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Episode Recap: "Signature"
Well at least Mariska didn't look as orange this week so that's good but when Erika Christensen introduced herself as a Special Agent with the F.B.I. I had to smile. She looks like a kid to me. And maybe even worse...she sounds like one. Now the Traffic and Swimf@n star is 25 years old so I guess its possible for her to run an investigation in the hunt for the serial killer The Woodsman...no wait...it just seems kind of dumb. Tell me: am I alone here? Does everyone on this show HAVE to be young and beautiful??
That scene at the strip club was just embarrassing. I don't think the owner could have been any more stereotypical. Asking if she "wanted to get her freak on"...What? For the second time this season I thought I was watching a bad 70's TV series. Something is seriously a bit off this year since I never feel that way watching the reruns.
A stylistic change I've also noticed this year is the use of voice overs. In this case we hear Dr. Huang describing the killer's profile while Det. Lake was doing some of the grunt work. I liked it at first but I think they are overusing the device.
Ok I have to say it again. Erika may be a lovely young woman but she was seriously miscast in this episode. I couldn't believe anything coming out of her mouth and I found it really pulled me out of the story. All that whispering didn't help either. Of course she was fighting an uphill battle with this script. Hard to imagine the FBI is so hard up for experienced agents that they would send such a loose cannon out on her own. Especially after the case caused her mentor to commit suicide!!
I think we should make "Give us the damn location now" a new drinking game we can play with all our friends. Just throw a little Law & Order marathon (no trouble thanks to NBC, TNT & USA) and whenever a line like that is uttered you throw back a shot. It replaces the previous L & O drinking game which celebrated D.A Adam Schiff ordering his A.D.A.s to "Make a deal".
So which D.A is it exactly that would not have wanted to prosecute Agent Lauren Cooper for murder? I am supposed to believe Jack McCoy would just give her a total pass? Even if the guy was a serial killer there would have to be some kind of inquiry. The public may be glad he's dead but I don't think they'd want the FBI to start shooting suspects on their own without even a trial.
My suggestion instead of watching this "Woodsman" investigation rent the superior Kevin Bacon movie The Woodsman which is about a somewhat sympathetic pedophile. Tough subject but the acting was way better.
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Jan 9, 2008 1:58 AM
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I'm an SVU fanatic. I've seen almost every episode (thank you, USA marathons).
I can say beyond a reasonable doubt (har har) that this episode of SVU was the worst. episode. EVER.
We've been complaining that Richard Belzer has not been on enough. This episode, not only is there no Munch, but there is no Finn and even NO STABLER?! (that has to be a first.) I always thought Chris Melonii made the show.
Adam Beach had a lot more air time...I still do not like him.
The promos hyped "twists that will have you grinding your nails into your legs." After the FBI agent (which was beyond poorly cast) killed herself with a second (?!) gun, I groaned. Too predictible.
This season has been very lackluster for me. I do not like the way Dick Wolf has been relying on extremely serialized episodes? Where's Law? Where's Order? It's very simple.
(Also, once again, how was this a SVU case? The information about the torture only came after the FBI was involved, and even then, I don't think that falls under sex crimes...)
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Jan 9, 2008 7:01 AM
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I gotta agree with you Traci, about The Woodsmen movie. Kevin Bacon was fantastic in that role, he should of gotten a nomination for that movie. But every time they kept talking about the Woodsmen, I kept thinking about the Woodsmen the movie.
But anyway back to this episode. I knew that FBI agent had to be involved with this case some kind of way. Because when they found the other victim Amy in that place, for some reason the agent took down one of the scalpel and put it up to the still traumatized girl. I don't know whether or not she was trying to get the duct tape off of her or she wasn't thinking at that point. But that scene just didn't look right to me.
I also gotta agree with you Zinger314 about the promos. The way they talked about this episode....I thought it was going to be a good one. And I knew she was going to end up kill herself...especially the way that Olivia and Adam Beech's character(I still don't know his name on the show) found her. Plus I thought Stabler on this episode for a hot minute.
And why was Olivia breaking up after the agent killed herself. That part I just didn't understand.
Was that Gordon from Seasme Street who found that bodies? Its been awhile since I've seen the show.
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Jan 9, 2008 7:42 AM
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I imagine Olivia was breaking up because this person who had, up until recently, been a fellow cop shot herself in the head at close range. Liv probably felt guilty for pushing her to that point, even though she did not seem to have any strong objection to what Cooper did.
I though Liv's reaction was the only high point in the episode. Erika is a hottie but was miscast. FBI agents almost always have an undergrad degree and either a law degree or year of police experience. Trying to sex up this show with this stunt was a bad move.
The episode just grated on my nerves. Hard to put a finger on it, but the writing was bad, directing bad, the casting was not done well, and did I mention the writing was bad.
Lame excuse with Fin and Elliot out of the office. That seems like the perfect time for a Meunsch sighting. No dice.
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Jan 9, 2008 8:00 AM
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 I'm disappointed because I DIDN'T get to see it...thanks to local election coverage about the New Hampshire primary!
I HOPE they rerun it!
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Jan 9, 2008 8:40 AM
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I thought I was losing my mind watching this miserable cliche ridden episode of law and order. All of the stupid posturing of the characters seemed so out of character. For example, Tamara Tunie yelling, she has never yelled at an officer, at the FBI officer, "I speak for the dead!!!" WTF?
This is the first time I have ever thought that this show jumped the shark but when they went to the killing room, I heard the Fonz revving up the engine.
Now the stories are staight out of horror movies? -Please-
Such an awful horrible piece of crap. Chris Meloni was smart not to be involved in that piece of refuse which you know will likely net Erika Christensen a guest actress Emmy nom.
This is the first year I can remember that thus far, Criminal Intent has been the far far superior Law and Order brand.
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Jan 9, 2008 8:48 AM
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There were two clues in the climactic scene that gave away what Lauren was about to do: The "tension" music that consists of one, grating note that lingers forever until something shocking happens, and the fact that Lauren kept her hands on her lap out of sight, under the table. It was a strange way for her to sit (maybe to signal to Olivia that she wasn't intending to reach for the gun on the table), but I was in no way startled when she suddenly shot herself.
Compare that to the scene earlier in the season when that car crashed into the one Olivia was driving with Stabler's pregnant wife--now THAT was a shock (and I happened to love that particular episode).
Okay, every good show can have a clunker once in a while. No biggie.
Except we don't have as many episodes to choose from this season!
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Jan 9, 2008 9:00 AM
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I haven't watched a full episode of SVU in a while so I didn't have any built-in expectations but I agree - lots of holes in the story and acting. My biggest takeaway -- "Olivia" was especially annoying in this episode. The last 15 seconds of the episode with the montage of her anguish -- yeah, it's all about her. 24 women tortured and dead but she's really, really upset, ya know?
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Jan 9, 2008 9:38 AM
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So, I guess you can join the FBI as soon as you graduate from High School?! SVU got it right with Marcia Gay Hardin. Sadly they went for the 'youth and sex' appeal with Erika Christensen...What a joke.
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Jan 9, 2008 9:41 AM
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About halfway through the episode I got to thinking that the FBI agent actually WAS the serial killer and had set the park ranger up.
Now that would have made the episode more interesting!
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Jan 9, 2008 10:04 AM
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I also agree with everyone. I found this to be a very poorly written and unbelievable episode. I don't look forward to watching this show anymore.
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Jan 9, 2008 10:40 AM
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Agreed Agreed Agreed. I've been so disappointed with SVU this season primarily because of the really poor acting. One of the reasons I love this show is because the acting is really tight... even the child actors. This hasn't been the case this season. Adam Beach has got to go! His bland monotone is nearly putting me over the edge. Erika Christensen is an exceptionally bad actress, mis-cast and completely non-believable in this role as an FBI agent. The only redeeming factor of this incredibly nauseating episode was Olivia's gut-wrenching reaction at the end... the stoic Olivia rarely cracks, but leave it to the remarkable Mariska Hargitay to deliver a very real performance.
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Jan 9, 2008 10:54 AM
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I agree with the majority in thinking the episode was extremely poor. I don't know Ms. Christensen from anything prior to this, but I didn't much of her acting here.
Like many of you, I had guessed the dead man was the Woodsmen himself as soon as the fate of Cooper's mentor was revealed, and that she was the one who killed him. Then I thought, "no, SVU is too good to do anything that obvious or cliche."
And that Cooper was going to shoot herself with a second hidden gun was more than obvious. In fact, that scene was in last week's previews (Olivia talking to Cooper at the end) with the promise of an shocking twist. What else could it be?
On the other hand, Olivia's reactions were curious. In the interview room, she honestly seemed disgusted by Cooper's actions. Later she seemed sympathetic. And crying after her death didn't strike me as genuine. I dunno...
MH is still amazing, though, even in bad episodes. And personally, I love Adam Beach, but perhaps because I'd come to love his character from the PBS versions of Tony Hillerman's novels.
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Jan 9, 2008 11:05 AM
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This was not only the worst episode of L&O.SVU, this was the worst episode of all time. Ok a bit drastic but, seriously - Erika Christensen is a horrible actress. Even when you look at Swimfan and Traffic, she was not compelling - the stories where, but she wasn't. Also, I agree with what everyone has said thus far, Misriska's acting - bad; directing - bad; writing - bad; no Stabler, Meunch, Finn - bad; coroner and psych eval - bad; IN A WORD - BAD!! BAD!! BAD!!
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Jan 9, 2008 11:15 AM
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Erika Christensen was the worst. I can't tell if the episode itself was bad or it was just bad because of her.
Girl hit a lucky break with Traffic, but it wasn't like her role was groundbreaking.
Has she done anything worth while since? No. Even her part in that show Six Degrees was terrible. And notice that when they "retooled" it, she suddenly had a lot less screne time.
She needs to realize that there is more to acting than making your eyes really big and whisper yelling. And she needs to stay away from my tv shows.
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Jan 9, 2008 11:17 AM
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Hi Fellow SVU Fans,
I just wanted to let you guys know I resigned from the blog last week. The bosses at TV Guide want me to take on fewer responsibilities so I had to let it go.
Thanks for all your support. I am sure the great web guys are looking for a suitable replacement as we speak.
Cheers
Thank you for the information on Richard Belzer's episodes being cut. I was very irritated over the situation, since I really miss seeing Sgt. Munch and want him back on the show ASAP. On ALL the episodes.
I'm starting a letter campaign, encouraging all Belzer (John Munch) fans to write in and voice their wish for him to be included in every episode.
Please send your letters to:
Wolf & Baer
SVU
Chelsey Piers
Pier 62/Suite 305
New York, NY 10011
To further show Belz how much we miss him on the show, please e-mail a copy of your letter to his manager:
Eric Gardner
Panacea Entertainment
Juno@panacea-ent.com
Many thanks for taking the time to write! Let's bring Belz back to SVU!
If you want to write to the magazine re: Richard Belzer or anything else for that matter.
TV Guide
Radnor, PA
19088
or
letters@tvguide.com
Include your name address and phone number.
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