Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 Review: Sloppy Casework for a Sloppy Episode

Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 counts as a fall finale, but it would be nice if it didn’t. As a standard episode, it’s disappointing enough; as something more, it’s worse. The majority of the hour is rushed in a way that fails to be remotely interesting. And it’s clear that the case of possible kidnapping and rape victim, possible mastermind of a hoax, Nikki Suarez is just kind of there by requirement — “must have case, squad must F— it up royally.” It’s all just tacked on mess that serves to kill time, yet also throw plot points together with no room or time for development, until we can get to the very end, when Captain Benson and Chief Tynan have their titular “showdown.”

At least Mariska Hargitay and Noma Dumezweni make those final moments count, but there were plenty of better ways to get us there. In fact, there have been plenty of cases, in the majority of this season’s previous episodes, that could’ve landed Liv in hot water if they’d featured just the right number of mistakes from her detectives (and Sergeants, and fellow Captain). Instead, we have…this. Come to think of it, shouldn’t there be a track record of the squad bungling cases — not just this one, wild disaster — in order for a competent boss to decide Liv doesn’t know what she’s doing as a supervisor?

To be fair, Olivia’s decision to ignore a direct order and stay with Nikki instead of going to the press conference — at which Tynan completely embarrassed herself and the department — should have gotten her in trouble. And Liv’s attitude, while kind of one of our favorite things about her, probably deserved a slap on the wrist, too. But the way the events of Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 play out gives the impression that the end was all that mattered to anyone involved in creating it. And the obvious problem there is, well, without a solid beginning and middle, the end doesn’t actually matter. Especially since viewers might not even get to it.

MORE: The season started out so well! How did it all go wrong like this?

More Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 reactions

“You know it’s 2025, right?” We are all painfully aware.
Am I supposed to know who this dude is? They’re acting like I should, but I don’t. Also, his fedora actually is nice — one of the few interesting things in the first half of this episode! And…why is his name so close to our dearly departed Jamie’s?
“Batman” is still not a nickname I will accept for this man.
“…using some kind of voice altering technology…” So, Ghostface did it. Case closed.
Tynan’s out here, talking about removing folks’ eyeballs like she’s one of the Gold Star killers from Criminal Minds or something.
Speaking of eyes: Liv’s glasses. They’re working for me.
“You know how it is when it just clicks.” Her face. She’s caught.
(She does, in fact, know. Going to count this as EO content!)
“I appreciate you taking him under your wing.” That awkward moment when you can’t tell your boss to go F herself but also can’t control your face.
Like, does Tynan go full heel turn at the end of Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 because she doesn’t like that Liv made Jake, specifically, look like trash? Because, let’s be real here: This case was slop. Neither Benson nor Griffin could’ve done anything with it. Why did Carisi take it to trial when it was such a loose mess, anyway???
“…peddles nonsense as a so-called motivational speaker.” So, like, that whole industry?
WHY ARE BRUNO AND GRIFFIN SO INTENSE AND HOLLERING IN DUDE’S FACE MOST OF THIS EPISODE SO EARLY ON BASED ON JUST A HUNCH.
Surprise girlfriend. Why not?
What if we just had more of Hargitay and Dumezweni instead of needlessly complicating this case for the sake of complicating it? If the Chief was going to wind up (essentially) threatening Liv by the end, why not have the detectives screw up what appeared to be an easy case so they could really go at it?
“I mean, obviously, he’s shady…a frickin’ good liar. But honestly, he was always very respectful.” Hear me out: Lying isn’t respectful. Also, why are you with him if you know he’s a shady, lying liar?
This roommate? I like her. More time with her, please and thanks. “Motivational speaker, my a**. He’s a creep.” “Such a douchey smile.”
“I gotta say I’m a bit surprised to see you out in the wild. My captain’s likely at the 19th hole by now.” Ok but if dude knows Olivia, he should know she’s been “out in the wild” more than any other captain. He should be zero bits surprised.
And, if that throwaway line is meant to set up the ending, it does not. Viewers are not stupid. We know Benson’s much more involved in investigations than other people with her position. It’s come up before!
I mean, she seems like she’s actually traumatized…
Great scene in front of those slushie machines, regardless!
“Maybe lemon Coke and cotton candy’s really good, even though it sounds gross.” Jail.
Olivia’s reaction to hearing about the “Gone Girl situation” is me about most of this episode. That eyeroll, “that is ridiculous,” all of it.
Just say it’s an order, Chief. Do your job if you’re going to turn around and say Captain Benson doesn’t know how to do hers!
Liv’s very confused, “WTF,” reaction to Nikki’s story: Same.
…but, I mean, there are enough places where Liv could relate this to what she experienced…and doesn’t.
A positive: THE CAPTAIN VOICE BEING ALL “STEP OUTSIDE. NOW.”
…should she not have known better than to answer that question that way?
“Bruno, you went with your gut. I get it. Believe me. I’ve done the same thing.”
“It’s 18 months of kickboxing finally paying off.” Captain Curry, my love, you deserve so much better. As always.
Quentin really has a problem with calling women b**ches.
” And this is the second time some wacky girl’s accusing me of something I didn’t do!” Not exactly a great defense but ok.
And then, “Sergeant” Rollins basically feeds this other guy his defense by telling him wayyyyyyyyyyy too much theory about Quentin and presenting it as a fact. Also, Captain Curry — formerly of IAB! — should’ve stepped in and hushed her in order to try to keep literally any semblance of integrity in this investigation. Both of these characters know, and deserve, better.
“I don’t have insurance!” “Well, sucks to be you.” Is that…legal?
“You saw the news! Even your boss didn’t rule it out.” And this is where they should’ve taken several steps back to make sure their case was ironclad.
Carisi just big mad about Griff’s rookie mistake (or do we pretend like this is well-written enough for him to have F—ed up on purpose?). K.
“Isn’t it true that the entire NYPD was grasping at straws throughout this ongoing investigation?” Carisi could’ve come up with an objection or something instead of sitting there and looking butthurt.
Do we think this defense attorney thinks the NYPD played “judge and jury” a lot or.
Whatever this testimony is, she should’ve known better. I like the glare she directs at this man after he has the judge instruct the jury to ignore her opinion, though.
“We all did our jobs.” Questionable, bestie. Great speech for the team, punctuated by ripping up Griff’s transfer papers, though.
Everybody ribbing Jake about that Sunday dinner comment.
I really, truly do love the way Hargitay and Dumezweni play that last scene. It just…isn’t earned, in the context of this hour. Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 also makes everything I found interesting about how difficult it was to get a read on Chief Tynan, and about how…exacting she was, and just makes her your standard “boss doesn’t like that Liv’s rebellious and does things her way” type. Which we’ve done to death!
Also, what was the point in so many “moves,” like installing Griff and sending Rollins back to SVU, if it was always going to come down to this?
Not to mention, why send your old partner’s little boy to Liv to learn from her if you question her skills as a supervisor so much?
Question: If the Chief thinks Liv is so terrible with chain of command, what does she think about Liv’s ~~boyfriend~~ former partner?
Ok but since you’ve “been here for a very long time,” Liv, you should know what a captain does. Tynan has a point there!
“But you don’t need to tell me how to do my job. What you need to do is stay out of my way.” “That is not how this works. Goodnight, Captain.” Tynan’s so deliciously…just…calmly deadly there. There’s that, at least!
Anyway. That’s over.