"Florida" continues the personal life subplot of Olivia's that was explored so powerfully in "Philadelphia", but with a new case that is even more personal and directly related. On first watch, the episode did grab my attention and had many good things. At the same time, it didn't wow me over and a few things frustrated when they shouldn't have done. So more one of those appreciated but didn't love it episodes on first watch, which is not too bad a position to be in but could have been better.
Some 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' episodes (and those of the original 'Law and Order' and 'Criminal Intent' as well) were better on rewatch. Others were still very good and more. Others went down in my estimations. Others have always left me conflicted. And there are other episodes that didn't do much for me and still don't. My feelings on "Florida" are pretty much the same on rewatch, in terms of appreciating it but not being totally enamoured with it.
Many good things can be seen in "Florida". Mariska Hargitay is absolutely outstanding here and gives some of her best acting of the show in this episode, when Olivia completely loses it Hargitay's acting is unflinchingly frightening and heart-wrenching. Michael Weston and Kim Delaney are similarly excellent, the chemistry between Hargitay and Weston electrifies at its best.
Enough of the story is interesting and has the right amount of tension. The twists are many and you know something is good when you are constantly uncertain as to whether Simon is guilty or innocent. The truth was not foreseeable at all and still has the shock factor. Enough of the script is thought-provoking and tight. "Florida" is a slickly made episode, the editing especially having come on quite a bit from when the show first started (never was it a problem but it got more fluid with each episode up to this stage). The music is sparingly used and never seemed melodramatic, the theme tune easy to remember as usual. The direction is sympathetic enough without being too low key on the whole.
However, there are some noticeable flaws here. The police work is truly sloppy and ridiculous as well as entirely unrealistic. Especially agreed in the bookstore scene, common sense really goes out of the window. The more personal life-oriented content is on the melodramatic side, some of it reiterating stuff we already know.
Also thought there was no need for Porter, who felt out of place here. The ending is bland and too stretched out, the suspense not being there.
On the whole, decent but not great. 6/10.