When "Smoked" first aired, it was one of the episodes of Season 12 that was anticipated the most by me. One always understandably expects a lot from season finales and "Smoked" had a lot of hype when it was advertised, where it was made to be a very dramatic episode. Season 12 was an inconsistent season (on one side we had brilliance such as "Locum", "Behave" and "Totem" but also disappointments like "Dirty", "Spectacle", "Bully" and "Bang"), and the show had not had a good season finale since Season 8 with "Screwed".
"Smoked" however was truly disappointing and did not live up to the hype, perhaps not the worst episode of Season 12 and marginally better than the other four episodes listed as disappointing above but it's a contender for the biggest waste of potential. 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' did have some outstanding season finales, especially "Scourge" (Season 1), "Soulless" (Season 3), "Screwed" (Season 8) and "Rhodium Nights" (Season 13), but this is their fourth disappointing season finale in a row.
It is not a complete loss. It is one of the best looking episodes of Season 12, perhaps the best looking. Especially the location shooting which is very striking and is a little more elaborate than most episodes of the season. The music isn't too over-powering or overused and tonally it fits.
The regulars are all fine, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay particularly, and the supporting cast likewise. Hayley Macfarland is very poignant as Jenna. The opening is truly attention grabbing and tense.
However, a lot doesn't work. For one thing, "Smoked" doesn't feel like a season finale. Having most of the SVU missing was a mistake and made it feel like Stabler and Olivia were stuck in another show. It is a very anti-climactic final appearance for Stabler and it was like the writers had gotten bored with him or didn't know what to do with him. Or had gotten the message that fans were getting tired of his over-aggressive personality, unprofessionalism and melodramatic personal life and decided to write him out in a cheap abrupt way.
Also felt that the story tries to do far too much, there is too much going on (some of it going off on a tangent) and as a consequence it felt rushed and confused. The lack of suspense after the promising opening and the increasing predictability hurt it too. Quite a lot of the dialogue is very over-heated and ham handed, while what is said about guns is preachy and reiterates when a viewer already knows what the writers' point of views on guns are from watching previous episodes of not just 'Special Victims Unit' but also the original 'Law and Order'. Worst of all is the absolutely ridiculous and melodramatic ending that comes out of nowhere.
In conclusion, could and should have been so much better. 4/10.
"Smoked" however was truly disappointing and did not live up to the hype, perhaps not the worst episode of Season 12 and marginally better than the other four episodes listed as disappointing above but it's a contender for the biggest waste of potential. 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' did have some outstanding season finales, especially "Scourge" (Season 1), "Soulless" (Season 3), "Screwed" (Season 8) and "Rhodium Nights" (Season 13), but this is their fourth disappointing season finale in a row.
It is not a complete loss. It is one of the best looking episodes of Season 12, perhaps the best looking. Especially the location shooting which is very striking and is a little more elaborate than most episodes of the season. The music isn't too over-powering or overused and tonally it fits.
The regulars are all fine, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay particularly, and the supporting cast likewise. Hayley Macfarland is very poignant as Jenna. The opening is truly attention grabbing and tense.
However, a lot doesn't work. For one thing, "Smoked" doesn't feel like a season finale. Having most of the SVU missing was a mistake and made it feel like Stabler and Olivia were stuck in another show. It is a very anti-climactic final appearance for Stabler and it was like the writers had gotten bored with him or didn't know what to do with him. Or had gotten the message that fans were getting tired of his over-aggressive personality, unprofessionalism and melodramatic personal life and decided to write him out in a cheap abrupt way.
Also felt that the story tries to do far too much, there is too much going on (some of it going off on a tangent) and as a consequence it felt rushed and confused. The lack of suspense after the promising opening and the increasing predictability hurt it too. Quite a lot of the dialogue is very over-heated and ham handed, while what is said about guns is preachy and reiterates when a viewer already knows what the writers' point of views on guns are from watching previous episodes of not just 'Special Victims Unit' but also the original 'Law and Order'. Worst of all is the absolutely ridiculous and melodramatic ending that comes out of nowhere.
In conclusion, could and should have been so much better. 4/10.