Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 6 ‘Under The Influence’ isn’t great, but it isn’t terrible either. The cold open drags a little bit, but it’s not the endless slog to suck years off viewers’ lives like we’ve seen in recent years. As far as the investigation goes, it is what it is. The squad does their thing, with detectives juggled around and paired off to track down various leads and witnesses well enough. ADA Carisi has himself a moment in court, a way-too-powerful rich dude who thinks he can mess with Captain Benson learns the hard way that it doesn’t work like that in the land of Dick Wolf Entertainment, and out of the two perps, the worse one — not the poor, pitiful second son — actually faces some consequences because poor, innocent brother Paul (who couldn’t be bothered to do something about Nathan’s repeated rapes) finally finds his conscience.
It’s…kind of whatever. There are definitely places where the dialogue doesn’t fit, as if the speech patterns that actually go hand in hand with the “influencer” characters kind of slipped over to squad members. After a little bit, that’s no longer too much of a distraction. So, either it actually stops happening, or maybe it’s easy to get used to. Both explanations work. If there’s anything about this episode that well and truly needs a fix, it’s Paul flipping feeling rushed and/or his whole helpless, hopeless characterization. Then again, nobody’s really making him the hero or expecting viewers to see him as anything other than pathetic, so it’s fine for background noise.
MORE: We definitely liked the SVU Season 27 premiere much better, and no, it wasn’t (only) because of that one scene. Episode 4 did a surprisingly good job of portraying kids and modern technology, especially considering this series’ track record.
More Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 6 reactions
- “This place is sending me.” “Drop a heart in the chat if you think this place slaps, y’all.” Girl, what.
- Folks, I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but: Try to be like this influencer chick. Why? (And I can believe I’m about to say this next part…) If you see someone who might need some help because they’re way too messed up to consent to a fast food order, much less anything in the direction of a bedroom, do something non-threatening to try and rescue them. Stick together out there.
- Captain Benson and Captain Curry? Or Captain Obvious and Captain Also Obvious. We don’t need y’all telling us that the hair Liv MacGyvers out of the drain probably belongs to our victim and, hopefully, the perp. What, are we new here?
- I’m going to say it. Elsbeth did “pokes fun at influencer culture” better. (And, of course, EVIL‘s constant stabs at literally anything meme, algorithm, or otherwise social media and/or tech related killed everything.)
- “Like…a collab?” “Like sex.” “Ew, no!” She was real for that, actually.
- “Blood, sweat, tears! Take my sperm! …if you need it.” Question: Do human dudes talk like this in the interrogation room?
- “Or. We could make a call. For a warrant. Blow this whole thing up on social media.” “Sounds more like a pimp than a planner to me.” I enjoy Aimé Donna Kelly’s delivery on both of these.
- Why is this bartender’s facial hair.
- The scenes where victims share their stories are almost always strong ones, and Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 6 is no different. Shereen Ahmed does some excellent work as a victim trying to grasp onto those foggy memories and share just…that sense of pain that clearly breaks through all the uncertainty. Liv, kind of gently leading her as she wades through all that fog, is also great. (Not sure why Rollins would interrupt that for anything other than an emergency, but maybe she’s probably — understandably! — a little rusty with this particular type of case after spending time doing other things.)
- Rich white people getting away with killing a Black woman and messing up a Black man’s career for digging deeper. Yeah…that tracks.
- …and the same rich white boys getting away with getting in a wreck while trashed. Hm. Yep. Also tracks.
- …and obviously, they get away with all the rapes until Benson finds out about them. Benson and her squad are elite, though, so time for consequences! Finally!
- “…he looks right through you like you’re not even there.” That’s not part of the awkward — it’s part of being someone who really thinks he’s better than everyone else because of money and power.
- Harley Renault: Also great when their character (Carly) discloses.
- Another great Curry moment: “You left out the best part, Mr. Gibbs. We didn’t know you were a lawyer, too.”
- “You do know that you have the right to remain silent.” I love her.
- No but what is even happening here, what with the shirtless wall climbing commercial or reel or whatever?
- Dude’s got an answer for everything before he’s even asked. Creep.
- Ok but the way Mariska Hargitay’s head snaps around when the dad shows up. And all, “speaking of Dad” with that disgusted tone.
- “Benson, is it?” “Yes. I can spell it for you. Would you — would you like my badge number, as well?” GET HIM, CAPTAIN.
- “YOU NEED TO LEAVE, SIR.”
- “In today’s cancel culture…” Stop right there.
- Good Carisi moments: “Or you can just tell the court what it is that you are looking at!!!” And: “Your Honor, I’m sorry, but I’m just wondering how I’m supposed to question a witness who is getting signaled by his co-defendant in real time.”
- “The man who led these victims to their assaults, who stood by and did nothing while it was happening.” Always here for Olivia Benson’s righteous, burning rage.
- On the other hand, while she starts the interview with Paul out great, with that powerful stance and telling him to “have a seat” and all, I don’t need her explaining to him/viewers about the power dynamics or talking about giving this man some opportunity to “free” himself. Again, as she rightly pointed out, he did nothing — watched, even! — while his brother raped people.
- He gets shivved. We have two seconds to “find out who has the big mouth,” go back to court, and close this thing out. Sure!
- “Remember me?”
- “You have no idea who you’re dealing with, do you?” “Well, actually, I do.”
- A little bit too happily ever after with her getting Deputy Feldman vindication and some justice for Alicia. Someone like the dad wouldn’t go down that quickly/easily in general, if at all. But I’ll take it. We could use a win against way too rich, way too powerful folks right now.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 6 ‘Under the Influence’? Leave us a comment!
New episodes of Law & Order: SVU air Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC. The series will return on November 13.
