This is my first time watching season 12. So far, this has been a better episode than the previous episodes. There's a different air without Chris Meloni. He and Mariska Hargitay worked well together, and their interaction added intensity to the story. It was refreshing to see a caring, professional relationship that didn't fall into the trite trap of romantic involvement. The stories and interactions between all the characters were much richer and deeper with Stabler in the mix. This season seems a little flat and formulaic without Stabler in the mix, like everyone is just going through the motions. A lot of the Munch/Fin banter is missing, and the new detectives haven't sparked much interest. Maybe it's the writing, I don't know. I rated it 8 simply because, so far, it's the best of this season, but ir doesn't compare at all to the first 12 seasons.
5 Reviews
Men of Weight in Army
yazguloner17 July 2021
A difficult and intense story... The prejudices of men in the army about women in the army, the rape kit and the importance of evidence...
A brutal rape with the message that there is no place for women in the army...
There are a lot of events, it is developing fast. Actually, it could have been in two parts. It would have been a solid movie.
Still pretty good.
I wish justice could find its place like in the movies, it is a story that carries peace.
Doman and Mccallany are amazing... So are Olivia and Haden...
A brutal rape with the message that there is no place for women in the army...
There are a lot of events, it is developing fast. Actually, it could have been in two parts. It would have been a solid movie.
Still pretty good.
I wish justice could find its place like in the movies, it is a story that carries peace.
Doman and Mccallany are amazing... So are Olivia and Haden...
Taking on the military
TheLittleSongbird22 June 2022
The topic in "Official Story" is the kind that can go either way in execution, and the type of story likewise. It can either be tactful yet uncompromising, or it could be one sided and preachy. Have seen both extremes throughout the franchise in terms of the representation of the military, and don't always like it when they are portrayed in a negative light because of that they go through so much and because of having such respect for what they do.
"Official Story" always has come over as a somewhat interesting but inconsistent episode, with a nice idea executed unevenly and in sometimes a way that doesn't feel enough like it comes from the franchise. It is the sort of episode, one of quite a lot in the latter seasons, that starts off really, really well but suffers from trying too hard in the second half and that it is less than subtle when it comes to its representation of the military. Worth seeing but not an essential.
A lot of good things can be seen here. Production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. The direction lets the drama breathe while making sure that the tension and emotion never slipped. Most of the script is very thought provoking and taut.
Like has been said already, "Official Story" starts off incredibly well. Being very compelling and unsettling, it also feels like 'Special Victims Unit' in the first third. The regular acting is very good, likewise with the supporting cast. Have never seen John Doman this loathsome, and his character is one of the season's most hissable.
However, "Official Story" does try to do too much in the second half, with too many plot strands which gives a rushed and over-complicated feel. Really did not care for the rather heavy handed and one sided portrayal of the military, who are shown as every bit as sloppy as the SVU (and the SVU are really sloppy here, "True Believers" was the only other episode of Season 13 to be worse in this regard).
It does get too silly towards the end, in a way that could have passed for an episode of any other show than any 'Law and Order' incarnation. Harry Connick Jr makes his first appearance on the show and does not make a good impression, he comes over as very stiff and lifeless.
Concluding, interesting but inconsistent. 6/10.
"Official Story" always has come over as a somewhat interesting but inconsistent episode, with a nice idea executed unevenly and in sometimes a way that doesn't feel enough like it comes from the franchise. It is the sort of episode, one of quite a lot in the latter seasons, that starts off really, really well but suffers from trying too hard in the second half and that it is less than subtle when it comes to its representation of the military. Worth seeing but not an essential.
A lot of good things can be seen here. Production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. The direction lets the drama breathe while making sure that the tension and emotion never slipped. Most of the script is very thought provoking and taut.
Like has been said already, "Official Story" starts off incredibly well. Being very compelling and unsettling, it also feels like 'Special Victims Unit' in the first third. The regular acting is very good, likewise with the supporting cast. Have never seen John Doman this loathsome, and his character is one of the season's most hissable.
However, "Official Story" does try to do too much in the second half, with too many plot strands which gives a rushed and over-complicated feel. Really did not care for the rather heavy handed and one sided portrayal of the military, who are shown as every bit as sloppy as the SVU (and the SVU are really sloppy here, "True Believers" was the only other episode of Season 13 to be worse in this regard).
It does get too silly towards the end, in a way that could have passed for an episode of any other show than any 'Law and Order' incarnation. Harry Connick Jr makes his first appearance on the show and does not make a good impression, he comes over as very stiff and lifeless.
Concluding, interesting but inconsistent. 6/10.
Law Unto Themselves
bkoganbing10 January 2016
The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have seen increasing reliance on these private military contractors who employ soldiers of fortune. Unlike regular army personnel these folks don't operate with any rules of war so to speak. When you have power like that you become law unto yourself.
Holt McCallany who was a soldier and also works for private security had his daughter raped in Iraq while working for the company. No one was brought to justice so McCallany decided on a little payback. Let's just say that the CEO John Doman got a taste of exactly what McCallany's daughter went through.
This episode was the first of a few episodes where Harry Connick, Jr. made an appearance as a new Executive ADA. When he hears McCallany's story the whole thing intrigues him. In the tradition of Jack McCoy Connick jumps into this feet first with SVU doing their thing in the investigation.
This one isn't easy of course because forgetting even that the crime took place in Iraq, the New York County DA's office has some real tenuous jurisdiction. But they are investigating the cover-up as opposed to the crime itself. Doman's corporation has a long reach and plenty of juice.
Doman is one of those arrogant bad guys you love to hate. He's equally abetted by the company counsel Lola Glaudini.
Obviously far fetched but still good.
Holt McCallany who was a soldier and also works for private security had his daughter raped in Iraq while working for the company. No one was brought to justice so McCallany decided on a little payback. Let's just say that the CEO John Doman got a taste of exactly what McCallany's daughter went through.
This episode was the first of a few episodes where Harry Connick, Jr. made an appearance as a new Executive ADA. When he hears McCallany's story the whole thing intrigues him. In the tradition of Jack McCoy Connick jumps into this feet first with SVU doing their thing in the investigation.
This one isn't easy of course because forgetting even that the crime took place in Iraq, the New York County DA's office has some real tenuous jurisdiction. But they are investigating the cover-up as opposed to the crime itself. Doman's corporation has a long reach and plenty of juice.
Doman is one of those arrogant bad guys you love to hate. He's equally abetted by the company counsel Lola Glaudini.
Obviously far fetched but still good.
Really...Really Dick Wolf?
nosnibordeandre4 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
So let me get this straight, the New York City SVU department fights cases in Iraq...cases the DOJ decides to let go...what kind of sense does this make? I guess they are superheroes, and they are so great that they are able to do what the DOJ couldn't.
Trust me, this episode is not based in any form of reality, but then again, almost all other SVU episode paints these detectives as super heroes...half the time they not even fighting special victim cases. I guess Mr. Wolf's imagination ran wild on this one.
The plot is awful I guess they don't have enough new york cases to go after.
Trust me, this episode is not based in any form of reality, but then again, almost all other SVU episode paints these detectives as super heroes...half the time they not even fighting special victim cases. I guess Mr. Wolf's imagination ran wild on this one.
The plot is awful I guess they don't have enough new york cases to go after.
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