At Midnight in Manhattan

After 21 years, SVU has never made an episode like this before. It was great to watch how each case was handled differently and which of the detectives had more of an attachment to the particular cases. The end teaches us a great lesson as to the outcome of these cases.

This was the best one this year. No hidden agenda, just the world of SVU.

'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' "At Midnight in Manhattan" (2019)

Opening thoughts: Season 21 did not get off to a great start. The season opener was respectable but the next three episodes were very disappointing, especially "The Burden of Our Lives". On first watch, my overall thoughts were on the most part positive, the character writing is wanting for some characters but there is a major improvement in the story departments, compared to the previous episodes. Plus it was one of the few Season 21 episodes where there were no issues with the victims.

"At Midnight in Manhattan" is a major step in the right direction and the first good episode. Was not that impressed by Season 21 on the whole, but it did still have some good and more episodes and "At Midnight in Manhattan" is one of them. It isn't great and has imperfections in some of the character writing and occasionally the dialogue, but the episode also contains the first consistently compelling story that wasn't heavily problematic and again one aspect really surprised me in a good way.

Good things: Photography and such as usual 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. The direction has pulse while also letting things breathe, stylistically also it isn't flashy or gimmicky while also not being leaden. Most of the acting is very good, with only one exception.

The episode also has a mostly punchy and gritty script that flows well and is not too soapy. The personal life drama on the whole didn't get too much and really appreciated that the episode tried to do more than one average or less story over-stretched and instead having more than one story tied together neatly (while not too neat) that didn't feel over-stuffed or disjointed. It was a good decision to not focus too much on one or two specific characters and underuse the others, like some episodes in the season did. The victims were also ones worth caring about.

Bad things: It isn't a perfect episode though. Didn't like Rollins' treatment of Carisi and she comes over as rather selfish and aggressive. While it is nice that Tamin is headstrong and is not a weak personality, she is also not very likeable and is too opinionated with the inability to listen to others.

Jamie Gray Hyder's acting is rather flat. Didn't like some of Olivia's dialogue, which came over as patronising (i.e. What she says about women being stronger than men, what possessed her to say that and certainly considering the case).

Closing thoughts: On the whole, for the season at this point this was impressive.

7/10.

This show has gotten progressively more and more left wing with every season since Meloni left. Just watched this episode... so careful not to offend any of the "special" people. Kat insulted every Scottish person with her line about a skirt. So glad Stabler is back. I won't be watching Law & Order: Benson's Soapbox any longer.

Excellent acting, especially in the heated scene between Carisi and Rollins. And wow, 3 cases in 1! I'm really liking the new cop and Benson as captain. Still waiting for an episode where Carisi does a full court scene with a powerful closing statement.