Feelings on "Mood" on first watch of Season 19 were very mixed to not particularly impressed. It starts off well, but it didn't take long for it to lose its way and never really live up to the early promise. The premise is a hard hitting one and had potential to be equally hard hitting if done right. Decided to rewatch all the seasons and review all the episodes and have done since 2019, even the seasons and episodes that didn't do much for me. That is including Season 19.
"Mood" is one of the episodes on rewatch that showed very little improvement. It does far too little with the potential showed and suffers from an underwhelming case and too much emphasis on the personal life stuff, which is not particularly well done. Found that actually to be pretty common in the latter seasons. While there were worse episodes in Season 19, there were also better ones including the previous episode "Gone Fishin" and even that could have been more.
There are good things here. On a visual level, the episode is solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. Some lovely location shots. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. Some of the direction is assured, notably the opening.
Did think that the performances all round were quite good considering what they were given, leads and supporting. The episode does start off intriguingly and with atmosphere.
However, there are a lot of shortcomings. There is too much of the Olivia's personal life subplot, and it was too soapy. Cassidy's presence also wasn't necessary and he is a character that has gone from liking him to wanting him gone status. Olivia's sanctimoniousness and victim bias (where she is too trusting of victims and can't see that there is a possibility that they are not what they seem, which has been known to happen numerous times) had already gotten old four seasons ago and now feels like beating a dead horse and comes over as hypocritical.
Olivia and Rollins' handling of the case was not tactful and sees them focusing on one side of the story and one only. The case is predictable and lacks tension, also thought that it was over too quickly and was over-shadowed by Olivia's personal life and her attitude. The thing with the bracelet was lazy and is too derivative of the same touch done a lot better in Season 1's "Closure". The dialogue lacks tautness and is bland and most of the direction is undistinguished, never incompetent but not much stands out.
In conclusion, not particularly impressed while not hating it. 5/10.