Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Intoxicated (2005) User Reviews

Statutory Laws need to be updated

[labenji-12163 · 7/10 · 18 January 2024]

I have to disagree with the reviewer Sammy-2006 about a 15 year old and a 21 year old not being able to date.

First of all how can the law say that a 14 year old can be tried as an adult and even been sentenced to life in prison for committing murder, but too young to consent to sex with someone that is only 4 - 5 years older than they are. Makes no sense, consequences of committing murder vs having a sexual relationship.

I am a female over 40 and when I was 16 I routinely dated college students, because I did not see them as "men", just half-grown, and today, I still don't believe the college students are any more mature than high school students, probably because many are still dependent on their parents while either in college or entry-level jobs. I'm speaking specifically about young adults between 18 - 21.

Keep in mind that not all 15 year olders are at the same emotional level, some are more independent, responsible and self-sufficient, while others are very emotionally immature adolscents.

It's time for the laws to be updated that age 15 - 21 is within the range of consent. I do however believe that any 22 and older should in no way be dating anyone 5 years younger than they are.

But for society to continue to think that a 15 year old is a baby that somehow in 1 year at the age of 16 (in most states) they can consent to have sex with a 30 year old.

Out of control

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 11 March 2021]

This is in no way referring to the quality of the episode itself, but is instead referring to one of the meanings of the episode title in regard to being under the influence and the pivotal mother and daughter relationship. The standard of the previous Season 6 on the whole, well actually a vast majority of the episodes, has been extremely high. Very few other seasons of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' had such a high number of outstanding episodes and with only the still admirable "Game" being less than very good.

"Intoxicated" is another jewel from Season 6. It is not quite one of my favourites of the season, but it did excel brilliantly at exploring such a tough subject, portraying a difficult family relationship dynamic that resonated with me and the character development for Olivia was fantastic. A welcome change from the big emphasis on Stabler the past few outings, despite actually loving Stabler's development having a break from it was good and in a way necessary.

Where to begin praising "Intoxicated?" Well, first and foremost Mariska Hargitay is truly remarkable in a shining star of an episode for her in terms of individual performances. She is very moving here, especially when Olivia bravely and candidly opens up. Diane Neal has authority when Novak is doing her job, yet also proves herself to be a sympathetic listener. Character writing is outstanding all round, with a remarkably layered portrayal of the mother-daaughter relationship and for Denise and Carrie.

Denise, formidably played by Cathy Moriaty, is likely to come over over as the over-controlling mother from hell sort of character, thought that myself on first watch and it was easy to see why the team felt this way. On rewatches, although there is still definitely that vibe she also strikes me as someone who deep down loves Carrie and wants the best for her while going about it the wrong way in a bad state of mind. Did feel very bad for Carrie, her actions are uncondonable but she was bound to crack at some point considering the horrific situation. It was very easy to see both points of view, with the two having different takes on the same situation which is very common in strained family relationships (have been there).

Olivia is in "Intoxicated" the most interesting she was all season, with some truly insightful character development that is hard to be shocked by and easy to feel for her. Can totally relate to how she felt about the situation, having witnessed it myself in my family (sans the violence and drink and for a different reason). Moriaty as said is suitably formidable and personally thought that Danielle Pannabaker did very well, powerfully creating a character where her actions are totally wrong but where her point of view is understood.

Story is tense and emotional, driven by the relationship between Denise and Carrie (as said remarkably layered) and Olivia's relatably personal dilemma. The script is sensitive that explores a tough subject from all sides. The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. The direction is handled beautifully.

In conclusion, another outstanding episode. 10/10

Correction

[mako-shark · 5 October 2007]

To the user above, I liked your summary, but here is a correction: The brutality of a Eldridge's death had nothing to do with the homicide charge. Homicide is decided based on the level of intent. The manner or painfulness or wrongfulness of death doesn't determine the gravity of the charge.

If you shoot a gun at someone intending to kill her, that's murder in the first degree.

If you shoot a gun at someone intending to wound her but you unintentionally kill her anyway, that's murder in the second degree.

If you shoot a gun intending only to scare but not hit the person at all and you end up hitting and killing the person, that's manslaughter.

See the difference? Murder 1 you intended the act (shooting) and the consequence (death). Murder 2 you intended the act but not the consequence. Manslaughter you didn't intend the act or the consequence. As I recall, New York, where SVU is premised, doesn't have a Murder 2 or rather they blend Murder 1 and 2 together.

So the charge that fits her crime under the law was Murder since her confession indicated intent -- for both the act and the result.

Even though the ADA is bound by the facts, she chose to offer Carrie a plea deal and she didn't have to (because the confession had nailed all the elements). But the State Attorney's office is allowed discretion to appraise the evidence and make a plea. So she gave Carrie a gimme.

If you are a teenager, watch this episode again wind your are an adult.

[sammy-2006 · 5/10 · 8 March 2022]

I was a teenager who grew up with alcoholic parents, and I was a teenage girl when this episode first came out. I used to want to escape my life, but as a child I had no way to do it. I completely saw Carrie's side of things. Looking back now as an adult woman, I completely changed my opinion about this episode. Something that Olivia herself revisits in Season 23, the 500th episode. Olivia first sided with Carrie, thinking she was abused by her alcoholic mother. She has a change of heart as an adult after she reconnects with the adult man she was with as a teenager. She realizes that she was groomed by this man, and she only told herself she was in love with him to escape her alcoholic mother. She realizes that underneath the rage, her Mother had a valid point. Something that I believe Denise Eldridge also knew. Something Olivia was only able to realize as a mother herself, looking back at her relationship with both this man's and her mother. Was Carrie's mother over the top? Yes. Was she wrong? I don't know, because we never see the character of Carrie or her 21 year old boyfriend ever again. But I doubt that they remained together. Women with issues with their fathers often seem to find themselves attracted to older men when they are young. Olivia and Carrie both didn't have a father. And both of their Mothers had been wronged by their fathers, as teenagers themselves. I bet than many women wish they could tell their 15 year old self what they know now, but it's not something that is possible. There may be some love stories where a teenage girl and her older lover remained together, but I bet that there are many more where the girl grew up and fell out of love with that man. There is a reason that statutory rape is a crime. My personal opinion is that I don't think that any man should have a relationship with a teenage girl. Period.

Carrie Lynn Eldridge had grounds for self-defense.

[Ddey65 · 7 February 2007]

(*SPOILER WARNING*)

People who've seen enough of Danielle Panabaker on The Disney Channel might be surprised to find her in a role like this. Here she plays 15-year-old Carrie Lynn Eldridge, who's on the verge of losing her virginity to her 21-year-old boyfriend, Justin Sharpe(Jon Foster). Before they can do so, her mom(Cathy Moriarty) walks in on them and calls the NYPD to charge her boyfriend with statutory rape. But Carrie refuses to charge him with anything, even going as far as to refuse a rape kit. Suddenly, a children's rights lawyer named Simone Bryce steps in to stop the procedure. Glenne Headley plays as Ms. Bryce. She hasn't aged well. She was also secretly called in by Olivia Benson to defend Carrie. Little do they know that her mother is an abusive, raging alcoholic, who was forced to raise Carrie alone when her husband left. With no charges, they all seem to go home, until Stabler & Benson tried to follow up on the case. Suddenly they find that within the Eldridge apartment is the brutally mutilated body of her mother. Both are on the run, and her boyfriend is the prime suspect. But not for long. A few e-mails and computer chat-room boards, and all evidence leads to Carrie. Neither she nor Justin will do anything to incriminate each other, even going so far as to risk jail time.

Suddenly, her defense team tried to plead temporary insanity due to extreme PMS. They also try to smear her mother as the raging drunk that she truly is. Benson goes to the Eldridge apartment to investigate this claim, and boy does she find out how right they are. She also finds evidence that the "twinkie defense" they wanted to use was utterly bogus, as they all tend to be.

NOTE: It was only when her mother was drinking and started slapping Carrie around that she killed her. This is why despite the brutality of Denise Eldridge's death, Carrie shouldn't have even gotten manslaughter and sent to juvi, let alone the murder conviction the jury wanted. We also find that Benson was in a virtually identical situation when she was young. Were it not for the mature subject matter, this would be just another standard tear-jerking role for Miss Panabaker. Truth be told, however, any young actress could've played as this girl and the situation would remain the same.