Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 12 Review: ‘Calculated’

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 12 is a strong hour for Juliana Aidén Martinez, as a Detective Silva who is instrumental in taking down a lot of online pedophiles…and one innocent person named Matthew with a cognitive disability who really just thought he was making new friends online. We’re with Silva every step of the way, when her gut starts to tell her something’s off about one the alleged criminals, to the second she sees Matthew for the first time, and with all the guilt and heartbreak along the way. Even the idea of Captain Benson mentoring her, trying to show her how “SVU is a more subtle art” than Homicide, is promising. If you add in a full squad, Carisi actually doing his job (to some extent), and a big guest star, this should be an easy win.

…and yet.

As has been an increasingly-upsetting pattern this season, the weak link is an Olivia Benson who just…isn’t. As in, she looks like Liv. She often regurgitates lines that sound like Liv, in some past context that actually made sense. But she just isn’t the character we’ve come to know and love over 20-plus years. Also part of the pattern: Benson has a magical hunch, out of nowhere, which starts the episode off in the wrong direction. Although, if we’re trying to send a “trust your gut” message, fine. Let’s do it. But then perhaps, we shouldn’t have dudes telling Silva not to trust her instincts. Just a thought.

But ok. The same omniscient powers that set off the disaster that was the Maddie arc came through here. Whatever. At this point, maybe that’s just where we are. But if Liv’s so smart and good at her job, how does she suddenly not know how the law works?How does she also not know the difference between saving the victims of 50 bad people versus saving the victims of one? Because she really does blow up on Carisi for — let’s check our notes here…hm… — doing his job in a way that compliments hers very well, actually.

Oh, and she has some Feds on speed dial? Cool!

The way Benson lights into Carisi feels like a rehash of that time Duarte wanted to prioritize his gang case above justice for her rape victim. But what Carisi wants to do…isn’t that. It’s a “yes, and” not an “either or”. Again, can’t believe The All-Knowing BensonBot doesn’t realize this. Certainly, she could be particularly emotionally invested because of her own teenage son. But, well. First of all, we all know he doesn’t exist this season. (No need to write that complaint up again.) Second, wouldn’t that make her more likely to support taking predators out of EVIL‘s Bumblebee Valley online gaming? Apparently not! Not to mention, there are boys involved here that should make her think of Noah…who are not her overall priority. One victim is — one.

We also have inexplicable inconsistency, a professionally-inappropriate “meeting” (if you can call it that) with the DA that’s weirdly shot like it’s some kind of super secret spy mission, and whatever else we’ve already brain-bleached. It’s a shame, really. On multiple levels. But to connect all this to our original point about how Detective Silva gets a big opportunity to shine — and Aidén Martinez seizes it — there’s no reason why our main character should be this messed up this season. Especially when it’s in a way that just actively takes away from so many other characters’ (and their actors’!) wins.

MORE: Unfortunately, ‘Calculated’ appears to be part of a bigger trend. Remember the teens in Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 4? Or what about that time we tackled “internet strangers bad” with adults in Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 5?

More on Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 12

“When you showed up at a homicide scene, at least you had the benefit of a dead body, right?” Uh. Ok, Captain Obvious.
“This guy’s been full of crap since he signed up for acting class.” If I speak.
“…why a girl that you hardly know would send you a photo like this…just..out of the blue?” This is not a new phenomenon but ok.
Let’s be real. Leah’s “entire future” isn’t even in jeopardy. She’s rich and white in the ~~Failed~~ United States of America.
Which, to be clear: That girl deserves justice, and her feelings are valid. Her mom’s shouted lecture, on the other hand…please.
“But if it makes you feel any better, you weren’t the only one who got fooled.” Why would that make this kid feel better?
“…and they’re all smart.” Ah, yes. Because only “dumb” people get taken advantage of — especially with things like sending nudes. Actually, if you look at Matthew’s part in all of this in the context of this specific line…really doesn’t say great things about how it’s just “normal” to be this flagrantly ableist.
“Is this some sick version of the trolley car problem?”
Hilarious of the squad to (poorly) try to act like they weren’t listening.
“I’m not going to tell you to stay off your phone. But talking to people in person is a much better way of seeing who they really are.” [Screams in this sounds like you just discovered the internet. Or, at the very least, you still don’t grasp that y’all have cut immunocompromised and disabled people out of society. And we also have people who just…are separated from “their” kind of people and have to look online.]
“Well. We don’t have a choice. We made a deal. Didn’t we, Carisi?” I should be all, “OMG, yas queen, love this level of petty” right now. I’m not. That’s a problem.
Hm. So, we can do text messages on a screen?
“I would choose one victim over five perps any day of the week.” THIS IS LITERALLY NOT WHAT THE CHOICES ARE WTF. Also, not for nothing, but let’s talk about the Burton Lowe fiasco where you chose zero victims — out of many — over one serial.
Oh, hey. Another online thing kids do, which the mom who doesn’t ever mention her son anymore has never heard of. Fab.
…didn’t catch the name. But it’s totally Bumblebee Valley, minus the deliciously-evil Leland regardless.
“You both saw him.” And they both suck. I don’t make the rules.
“Good job, Detective,” and the smile doesn’t even come close to reaching those eyes. A great moment that might not get as much attention as some of the bigger, more devastated ones.
“Captain. Please.” Gutted.
How does Carisi look so affected by seeing Matthew at the bail hearing, only to act so dismissive with Liv afterwards? Is it because she’s been so irrational and awful to him the whole time or.
“Sooner or later, you were bound to learn the difference between Homicide and Special Victims.” “Arresting an innocent man?” LOL. That happens all the time. Have y’all never heard of The Innocence Project (among other things)?
“When you were in Homicide, all your victims probably had chalk outlines around them. Here, they still have a pulse.” Ok but “probably” is doing a lot of work here…and what does the victims still being alive have to do with victimizing Matthew.
…and all of this was coming from Bruno, who said he was on her side when she was upset about them having to arrest this guy in the first place. K.
Zero things about the Upset!BensonBot making demands of DA Baxter made sense either. This is…not how you do things, even when dude owes you a favor. At the very least, don’t drag an ADA with you to put his job in jeopardy.
It actually…does not say good things that the people who are supposed to try these cases are talking about SVU’s Captain that way. By the way.
That wasn’t falling on your sword, Liv.
“Believe it or not, I have friends other than you.” Where? How? Who? Having friends implies having some life outside of the job. An intact personality. Anything.
“Justice is about being fair.” Since when. Look around.
Yeah…not buying that a group this vile just traded drafts but sure. Why not?
“But the good news is that you’ve got your whole life ahead of you and you’ll probably make more mistakes. But that’s OK because that’s how we learn…” The “good” news.”
“…it’s not the mistakes that define us. It’s the choices that we make afterward that do.” Ahhh, the BensonBot. So inspirational!