Mariska Hargitay directing for the first time since the pandemic was exciting, but this clunky episode written by Julie Martin and David Graziano wastes her talents, as it does terrific guest stars Bradley Whitford and particularly Nancy Travis, who is onscreen for maybe a woeful 2 minutes tops. Weird.
A writer with dementia thinks he killed his wife, and Carisi sensing he didn't, calls in Benson to help. That's the first stretch.
"Up"-style intro was a fun OOC move for SVU (the fantasy ending is out of the box as well), but why compete with an animated classic no one will ever top?
Then there's Benson throwing out a ridiculous one-liner about how the only people she meets are emotionally unavailable.
Yet just three weeks ago didn't Stabler drive four hours roundtrip to bring her young son back to her, then confront her in her kitchen, more available than ever?
Dick Wolf always thinking a lack of continuity is some kinda flex is one of the weirdest things about this man's broadcast empire, as is leaving Benson and Stabler in this embarrassing undefined limbo for 24 years.
Why he's so intent on not using the one ratings draw he really has in this franchise is another unexplained mystery.
Episode's sub-plot about Velasco possibly being dirty was also a bore, a super-thin premise that could have been an email.
A line about Mariska's icon mom Jayne Mansfield (a first in SVU's 24 years) was sweet but felt forced, even in Whitford's capable hands.
And when Benson reads the children's book, King of the Moon, (as in the episode's title), one couldn't help think it was a badly concealed promo for a real book coming any day. Big overhyped blehh all the way around.
A writer with dementia thinks he killed his wife, and Carisi sensing he didn't, calls in Benson to help. That's the first stretch.
"Up"-style intro was a fun OOC move for SVU (the fantasy ending is out of the box as well), but why compete with an animated classic no one will ever top?
Then there's Benson throwing out a ridiculous one-liner about how the only people she meets are emotionally unavailable.
Yet just three weeks ago didn't Stabler drive four hours roundtrip to bring her young son back to her, then confront her in her kitchen, more available than ever?
Dick Wolf always thinking a lack of continuity is some kinda flex is one of the weirdest things about this man's broadcast empire, as is leaving Benson and Stabler in this embarrassing undefined limbo for 24 years.
Why he's so intent on not using the one ratings draw he really has in this franchise is another unexplained mystery.
Episode's sub-plot about Velasco possibly being dirty was also a bore, a super-thin premise that could have been an email.
A line about Mariska's icon mom Jayne Mansfield (a first in SVU's 24 years) was sweet but felt forced, even in Whitford's capable hands.
And when Benson reads the children's book, King of the Moon, (as in the episode's title), one couldn't help think it was a badly concealed promo for a real book coming any day. Big overhyped blehh all the way around.