This case centers on Micha Green, a beautiful young singer with a glittering career, a host of adoring fans, and a glamorous romance with hip-hop artist Caleb Bryant. The one small hitch is that Caleb is a violent, charismatic abuser who is forever bouncing in and out of jail, for everything from restraining order violation and weed posession to assault and murder. But despite the efforts of the SVU detectives and their ADA, Caleb manages to avoid serious punishment and keep Micha under his sway, leading to a devastating conclusion. This episode is engaging and fast-paced, tossing in a bit of humor to counterpoint Micha's grimly inevitable fate. It tells a sobering message about abuse and the fact that life doesn't always hive you happy ending.
8 Reviews
Heartbreaking
TabbyDarling15 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The acting in this one isn't too great and it's hard to feel for the girl after she kept going back to the rapper. At first my heart broke for her when he hurt her in the studio in front of all his friends, but the fact that she didn't even care and kept letting him back in her bed is messed up. This episode was truly shocking. The last 5 minutes of this episode will really leave you shocked and with your jaw on the floor. Not how I thought it was going to end at all. Very sad episode and she should have just listened to Olivia in the first place. I.
Can't Help Loving That Man
bkoganbing20 September 2015
The SVU squad gets a truly tragic case in this story. Child performer Tiffany Robinson who Ice-T has some history with has now grown up and become a big pop singing star. To make a story book ending all come true she's now married to male pop star Eugene Jones and it looks like a story book ending. Like Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson.
Well we all know how that one went. Now they're are allegations of physical and sexual abuse. There are also rumors of Jones's ungovernable temper and the things he's done that have been covered up because people have a lot invested in them both.
There's no turning back when promoter Charles Malik Whitfield is killed and the cover-up there would rival anything the CIA could concoct.
Tiffany Robinson is stunning in portrayal of a battered spouse. But even at her level of celebrity she still can't break away from a very evil partner.
This is one to see.
Well we all know how that one went. Now they're are allegations of physical and sexual abuse. There are also rumors of Jones's ungovernable temper and the things he's done that have been covered up because people have a lot invested in them both.
There's no turning back when promoter Charles Malik Whitfield is killed and the cover-up there would rival anything the CIA could concoct.
Tiffany Robinson is stunning in portrayal of a battered spouse. But even at her level of celebrity she still can't break away from a very evil partner.
This is one to see.
Against the Wall: Love Dominates Everything"
yazguloner28 July 2021
My grandmother used to say:
Even if you say, "There's a wall in front of you, slow down or you'll crash". A person will never see that wall until he hits that wall."
The anatomy of violence and domination against women is covered step by step. There is a young, beautiful and bright singer in a life full of masks that being famous and popular has to wear. She, who also has a mentor who protects and watches over her, is actually a very lucky person. But in this world of fame and glory, she has a brainwashing cancer-turned-a relationship that continues.
It is a story that relationships with violence will not stop until the violence reaches its climax. It is very logical that they tell this through popular music and songs. It is the most accurate storytelling in reaching today's generation Z and stimulating the simple minds. It's kind of like a public warning promotion. In these respects the article is very good.
Micha is a great face in the "No More" movement. In the violence suffered by women, she becomes silent or continues the gangrene relationship. Because there is no hope left for the dream of another life. She sees her destiny in accepting that violence. She or she is helpless against violence (This topic is covered extensively in 20s 14e). Or she is trapped by tradition and family rules.
Or she wants to maintain a relationship of mutual interest as in this story. Today, love is experienced by showing people on social media and screens. Frankly, I don't find it sincere. When you're with someone, photographing and sharing intimate moments shows you care about 3rd parties. Not that you care about your love. Nowadays, unfortunately, 3rd eyes rule our lives.
Micha has become blind with that 3rd eyes. She lived her diseased relationship until the last gangrene state. She has already killed her mentor in life in her mind. That's why we shouldn't be surprised by what she do.
This story is great until the last part. But I hated the last part. That's why this part is among the bad parts of the svu that I rarely keep. If I knew how to explain better, I would give 1 point. However, I gave 6 points because I couldn't give an idea how to explain it better.
What I don't like about the last part is the drawing of Micha's fate as a lesson in the story. In my opinion, that part should never be done and the result should be left to the audience or presented in some other way.
People don't like being told, "Look! You didn't do this, this will happen to you in the end" like a child. They get stubborn... Micha and Caleb's relationship has also turned into stubbornness with the D.a and Svu.
You have imposed the "I am right" mode on people. So you said to people, "You are wrong". Because of this, people are starting to go against you. Instead of correcting the wrong in himself, he begins to hold on to that wrong completely. This is what I meant when I said you pretended to give a lesson. This point of view cannot convince even elementary children and makes them stubborn.
Make sure the audience eventually understands what you want to tell. That's why most reviews and criticisms come. Svu doesn't need lesson endings like this.
As activism, I support slogans and actions. I fully support Mariska on this. However, at the end of the script, "what we said happened." I didn't like your message at all. Svu should not have a place for activism...
Sometimes let us hit the wall.
The anatomy of violence and domination against women is covered step by step. There is a young, beautiful and bright singer in a life full of masks that being famous and popular has to wear. She, who also has a mentor who protects and watches over her, is actually a very lucky person. But in this world of fame and glory, she has a brainwashing cancer-turned-a relationship that continues.
It is a story that relationships with violence will not stop until the violence reaches its climax. It is very logical that they tell this through popular music and songs. It is the most accurate storytelling in reaching today's generation Z and stimulating the simple minds. It's kind of like a public warning promotion. In these respects the article is very good.
Micha is a great face in the "No More" movement. In the violence suffered by women, she becomes silent or continues the gangrene relationship. Because there is no hope left for the dream of another life. She sees her destiny in accepting that violence. She or she is helpless against violence (This topic is covered extensively in 20s 14e). Or she is trapped by tradition and family rules.
Or she wants to maintain a relationship of mutual interest as in this story. Today, love is experienced by showing people on social media and screens. Frankly, I don't find it sincere. When you're with someone, photographing and sharing intimate moments shows you care about 3rd parties. Not that you care about your love. Nowadays, unfortunately, 3rd eyes rule our lives.
Micha has become blind with that 3rd eyes. She lived her diseased relationship until the last gangrene state. She has already killed her mentor in life in her mind. That's why we shouldn't be surprised by what she do.
This story is great until the last part. But I hated the last part. That's why this part is among the bad parts of the svu that I rarely keep. If I knew how to explain better, I would give 1 point. However, I gave 6 points because I couldn't give an idea how to explain it better.
What I don't like about the last part is the drawing of Micha's fate as a lesson in the story. In my opinion, that part should never be done and the result should be left to the audience or presented in some other way.
People don't like being told, "Look! You didn't do this, this will happen to you in the end" like a child. They get stubborn... Micha and Caleb's relationship has also turned into stubbornness with the D.a and Svu.
You have imposed the "I am right" mode on people. So you said to people, "You are wrong". Because of this, people are starting to go against you. Instead of correcting the wrong in himself, he begins to hold on to that wrong completely. This is what I meant when I said you pretended to give a lesson. This point of view cannot convince even elementary children and makes them stubborn.
Make sure the audience eventually understands what you want to tell. That's why most reviews and criticisms come. Svu doesn't need lesson endings like this.
As activism, I support slogans and actions. I fully support Mariska on this. However, at the end of the script, "what we said happened." I didn't like your message at all. Svu should not have a place for activism...
Sometimes let us hit the wall.
Nothing funny about this valentine
TheLittleSongbird14 July 2022
"Funny Valentine" was another one of those episodes that did very little for me on first watch, finding it completely lacking in suspense due to the excessive predictability, dull, too sensationalist and dramatically flat. It is based on the Chris Brown and Rihanna case, one that was much publicised at the time and has been an inspiration for quite a lot of domestic violence related episodes on television. Violent relationships are a big thing and does need more awareness.
But not in a way that feels like a literal dramatisation of this particular story. Which was one of the biggest problems for me in "Funny Valentine". Which still doesn't do it for me as an episode and for pretty much the same reasons as on first watch. Except in this case, this viewing of "Funny Valentine" was worse due to further finding the mostly bad acting (which did surprise me as a vast majority of previous episodes of 'Special Victims Unit' are extremely well acted) and un-rootable characters hard to overlook.
There are good things. The best thing about it is Raul Esparza, who gives the only good performance of the episode. Absolutely love his wide range of emotions and his sparkling quips, that the rest of "Funny Valentine" was sorely lacking in. Also loved the coffee exchange between Barba and Olivia, the one scene to have any kind of sparkle.
As ever, the photography and such 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.
For all those good things, there are so many major debits that outweigh the pros. The rest of the regular acting is disappointingly flat and phoned in, even Mariska Hargitay is uninspired (yes, did just say that). The supporting cast are even worse, very amateurish and wannabe-ish and any emotions conveyed are forced. All the characters are one dimensional, and "Funny Valentine" was an episode where nothing is felt for any of the characters that are meant to be sympathetic.
Not to mention it is also an episode where the perpetrator is far from menacing, a big problem for such a disturbing subject. Absolutely nothing new is done with over-familiar ground and the ripped from the headlines aspect is exploited and too closely indebted to the done to death case it's based on, it was like watching a watered down dramatisation of it. It is very predictable and less than suspenseful as a result with a very pedestrian pace, especially apparent in the overlong first act.
Chemistry is also flat, shining only with Olivia and Barba when together. The dialogue is melodramatic, heavy handed and forced. While the ending made me want to throw something at the wall, with it being one of those endings that just felt wrong considering the blatant obviousness of the truth.
Very disappointing episode overall. 4/10.
But not in a way that feels like a literal dramatisation of this particular story. Which was one of the biggest problems for me in "Funny Valentine". Which still doesn't do it for me as an episode and for pretty much the same reasons as on first watch. Except in this case, this viewing of "Funny Valentine" was worse due to further finding the mostly bad acting (which did surprise me as a vast majority of previous episodes of 'Special Victims Unit' are extremely well acted) and un-rootable characters hard to overlook.
There are good things. The best thing about it is Raul Esparza, who gives the only good performance of the episode. Absolutely love his wide range of emotions and his sparkling quips, that the rest of "Funny Valentine" was sorely lacking in. Also loved the coffee exchange between Barba and Olivia, the one scene to have any kind of sparkle.
As ever, the photography and such 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.
For all those good things, there are so many major debits that outweigh the pros. The rest of the regular acting is disappointingly flat and phoned in, even Mariska Hargitay is uninspired (yes, did just say that). The supporting cast are even worse, very amateurish and wannabe-ish and any emotions conveyed are forced. All the characters are one dimensional, and "Funny Valentine" was an episode where nothing is felt for any of the characters that are meant to be sympathetic.
Not to mention it is also an episode where the perpetrator is far from menacing, a big problem for such a disturbing subject. Absolutely nothing new is done with over-familiar ground and the ripped from the headlines aspect is exploited and too closely indebted to the done to death case it's based on, it was like watching a watered down dramatisation of it. It is very predictable and less than suspenseful as a result with a very pedestrian pace, especially apparent in the overlong first act.
Chemistry is also flat, shining only with Olivia and Barba when together. The dialogue is melodramatic, heavy handed and forced. While the ending made me want to throw something at the wall, with it being one of those endings that just felt wrong considering the blatant obviousness of the truth.
Very disappointing episode overall. 4/10.
Stupid and predictable
kofila21 June 2023
This was such a cliché from the get go to the last scene. Everything so black and white, so dull and predictable. Why even bother with this if no character has any value or depth? The stardom felt unreal, the relationships felt unreal and the final situation felt so pushed and against logic yet so damn obvious it just annoyed the living soul out of me. Ice-T fist bumping with a stranger because what? Because they met on a show once. Why? Why put these pointless details and take all the emptions out of the story. In the end I was so annoyed by the victim I was just praying for itall to end. Jeez Luiz.
Incredibly predictable writing
stratus_phere13 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the many episodes where you can guess the ending before the opening credits. Within 30 seconds of this episode starting, I knew exactly how it would go down.
A rich, ultra-violent singer celebrity beats his girlfriend, who is a total fool and won't testify against him. There is nothing new in this episode and nothing that we didn't see coming a mile away. At the end, he goes free and is granted the right to kill her, which he does.
Big deal. How about bringing us a decent episode. How about letting the good guys win. Is that a novel concept for you guys?
A rich, ultra-violent singer celebrity beats his girlfriend, who is a total fool and won't testify against him. There is nothing new in this episode and nothing that we didn't see coming a mile away. At the end, he goes free and is granted the right to kill her, which he does.
Big deal. How about bringing us a decent episode. How about letting the good guys win. Is that a novel concept for you guys?
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