When a teen from a group home goes missing, the squad must quickly determine if he ran away or was abducted.
Every element of this episode feels like it could have been produced during any era of the show's 26 seasons. The aspect of using Craigslist to sexually traffic teens especially feels like it comes straight from fifteen years ago. However, something still needs to be said about consistency. The show has absolutely had its ups and downs over the years. Recently, that has largely been due to shortened episode orders caused by outside factors. This season feels like a return to normal. It knows when to put the characters through the ringer. The focus largely remains on the cases that are dealt with each week. Yes, character details are still important for the detectives and prosecutor at the center of the narrative. It's ultimately reassuring to know the show can still deliver solid entertainment for an hour. It may not be challenging or emotionally grueling all the time. These are stories still worthy of being told. The system hasn't been fixed during Olivia's thirty years on the job. She advocates for victims who've had their power ripped away by abusers. That's tragically timeless. Even when the plot is overly familiar, enough specificity is delivered to keep the viewer engaged.
Anthony has endured many tragedies during his young life. His father was killed and his mother died from fentanyl poisoning. He was thrown into the foster care system. He ended up at a group home because people are wary of adopting a teenager. He believes he has no options. His case manager, Michael, showed an interest in him. It was entirely for selfish reasons. He exploited his easy access to children to fund his business. He pimped them out for his financial benefit. Michael insists he loves his kids more than anyone else. Yet people are skeptical about his close proximity to them all the time. Once the detectives look closer, it's easy to unravel his criminal enterprise. He got away with it for so long because no one was looking. He seemed genuinely compassionate. He was doing important work. He took advantage of a broken system. Even when Anthony acknowledges that, he doubts anyone will be willing to do anything to change it. He's broken and defeated. He gets into fights hoping to escape one prison for another. That's the only option he feels he has. It's not until Olivia comes around to lift him up.
It's a bit of wasted potential to center the emotional heft around Olivia when the supporting ensemble needs opportunities to shine as well. The investigation reaffirms that Silva is great at examining a crime scene and pointing out details that don't line up. Her instincts are meant to be trusted. When they are pursued, they usually turn out to be right. Anthony's self-defense case crumbles based on the logistics of the motel room. Colin was killed on the floor and then moved onto the bed. That's not an act Anthony could have done by himself. Yet Anthony continues to feel guilty about what was done. And so, he accepts the blame. Silva and Bruno interrogate Michael. They go after him knowing he is the monster who made all of this happened. Anthony wanted to escape. He hesitated and had regrets. He wasn't a killer. He couldn't pull the trigger. Michael had a hold over him. It felt impossible to escape. Olivia was simply another authority figure who would let him done. He has no reason to trust her. She's empathetic. She doesn't want to force him to testify. A case can be built without needing to take it to trial. The system is built on deals and cooperation. It lessens the burden. Justice is still delivered. Olivia remains at the center to deliver it all. It's not more complex than that. That may be disappointing. But again, it's a solid enough formula that the creative team knows how to deliver dependably. Challenges are rewarding from time to time. This is how the majority of episodes function. That's how the show has run for 26 seasons now.
