A romantic date ends with a teenager fighting for her life in the hospital. Carisi can't help bringing the case home with him as he envisions the dangers ahead for his growing daughters.
A 12-year-old girl dies. She was hit by a car after trying to escape from two teenagers sexually assaulting her. It's an absolute tragedy. It's also the second crime that occurs in this episode. As such, it provides an escalation of the drama. The storytelling gets more intense as the detectives try to figure out what's causing these choking-based assaults amongst teens. The narrative also largely disregards the severity of this moment. It tries examining parental responsibility for the actions of one's children. Hannah and Ryan are sweet and kind. They are ready to take their relationship to the next level. Their respective parents have different reactions after stumbling upon their plans. Hannah's mom worries about her safety. She wants to eliminate one uncertainty. Hannah doesn't have to be in a place she doesn't know. Allison believes she can trust her daughter to speak up when she no longer feels safe. Sex is complicated enough for adults. The emotions are even more heightened for these teens. That complexity gets lost because the narrative shifts to where to place blame for the crimes that occur. The underlying message is fascinating. The way it's delivered proves to be more lackluster.
Ryan's father Josh tells him that he needs to be more aggressive during sex in order to impress Hannah. That's the only way she'll stay afterwards. He does so by exposing his son to the very specific porn he enjoys. The adult is capable of understanding the kink. It requires trust and communication. Ryan doesn't have that awareness. He wants to protect his father after the police start investigating. He also shares the video with his cousin. The families say they aren't that close. They don't speak once these crimes occur. And yet, the damage is still severe. Lives are destroyed because of Josh's actions. He didn't think. He wanted his son to embody the form of masculinity he believes in. He didn't seek to lift up what makes Ryan special especially in this relationship. Instead of two people figuring things out together, Josh inserts himself with a suggestion. It provides all the wrong advice. He doesn't nurture a nuanced understanding of sex. It's all performative in a way to prove a point. It doesn't matter. Josh believes he has the resources to get away with anything. He doesn't believe he should be held accountable for what happened. A lecture from Olivia and Carisi is enough to get him to change his mind.
Hannah survives her encounter with Ryan. She suffers a severe concussion though. The doctors mention it was lucky she didn't develop a brain bleed. That would have required surgery to fix. Hannah passed out from a lack of oxygen. Ryan was choking her. Her fall was broken by her nightstand. She wasn't okay afterwards. Allison had to care for her. She sought medical treatment for her daughter. Ryan thought everything was fine. He cares for Hannah. She was in pain and he didn't notice it or react responsibly. He preserved himself. That too is a trait he inherited from his father. This outcome is still better than the fate that befalls Eliza. She dies from her injuries. Josh pleads to a misdemeanor count of child endangerment. He admits fault in open court. However, Eliza's parents have to settle for the criminals who assaulted their daughter being sent to juvenile detention for only a few years. Meanwhile, the civil courts will provide monetary compensation for their loss. It's not justice. Olivia claims it's a step in the right direction. That's not a rewarding understanding of the facts though. Josh's life is ruined because of this. He still maintains his freedom. He loses his family. That's devastating. Yet he didn't particularly care about them as they actually were either. And so, the resolution is relatively minor to a case where someone was killed.
All of this hits Carisi more personally because he has to step up as a parent. He's required to fill that role more now because Rollins is traveling for work. That's part of her new responsibilities in the intelligence unit. She is never away for too long. It still makes Carisi more observant of the world while he's with Jesse. He lashes out. He seeks advice from Olivia. She offers him perspective. That doesn't settle him down. He remains aggressive in his interrogations of the suspects. He needs men to be punished for the crimes they commit against women. He has more awareness because he's raising daughters. He aims to protect them. He wants to keep them safe. He doesn't know the best way to do that. This is a new struggle for him. It's also an incredibly forced plot point to insert more drama into the situation. Yes, the show has a habit of using the personal lives of the characters to reflect in their work. They are always trusted to behave professionally. They can't cross the line cavalierly. Everyone understands what Carisi is going through. No one offers any true advice to temper the situation. He simply lashes out for awhile. And then, he gets over it. It's not entirely that simple. It's the way the show offers a concise ending. It's not satisfying. It's story for the sake of creating tension. That's noticeable. As such, it detracts from the overall effectiveness of what the narrative was hoping to achieve.
