A complicated case of sex and drug use divides the squad. Carisi must convince a jury to focus on the law and not the defendant's accusations.
Two individuals are simultaneously victims and criminals. Stacey committed statutory rape. She was also drugged without her consent. Meanwhile, Ryan chose not to warn her about the drugs he mixed with alcohol. He was also only 16 years old. Carisi presents a story focused solely on the numbers. A 28-year-old woman had sex with a teenager. She should be punished. The sentencing guidelines of the DA's office state that any plea deal requires placement on the sex offender list. Stacey is a teacher. She's committed to her career. This would destroy her future. She wouldn't be allowed to work the job she loves. No complaints have ever been filed against her. Yet charges are appropriate in this situation. The case against her is the only one depicted. Ryan's guilt is on full display as well. However, he's not facing any pending charges that could dramatically impact his future. The show thrives in the ambiguity of this situation. One can interpret the events any number of ways. It's difficult to arrive at consensus. As such, it's not surprising when the jury remains hopelessly deadlocked. This is a tragic situation. But one with no easy solution the criminal justice system can provide.
The story is meant to provoke thought. The characters have their opinions about the case. It also frames each of them in slightly harsher ways than they typically operate. The argument can be made that Carisi cross-examines Stacey on the stand as fiercely as any other defendant. However, it still stings because he makes the same arguments insinuating the same facts Olivia and the SVU unit have tried to break for decades. A picture was taken of the crime. As such, Carisi uses it to infer pleasure. Stacey enjoyed the sex. She initiated it. It doesn't matter that she was incapable of making informed choices. She was meant to be targeted through that picture alone. Olivia pushes back a little bit. Her empathy for victims remains solid. In this case, she just doesn't know which story to believe. As such, she essentially advocates for no one. She allows the system to decide who is worthy of protection. That makes her more reactive than she has ever been over the course of the entire series. It's odd. She has plenty of compassion when Bruno admits he was assaulted by an older woman as a teen. He never told anyone before now. He connects with Ryan. He understands the complicated nature of being in a situation like this. Ryan was forced to come forward with a complaint. That didn't ultimately benefit anyone. It just ruined lives and put everyone through the pain of a trial.
The reveal about Bruno is significant. It strengths his connection to SVU. It informs why he works these cases. That becomes known. It offers everyone a better understanding of how he operates. The show puts in the work to make the audience invested. It doesn't need to be more than this brief moment. It's shared between him and Olivia. Of course, great power could have come from him connecting with Ryan in this way. That would have been revealing too. Bruno hasn't reached that level of comfort with addressing his past though. This confession is all he can offer. It's meaningful. It also highlights the ways in which this season keeps the cases central. These detectives have had personal lives exploited for the drama previously. This season hasn't been lacking in that regard. The balance has significantly shifted though. That makes this a much more episodic show where the success largely comes from the individual cases. Again, that's familiar territory for this show. It's thrived for decades because of its ability to provide intriguing stories in an hourlong format. At this point though, it's not offering the nuance required to make the characters continue to be worthy of investment. They make a difference. They do the best they can. They offer an assessment. They advocate for justice. That's all the narrative believes is necessary to satisfy its demands. Pushing for more would improve the overall standing of the series. That shouldn't be a bad thing.
