‘Law & Order: SVU’ 25×10 Review: “Combat Fatigue”

Law & Order: SVU 25×10 “Combat Fatigue” suffers, primarily, from being associated with the case that just won’t die. Not only that, but much like the Maddie Flynn plot itself, the episode feels like it takes at least 10 times longer than it actually does. Attempting to shake things up and do a longer arc isn’t the problem. If anything, it should’ve kept the season from feeling stale, after over 20 years of (mostly) sticking to the standard procedural format. But, for us, the execution still doesn’t work.

For a case to be this “big,” it needs to actually be big…somehow. But it just isn’t. And aside from the extremely contrived personal importance it holds for Olivia, having had that bizarre moment of seeing Maddie before even realizing she was missing, there’s (damningly enough for the type of work Benson & Friends have done all these years) nothing here to make us feel invested. In fact, so many missteps along the way make us anything but. Which means that, for all the times “Combat Fatigue” essentially hits us over the head with elements that make us think about the Lewis trial, none of those parallels are earned.

And, to be clear: We actually never needed anything to be like that case ever again anyway. But if, as some stale crumbs seem to indicate, we’re supposed to be thinking about the worst monster Olivia Benson ever faced and how much of an impact that whole experience had on her, coming at it like an Equate knockoff would be laughable if it didn’t come across as just flat out disrespectful. Nobody, including us, has stuck with this series for 84 25 seasons because we like tearing it down. It’s just…we know there is so much more that literally everyone involved with this series is capable of.

Instead, this is what we’ve got. So, it is what it is. Law & Order: SVU 25×10 winds up having its good and bad moments. But, ultimately, we’re just glad it’s over.

More on Law & Order: SVU 25×10

• The intro with the jurors is…um. Here we go. First of all, it drags on and sets up the rest of the episode to do exactly that. Second, the male-gazey take on the “no” juror is…yikes.
• The sequence with everyone on their way to work, listening to the trial coverage on their AirPods works as product placement a way to move away from the jury drama and bring our squad in. It’s a nice touch, and every character’s piece of it feels on brand, in its way. What fails here is the idea that this would be The Big Story in the New York City news.
• See also: “The City of New York now finds itself waiting breathlessly…” Please. Again: Why this case.
• “…stomped to death like a weed in a prison shower.” Sometimes, simple dialogue is better than whatever this is supposed to be. Who talks like this?
• “Haven’t seen each other in the past two weeks.” Do y’all not live together? And have a baby that would be waking y’all both up at whatever time you get home????
• Mariska Hargitay’s “WTF NOW” face in the scene where the defense asks to poll the jury is giving me life.
• “Let Carisi do his job.” Since when is that a thing we strive for on this show?
• “I just wanted to go home.” Stan this juror.
• Have seen this defendant staring at a juror to “seduce her” thing before. This is the Up & Up version.
• “We’re seeing evidence of the messianic part right now.” If you say so.
• That Olivia Benson facepalm is always a thing of beauty.
• See, now here’s another (long-running) problem with the Maddie case: Her mother induces headaches. Extra strength aspirin indeed.
• Eileen, Olivia is neither your therapist nor the person trying this case in court. Just so you know.
• The scene where Maddie discloses is incredibly well done. Allison Elaine is fantastic at portraying that haunted, grief-stricken feeling that comes from recollection. Especially when she starts to talk about her hair.
• Also: Ew, WTF the hair thing.
• “From what I hear, the grand jury will indict a ham sandwich.” Is this ham sandwich in the room with us?
• Perfectly creepy and soulless AF throughout from Patrick Carroll as George.
• “If we take the stand, he can ask us anything he wants. And you know what? I can’t wait.” Really, Liv? You’re not only “whispering” so loudly in open court that the defendant hears you and gives you that look, but you also “can’t wait” to be questioned after all your weird, bracelet-stealing, too-close-to-the-family behavior? Sure, Captain.
• Also: Have seen this “disgusting guy decides to defend himself” thing before. Great Value Lewis strikes again.
• The double facepalm when George posts bail. Yes, ma’am.
• “He wears it every day. Like some sort of love spell.” *stares in Liv’s compass and the dirty, ugly parallel to that*
• “Ok. Velasco. Why don’t you take our IAB queen and sit on Brouchard’s ass 24/7. That’s the captain’s words, not mine.” See? Now, this is Fin dialogue. Also: the dynamic with him and Curry continues to be so much fun.
• “Gonna be a long night.” Me whenever I hear the series is revisiting this case.
• Loved Curry’s little blissed-out smile when she closed her eyes and rested with her neck pillow. Aimé Donna Kelly is a gift. Now, give her more.
• “This guy, this case. Seems like it will never end.” Even Captain Benson is over it.
• Oh, Fin. You tried. And you probably even knew you weren’t going to get Liv to go home and leave the paperwork, get some rest, maybe see what her kid’s Googling these days…
• Those photos are a no from me.
• “Combat Fatigue” is supposed to be about the trial. So, naturally, the majority of the hour still doesn’t feel like it gives Peter Scanavino material that works for both his talents and his character’s actual job. Ok then.
• With that being said, I’m a huge fan of “that can be arranged.”
• “That was a baaaaad idea.”
• “Captain Benson. That’s your name. Isn’t it?” “Yes, it is.” “Cool. No questions, Your Honor.”  Not sure this was supposed to be hilarious, but I cracked TF up.
• “…because Maddie doesn’t see me as a monster.” And Carisi…rests his case instead of directly asking Maddie if that’s true. So many great ADAs in the history of this series would’ve been all over that.
• “STOP TALKING TO HER.”
• “DON’T TALK TO ME EITHER.”
• The delivery on those two lines is everything.
• Olivia Benson: Will hug you and talk to you about “what mothers do” while keeping that gun trained on the cuffed suspect and one eye open.
• “…the worst predator I can imagine.” Dollar Tree Lewis could never.
• Eileen only gets community service and all this special consideration because of privilege.
• Guilty: Good. Guilty when it seems like the case was not entirely made: Bleh.
• This would work so much better as just, like, a “fine but not remarkable” episode if it wasn’t inelegantly set up to be A Big Deal™. JUST SAYING!
• Except.
• That ending is wildly, wildly inappropriate. You do not “borrow” someone’s teen daughter to just, like, take her to see your boundary-lacking therapist to work through her deep trauma without telling anyone where you’re going, why, or what it entails. Olivia, WTAF.
• No, seriously. WTF.
• Also: You’re caressing her hair after she’s been through a horrible trauma that included someone messing with her hair? And the SVU Captain with 84 years worth of all this experience didn’t even think to ask for consent first? What.
• At this point, Olivia may as well try Dr. Agard. (Suitors, that one’s for you.)
• The “Fatigue” part of the title. yes.

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Law & Order: SVU returns Thursday, May 2, at 9/8c on NBC.