‘Law & Order: SVU’ 24×20 Review: “Debatable”

Once you get past the (apparently) now-traditional overly-long opening sequence, Law & Order: SVU 24×20 “Debatable” is a fairly solid episode. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s also not a complete mess. And, given how the recent Velasco drama has gone — not to mention whatever the latest Organized Crime was supposed to be — that’s perfectly fine. The hour is, essentially, just the type of SVU episode you can put on in the background during a weekend marathon and have it fit…pretty much anywhere in one of those marathons. Which, again, is perfectly fine…until you realize how close we are to the season’s end.

So, what makes this episode (mostly) work? It’s actually pretty simple. Characters feel like themselves, and no one person is forced to carry the entire story on her their back. Additionally, no matter how especially heinous the case gets, there’s a very real focus on the victims. Yes, victims — plural. Because it’s quite obvious, even before Fin and Carisi break down his testimony, that Colin is just as much a victim as Naomi is. That, too, is a positive mark for “Debatable,” as there’s really nothing debatable — no forced gray area — surrounding this case. The Youngs are horrible, their victims get some sort of justice, and that’s that.

As we break down Law & Order: SVU 24×20, though, it’s important to remember that its ability to sort of “fit” anywhere is equal parts a positive and a negative. But the negative is more down to an overarching, season-wide set of problems than due to the episode itself. That, too, is important to remember.

Some notes on trauma…

One thing “Debatable” does extremely well is show how surviving abuse is, sometimes, still not really surviving at all. What the Youngs put their victims through leaves behind scars that can’t always be erased. Sometimes, even, those scars can only be acknowledged for what they are after a certain amount of time has passed. While the victim who starts off this investigation, Naomi Hayes, is in the immediate period after her rape and very obviously not doing well, the true fallout could very well last a lifetime.

Colin, for example, finishes high school and gets into Harvard — no small feat there. But then, despite all the promise that made him a prime target for the Youngs in the first place (a nasty phrase to have to write, but that’s how they chose their victims), he doesn’t do well once he gets to college. Not at all. In fact, he stops going to classes, can’t maintain his grades, drinks heavily, and finds himself on academic probation. This is someone who, in his initial statement of facts, claims everything was consensual. Part of him, I think, even still believes whatever he had with Helene was something special…right up until the moment when Parker got involved, that is.

But that’s the problem with trauma. Our responses are not always immediate, and they don’t always make sense either. With that being said, though, there are a few problems with this otherwise-fitting way of addressing that subject. First and foremost, for some of us, seeing the state of Naomi’s arm in the initial interrogation — completely without a warning or mention of any kind — is unnecessarily triggering. Yes, someone with the struggles at home that Naomi had, on top of the relationship with her coaches that she (likely) knew deep down was inappropriate, and then with the rape added to all that…could, unfortunately, cause her to direct the very same need to destroy something that inspired her to start the bus fire, inward. But, especially after the stunt in episode 15, we didn’t need to see it.

Additionally, we have to be extremely careful here and not let empathy and understanding turn into making excuses or complacency. One particular bit of dialogue in Law & Order: SVU 24×20 brings this to mind:

“You know, sometimes, trauma can make us behave in surprising ways…you know? Like, make us angry. Make us violent…”

At face value, with Olivia Benson being who she is — not to mention with Captain Benson needing to get to the bottom of the bus fire fiasco — there’s nothing really wrong with this line. But. Well. Let’s just say there are times when mentioning the effects of trauma are not good, actually.

Then, there’s Olivia herself. But she probably deserves a whole discussion of her own, as usual, so….

…without real healing

Looking at the big picture, Law & Order: SVU 24×20 still doesn’t manage to deliver on any of the planned “healing” for our main character. You can’t heal if you’re not dealing with things, and aside from the tiniest of crumbs, there’s no indication of Liv even making an attempt. Which, to be fair, at least she does get those 15 minutes of meditation at the beginning of the episode. But when you really start to examine those moments, they leave a lot to be desired.

In the first place, as a point of emphasis, this is finally happening in episode 20. Twenty. That’s an awful long time to leave a promised theme alone, only to throw in something small, like, as a treat. Or whatever. And if Olivia’s taking whatever time she can, whenever she can, why is she doing it at the office? After hours? Go home to light your candles, Liv! Be with your son! Or, you know, your very large, bald elephant (not) in the room.

Better yet: Go to therapy. Wait, I almost forgot: Captains will literally stay at work and make the mistake of using the word “quiet,” thus guaranteeing they’ll get sucked into a new case, before going to therapy. A mess.

Then, there are the very specific things that should hit very close to home for Olivia and, really, barely do. Early on, there’s Naomi’s whole Hemingway tirade. Everything about Liv’s demeanor as the girl goes off shows she recognizes the literary reference, and Mariska Hargitay’s delivery of the “yeah. I’ve heard of him” snippet is a clear, strong nod to viewers who remember Liv’s mother was an English professor. It’s a very clear portrayal of someone with memories of all those lectures on symbolism, whose connection is much more personal and — dare I say — fond than someone who only remembers having that kind of discussion in a typical educational setting. So, those of us who really cling to details and are dedicated will understand where that’s coming from. For casual viewers, eh.

But…that’s not necessarily that big of a deal. The larger story implications, however, are another issue entirely. There was a great opportunity to clean up some of last season’s mess here, especially with the courtroom scene closer to the end where Liv admits she knows what it’s like to “be the parent in the household when you’re growing up.” While she doesn’t owe anyone a recounting of her trauma, especially as it relates to the fiasco of the person she thought loved her and was going to help her escape her home life, somehow acknowledging the obvious similarities and showing any kind of…I don’t know…healing for the character would have gone a long way.

Actually, come to think of it, the whole meditation thing would’ve had a much larger impact if it was after the case. It could’ve served both the character and the viewers well to make it clear that, yes, this was all very triggering — on multiple levels. But now, Liv knows how to take care of herself and is coping. Instead, she seems like she’s just fine with everything, somewhat out of nowhere. Because, honestly, she has not been anywhere near fine lately. Recent actions, and throwaway lines here and there (that also needed more depth surrounding them), are clear proof of that.

But. Again. That’s more of a problem with the overall direction of, and story-building throughout, the season. Not really a problem with this episode, specifically. The twentieth episode of a season should not be expected to, somehow, make magic happen.

More on Law & Order: SVU 24×20

• Olivia Daponde was absolutely amazing in this episode, as guest actors in the Law & Order universe usually are.
• Television will never get nerdy/smart/academically-driven youths right, huh.
• “Democracy can not thrive in the shadows.” And yet, here we are. (WTF.)
• Is burning a bus up…healing? No? Had me worried there for a minute.
• Fin and Liv, your “almost too quiet” chat jinxed you into working another case. Here’s hoping you didn’t accidentally manifest more Velasco/Churlish and/or Velasco/Chilly nonsense as the result of commenting on how everyone’s “good” now. Ok? Ok.
• The way she leans on the “nnnope,” though.
• “Guys can be jerks sometimes.” “How about all the time?” Exactly.
• Benson and Muncy work really well together. More of this in the future, please and thanks.
• “In my experience, sometimes, keeping secrets can make things worse.” Let’s unpack this one, Captain. How about the particular details of your four days in Hell that you’ve never really shared? And, while we’re at it, does Detective Deserter even know about any of that yet? Or…
• Unlike the very bad ethics in the last episode, the leniency for Naomi’s arson in SVU 24×20 makes sense.
• Actually: Olivia is Olivia overall here. Nice to see her again!
• …and nice to see that basic AF gray shirt under that blazer (which probably still costs more than I want to know). It makes me think of a young Detective Benson.
• The connected rooms and Parker just…not giving a shit about the kids drinking. I know y’all need to be real for a minute.
• On the one hand, “give me one good reason why any Black man should trust the cops” is a good line. But on the other, it seems kind of forced here? But then again, back to why the line’s a good one: Does it ever not apply? (The answer, in case you are not informed, is no. There is never a time when that’s not a valid question.)
• “It’s complicated.” “Oh, it always is.” Bff, she’s not talking “complicated” the way you lied about used it all these years.
• I really do adore me the Olivia Benson empathy machine, heart in her eyes, passion all over her stuff. That scene in her office was so, so good. Something about the way Liv jumps into action by getting off her couch and looking up at Naomi and just…the way Hargitay works her body as she’s doing all that…It’s a dance, ok?
• Ok but are we going to say nothing about the other kid having that video? Icky. Possibly (probably?) illegal. Just…WTF.
• “But she’s an angry kid with an abysmal home life. She’s lying to protect herself.” I would like to insert a “fuck all the way off” here, but Muncy’s face said it for me.
• “You’ve seen how she hurts herself. Naomi is a bit of a masochist.” No but if I could reach through the TV…
• Carisi: Let me talk about the law. That’s my job. Naomi: So, I read some legal stuff, and here’s everything I taught myself overnight with a Google.
• “Don’t ask me. I set a bus on fire.” A comedy.
• And, since that’s one of my favorite lines: A reminder to support the WGA. No way in hell an AI could’ve given us that laugh.
• “So, he didn’t just set a bus fire. He set his life on fire.” I feel attacked, actually.
• The Youngs literally groomed this child and waited until the day he was legal. His actual birthday party…so gross.
• I love the way Carisi got that cross-examination to work, hate how it all played out with Colin. But, notably, Fin admitting he felt guilty about playing the guy and Olivia sending him to make amends — which we got to see! Yes!!! — was really appreciated.
• On the flip side: That non-apology apology was disgusting, all about him, and nowhere near enough. “…a grievous misuse of the power of storytelling…” Ugh. (Weirdly, I’m talking about Mr. Young, not about men accused of things in the media here. But…)
• “Like you, Mr. Carisi.” Heart. Eyes.
• “Her and her husband did a tap dance on your mind. Let me tell you something: Your mind is yours — no one else’s.”
• “If you live your life right, you’re going to get your heart broken more than once. Trust me on that.” Fin. Sir. You know things. Tell Dumb and Dumber about them.

Thoughts on Law & Order: SVU 24×20 “Debatable”? Leave us a comment!

Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC.