Name

"Name" is not being given a mediocre rating and review by me for being a change of pace. There have been quite a few other times where 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' have done things different to usual, such as focusing on different partnerships other than Stabler and Olivia (i.e. Munch and Fin in Season 2's "Manhunt") or being set in an intimate setting and been for example one big interrogation (i.e. Season 6's "Rage"). And did them brilliantly like those two episodes did.

So it's not because of it being different. Different has often been good with this franchise. "Name" just didn't execute its change of pace, namely focusing pretty much entirely on Stabler and working on a cold case with another partner Millie Vizcarrondo with brief look ins from Munch and Fin, very well. The case didn't work for me and neither did Vizcarrondo or Stabler's chemistry with her. "Name" is also one of the few changes of pace episodes to not feel like a 'Special Victims Unit' episode, and it was sad that one of the season's best episodes was followed by a contender for its worst and one of the lesser outings of the early seasons.

Am going to start with the good things. It is shot with the right amount of intimacy without being claustrophobic and that the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time has been great too. Nice use of locations too. The music doesn't get over-scored or overwrought, even in the more dramatic revelation moments.

Christopher Meloni does his usual fine job as Stabler, while the few regulars that are present are reliably good. Munch and Fin have a nicely amusing brief bit. Richard Bright gives the chills in his short screen time and the very close is moving.

However, a lot is wrong with "Name" in my view. Vizcarrondo is not an interesting character or a remotely likeable one and has no discernible chemistry with Stabler, their lack of respect for each other getting tiresome. Paula Garces' performance is very anaemic and wooden too and like her heart wasn't in it. The story didn't grab me at all, it has always struck me as a dull episode from not having enough content and too much over-stretched time wasting and even after a few re-watches the truth is very convoluted. The way the case is solved and the teamwork fails to intrigue and some of the episode is ridiculous, just didn't buy that two officers were still on duty despite nearly being killed in the previous episode and even more so one of them being in strenguous action.

The rest of the cast don't stand out and none of the supporting characters are developed enough to make one engage with them. The script has a few thoughtful moments but mostly is too talky and is quite dreary. This is one of the very few early seasons episodes to not feel like a 'Special Victims Unit' episode, it could easily have passed for an episode from another show with a few regulars guest starring. The interaction is cold and too disconnected throughout.

In conclusion, mediocre. 4/10.

Mariska Hargitay is not in this episode but after first partnering with Richard Belzer, Christopher Meloni teams up with fingerprint technician Paula Garces who apparently has aspirations to be a detective. She's been interested in four Hispanic youths who disappeared after playing baseball in a park in 1978, a case her father was involved in as a cop.

In a quarry being excavated a body of a Hispanic youth is discovered and it's one of the four youths. Still another crime from that same era could be linked to it, a notorious case where no identification was ever made of another Hispanic youth found in a cardboard box that was buried.

These cases are definitely among some of the coldest that SVU ever worked on. But Meloni does solve it. I guess sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes and mind seeing and evaluating the evidence.

I like how they ran the story, and incorporated the true story of the Boy in the Box into the episode

I studied this case called The Boy in the box as part of a forensic science degree around about the time that this episode was made, however I only watched it today and didn't know about it...it brought back some memories, none of which were Pleasant, however it was an enjoyable change of pace.

Very emotional episode. With some strange action, like why is a detective with a sling in his arm, working the case on the streets. I know Dick Wolf likes powerful endings, this ending was just too much.