.
Knowing where to begin with the praise is very difficult. Mariska Hargitay is incredible and when it comes to individual episodes in terms of her acting "Infiltrated" is one of her best. Up to this point of the show, only her Emmy-winning performance in Season 7's "911" surpassed the one she gives here but she was consistently great at this point and still is. Diane Neal is every bit as good, determined but also sympathetic. Evident in the powerful exchange with affecting Candace Thompson, who plays one of two of the episode's most rootable character (Britney played beautifully by Molly Camp being the other). Vincent Spano is a nice addition and has fun chemistry with Hargitay.
The tension that Olivia has with the police sizzles, even if one is deliberately infuriated by the officers' lack of competence and ability to listen. The story is basically two plots in one, but "Infiltrated" doesn't feel like two episodes in one. Thanks to the two stories being equally brilliantly executed, Olivia's plot line grabs the attention and has tension. It is also one where one feels absolutely no sympathy for the murder victim. The episode has a good deal of heart too, where it was easy to feel empathy for Britney and especially Chelsea. The court subplot also has tense anticipation, where getting justice done is very touch and go and very dependent on a crucial source of evidence being there but with obstacles in getting there.
Really loved the ever taut and thought-provoking (entertaining often here too) dialogue, especially Munch's love child line which was an in-joke to Mariska Hargitay's real life pregnancy. Classic Munch that line. Olivia saying "Elliot" in her sleep was funny too, the whole scene was. Plus the feminising the fish line. The episode never gets dull and the characters are all believable, even the cops just about.
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.
Concluding, brilliant. 10/10.
Awesome show
allyallyct64 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
So far this season i loved this episode the most. The suspense of thinking Olivia wouldn't make the court appearance and then the switching between Oregon and New York and the course of Casey asking were she is. Olivia murmuring Elliot's name. All the questions about the dead child molester the girl preventing the molester form getting another victim. It was an intense episode and awesome at the same time. I loved it when the FBI agent asked if her partner in New York thought she was annoying and she say's 'We are best friends'. I'm glad Olivia is back now. It will be interesting to see her interaction with Dani Beck in the coming episodes.
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