Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2 Review: ‘A Waiver of Consent’

From a case of the week standpoint, Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2 ‘A Waiver of Consent’ pits our detectives and ADA Carisi against the owner of an expensive club where people can just pay to do whatever they want, sign away their ability to consent (or, more importantly, not consent) to anything that happens there, and just look the other way when they see obvious criminal activity. You know, because everyone’s already paid for all privilege to do so. It’s a strong enough hour for the procedural, even if it doesn’t necessarily meet the same personal standard set by the premiere. If anything definitely stands out as being consistent so far (if admittedly extremely early) this season, it’s the lack of wasted time. No need to skip the infinitely-long cold open anymore — no such animal exists.

Outside of the investigation itself, there’s still the question of what the new Chief wants from Captain Benson and whether Liv can actually push back when she needs to or not. This is definitely not new ground. Neither is a new detective, who might or might not be some kind of spy, joining the unit. If nothing else, the new guy — Detective Jake Griffin (Corey Cott) — is Olivia’s newest giant headache. He needs some major instruction in how SVU works, what teamwork is, and the TV gods only know what else. Again, not new territory — remember McGrath shoving Velasco down our throats? Weirdly, that wound up working out. So well, in fact, he comes to Liv at the beginning of SVU Season 27 Episode 2 and apologizes for his part in lying to her about Fin’s gun being stolen.

Since this type of storyline is at least partially familiar ground, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of fresh, new storytelling comes out of it. So far, my main frustration is more about the way this series always introduces new characters, gets viewers interested in them, and then takes them away far too soon. Here’s hoping that trend dies, sooner rather than later. And speaking of new characters, when it comes to Norma Kuhling’s ADA Jones, I’m with Liv: “Hang onto her. I like her.” (Anyone else get “Deb Morgan from Dexter, but make her a prosecutor instead of a detective” vibes?)

MORE: We still can’t get over Stabler’s casual “love you” to Benson in the SVU Season 27 premiere.

Can Olivia Benson trust Detective Griffin

After watching Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2 and not being sure what I initially thought of Detective Griffin (“Griff,” perhaps, but never Batman for me), I went back and rewatched Captain Benson and Chief Tynan’s last conversation from the season premiere. And I think, based on what’s there, Liv absolutely has a reason to be wary of her new detective. In retrospect, that “I really value communication” line could definitely be a bit of a warning. Will the new guy actually give her the communication she wants if/when he has dirt on Benson and her squad, though? There’s the question, and one place where that could come into play is Velasco’s super secret undercover work with DEA…which Liv flat out says she won’t be talking to the brass about in this episode.

Then again, the Chief also said she “could not be more excited for him to learn from the best,” and all of this happened after she offered Captain Benson an opportunity to be in charge of a new, consolidated SVU. So, what’s the truth? Spy? Actual help while Fin’s down out of real respect for what Liv does? I’m thinking the truth lies somewhere in the middle, which would actually wind up being the much more compelling option, storytelling-wise. Count me as always here for a gray area, not an all-spy or all-innocent situation.

So, what do we actually know about Corey Cotts’ new character? Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2 introduces him as, essentially, a nepo baby. His dad was Chief Tynan’s old partner, and after he died, in Griffin’s words, “Chief kinda took me under her wing.” He admits his new assignment might look some kind of way to Olivia, and when he does it…he has a very “aw, shucks. I’m such an innocent, little boy” quality about him. Is it…too innocent? Maybe. Then again, you’d have to be the most genius super secret spy there is to think you’re going to play innocent with Olivia Benson when she’s already, uh, not exactly at her most warm and welcoming. (To put it mildly.) Notably, Griff doesn’t really flinch in the face of what is obviously a light version of Benson doing an interrogation either. Interesting.

Griffin swears playing spy is “not what the Chief asked me to do,” something Captain Benson quickly picks up on and asks “what has she asked you to do?” And he looks…almost shocked she’d ask about an ulterior motive before answering, as if it’s obvious, “to learn how to become a good detective.” He has an answer for every question Liv asks, in fact, including why here — why her — when he has experience in other areas. The Chief says Benson’s the best, something she scoffs and laughs at, probably because flattery is typically the obvious way to get someone to stop second-guessing you. Just not someone named Olivia Benson.

Let’s go with the benefit of the doubt and assume Griffin’s just here for learning experience. Maybe he’s not only here to be an extra set of eyes and ears, strategically placed, for a Chief who seems to know everything about everyone, no matter how quiet they think they’re keeping things. Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2 still warns us that the new character can be trouble. The hour establishes him, through multiple scenes, as someone who likes to do his own thing, his own way.

He keeps quiet about the photo he takes of Maya’s arm until later, and he goes back to SENSATE late at night, by himself, looking for evidence. Not to mention, his reputation precedes him. Bruno knows folks call him Batman (rude to Suits fans, specifically), and Curry warns about his “powerful friends.” When the squad initially ribs him about the Batman nickname, Curry points out “he doesn’t need a Robin. He’s got a Chief of Ds watching his back.”

All of this may be true, and Griff may fail to heed Olivia’s constant warnings about the Special Victims Unit being one team. But at the same time, Cotts doesn’t give any indication in his performance that his character is looking for reasons to rat Benson out or double-cross her. He’s sneaky, to be sure — I was about to fight when he took that photo of the victim’s tattoo and didn’t tell Olivia about it right away. On the other hand, his reaction to what he sees at SENSATE is best described as “genuinely horrified.” Additionally, if you’re able to focus on anything other than Hargitay when Benson and Griffin first go visit Maya in the hospital, check out how Cotts plays that. What he sees very clearly affects him, to the point where I’d almost label his reaction as not just empathy, but grief.

Toward the end of the episode, Griff pleads his case and says he owns his “mistake” in going out alone. Olivia…shuts him down there, sure. But would someone who only joined the squad to be an inside guy do such a good job of coming across as so emotionally affected by it all? Guess we’ll see.

MORE: We met Detective Silva in Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 1 and really wanted to keep her, but we kind of worried all along that we wouldn’t.

More on Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2

• “Well, if that is an apology for not telling me that Fin lost his gun, honestly, I don’t hate it. Hand it over.” Coffee is always a good idea. Correct. I also appreciate Liv admitting she probably wouldn’t have done anything different in Velasco’s position. I mean, look at the way she and a certain bald man always covered for each other. Yeah…
• I love the way Hargitay plays that first scene with Cotts. She taps into that snarkier side of Olivia but doesn’t quite fully go on the attack. There’s never a single doubt that Benson’s playing this as smartly as she can. She lets Griff have it, lets him know she doesn’t trust him, even. But she’s also not going to do tip over into unprofessional territory until absolutely necessary. It’s controlled — and carefully so.
• “Ok, Griff. The education starts now.”
• The “I’m sorry” from Maya when she’s barely coherent and stumbling out into the city looking for help after, as she put it,” something really bad happened” was gutting. We really are taught to apologize for everything, huh.
• “That’s exactly what we need: another guy who thinks he’s a superhero.” Hilarious AF, considering showrunner Michele Fazekas’ connection to Gen V.
• Can we just take a moment to love how Captain Olivia Benson is actually, like, CAPTAINING throughout this episode? Amazing.
• “Well, 1PP can send me anywhere they want, but no one will be shutting us down.” The tone.
• “Cowboy tactics don’t work for me. Be transparent.”
• Her glare and the way she shakes her head in that elevator…
• And the way she hands him his a** for being in Maya’s way when she wanted to leave the hospital…
• What I’m saying here is Boss Benson is…a lot. And we’ve been robbed of her for far too long.
• “I’m not assured.” Don’t mess with Captain Curry (or Aimé Donna Kelly, for that matter) either. So, so, so, so, so happy this series is actually using her effectively in Season 27.
• Bonus entertainment: That tiny beat before “we’re good” after someone at the club offered them…whatever a volcanic water is.
• Councilman Mills, Assemblyman Rixton, Superintendent Flynn…all trash.
• “Dude, if you raise your hand, one more time, I’m gonna shoot it off.” I laughed. Should I? Probably not. Guns and police violence and so forth…but…
• Someone give “Cheez” whatever he asks for to release that “solid info on Epstein.”
• “They say you hung up your Batman wings?” Ok but what does that mean.
• He’s not Batman, though. Harvey Specter is Batman. Mike Ross is Robin.
• Very afraid of how Velasco’s undercover stint is going to end, especially considering the news about Octavio Pisano…But hey! At least the use of shadows and darkness in that scene was kinda gorgeous
• “Freedom is my favorite word.” It’s always white dudes who say things like this and mean them in the worst, most hateful, most abusive way possible…
• “I’ve been undercover before, Captain.” “Trust me, not like this.” She’s not having it.
• Personally, I prefer Elliot and “My Wife Olivia” going undercover at places like this but ok.
• “Sorry? You said that before. Sorry means you made a mistake, and guess what: You did.” YES, CAPTAIN. GET HIM, CAPTAIN.
• “I don’t need a cowboy, who makes decisions on his own…” Someone tell her about her old partner and what his Sergeant puts up with.
• J/K she already knows because she did that sh** with him when they were partners. Maybe not the exact stuff Griffin’s doing, but…
• Was the “eating me up” bit just a strategic comment to try to get Liv on his side or…
• The way Liv just stops fighting back when he says he found the girl he saw undercover, though…
• 10/10 scene partners.
• I just like having Curry here, period. The way she approaches that girl on the bed and tries to reassure her during the bust is particularly great, though.
• “Are you just a pig, Mr. Simpson?” New fave. Instantly.
• Also, I can’t stress enough how nice it is to see this series balancing the law and the order again. Great courtroom scenes! Super use of both Carisi and the new ADA! No need for either of them to pretend to be a cop! (I will stop with the exclamation points now…)
• The way she reacts to hearing about Stabler…
• So, that ending tells us the SVU and Organized Crime timelines are supposed to sync up, meaning everything that happened in ‘Dante’s Inferno’ comes after that “love you” in the Season 27 premiere. Somehow, this makes all of it, including (maybe especially) Elliot’s casual joke about Liv cuffing him in Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 Episode 2, hit significantly harder. Granted, it makes Becky’s pregnancy a bit, uh, miraculous…but considering TV never knows how that works anyway, I guess I’ll take it.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 2 ‘A Waiver of Consent’? Leave us a comment!

New episodes of Law & Order: SVU air Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC.