On first watch, "Infected" came over as a truly powerful and intelligent episode. Didn't consider it one of my favourites of Season 7, but saw it as an episode that got the season back on the right track. 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' has been a bit on and off as a show for me for a while now. The early seasons saw a lot of brilliance with only a small handful of disappointments, but from this point on it became more variable and generally it's past its sell by date.
"Infected" however is a good example of how truly great 'Special Victims Unit' could be. It is not one of my favourite episodes and is not quite on "Raw" and especially "911" level as far as Season 7 episodes go. It is though a massive improvement over the hugely disappointing previous episode "Alien" (the worst of the quality slump between "Raw" and this). It also sees the show and season back on the right track, just like as remembered. It still strikes me as powerful and intelligent, more so now.
There is very little to fault here. Gordon Clapp doesn't quite click and came over as a bit bland in a departure role.
However, "Infected" is hugely successful everywhere else. Loved the performances, with Mariska Hargitay being typically sympathetic and determined and Malcolm David Kelly is deeply touching as Nathan. Loved the chemistry between them, which was heartfelt and shows how beautifully Hargitay works with children. Diane Neal has great authority in the courtroom, with strong beliefs yet doing so without cutting corners, and Judith Light is witty and at times cunning. Good to see the Donnelly back that we know and love and not the Donnelly that hammered home too much what her views on abortion were in "Rockabye". Nathan is an interesting character whose actions are uncondonable but it is very hard to not feel sorry for him and understand why he did it.
Writing is very intelligent and thoughtful, with the moral dilemmas of the controversial subject of gun control being sensitively but not in a sugar-coated way handled. What it has to say about gun control is insightful and it is a lot more balanced than a few of the previous episodes in expressing where the characters and writers stand on the issues addressed. This time one sees it from more than one side rather than leaning too far one way or expressing just one view like a few of the previous Season 7 episodes did (i.e. "Alien"). The story is very sad and a hard watch, appropriately so, apparent from the very beginning. The ending is surprising but didn't feel unsatisfying or unrealistic.
The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction has enough taut urgency when needed while giving the case breathing space.
Concluding, great. 9/10.
