I thought this was an OK episode and agree with bkoganbing's review. But from where does all the execration come that has descended on Nia Vardalos in other reviews? I see no reason for that. For me, she turned in a good performance and added to my enjoyment of the show. I guess that everywhere you go now there are trolls hiding under the bridge.
7 Reviews
Hate crime
TheLittleSongbird13 July 2022
"Criminal Hatred" has another subject that is very gutsy, as well as relevant at the time and still is today and even more so, and also one that is very difficult to pull off in a way that's not distasteful. My memories on first watch were quite positive but not in a way that was overwhelming, while admiring what it did with the subject. Despite it being a far from easy watch and by today's standards it is likely to be one of those divisive episodes.
Have been watching and rewatching all three of the major 'Law and Order' (the original, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' via regular daily television reruns) overtime and most of my viewings compared to first viewings have remained the same. Though there have been some that have improved or gone down in my estimations in all three shows. "Criminal Hatred" is one of those 'Special Victims Unit' episodes that feelings were the same, while appreciating the handling of the subject more.
It succeeds a lot more than it fails, well actually it never really fails on anything and the successful things at their best are excellent. On a visual level, "Criminal Hatred" is solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden, while having enough momentum to make the drama sing in its atmosphere. Max Carpenter is truly frightening, mesmerisingly so as a character that is very detestable. Raul Esparza continues to be a ray of sunshine and actually didn't have a problem with Nia Verdalos (liked her chemistry with Esparza).
Furthermore, it benefits from uncompromising but non one dimensional scripting that has a lot of insight into a very tough and courageous subject not covered a lot on 'Special Victims Unit', or at least not enough at this point of the run. We are shocked at what comes out of Jeremy's mouth and shocked that anybody could think let alone say what is said, this is not the writers though being bigoted but them expressing the extreme viewpoint of a bigoted character. Can think of another example of an episode of the show that does this at the top of my head and that is Season 7's "Raw". The story is an interesting and twisty one that will resonate with those in the LGBTQ community or anybody related and make them feel a lot of emotions of sadness and anger.
On the other hand, to me "Criminal Hatred" did feel a little muddled at times. While the legal portion compels and even at its best scintillates it does also suffer from trying to cram too much in and with so many complicated legal tactics that come at a dizzying rate it got a little over complicated later.
Also didn't care for Amaro, after so much potential in Season 13 he really went backwards as a character in this season. Found him here very judgemental to a distasteful degree, and it did stick out like a sore thumb in an episode that was surprisingly a lot more tactful than expected.
In summary, quite good but not great. 7/10.
Have been watching and rewatching all three of the major 'Law and Order' (the original, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' via regular daily television reruns) overtime and most of my viewings compared to first viewings have remained the same. Though there have been some that have improved or gone down in my estimations in all three shows. "Criminal Hatred" is one of those 'Special Victims Unit' episodes that feelings were the same, while appreciating the handling of the subject more.
It succeeds a lot more than it fails, well actually it never really fails on anything and the successful things at their best are excellent. On a visual level, "Criminal Hatred" is solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden, while having enough momentum to make the drama sing in its atmosphere. Max Carpenter is truly frightening, mesmerisingly so as a character that is very detestable. Raul Esparza continues to be a ray of sunshine and actually didn't have a problem with Nia Verdalos (liked her chemistry with Esparza).
Furthermore, it benefits from uncompromising but non one dimensional scripting that has a lot of insight into a very tough and courageous subject not covered a lot on 'Special Victims Unit', or at least not enough at this point of the run. We are shocked at what comes out of Jeremy's mouth and shocked that anybody could think let alone say what is said, this is not the writers though being bigoted but them expressing the extreme viewpoint of a bigoted character. Can think of another example of an episode of the show that does this at the top of my head and that is Season 7's "Raw". The story is an interesting and twisty one that will resonate with those in the LGBTQ community or anybody related and make them feel a lot of emotions of sadness and anger.
On the other hand, to me "Criminal Hatred" did feel a little muddled at times. While the legal portion compels and even at its best scintillates it does also suffer from trying to cram too much in and with so many complicated legal tactics that come at a dizzying rate it got a little over complicated later.
Also didn't care for Amaro, after so much potential in Season 13 he really went backwards as a character in this season. Found him here very judgemental to a distasteful degree, and it did stick out like a sore thumb in an episode that was surprisingly a lot more tactful than expected.
In summary, quite good but not great. 7/10.
All marriages are different
yazguloner26 July 2021
It's an interesting hate crime episode. A good example is the Jews who joined the nazi party on the story.
Guest stars Jenny Bacon (Laurel Dunleavy), Paul Fitzgerald (Charles Murphy), Max Carpenter (Jeremy Jones) and Andres Quintero (Mason Clark)... all give great performances.
The second half almost turns into Barba's show... He also has the last word about the hate in the story.
Of course, Nia Vardalos (Minona Efron) is among the great performances... She has a very original style and movements. Frankly, she is one of the characters I want to see often.
Fin ve Rollins are so cute.
Guest stars Jenny Bacon (Laurel Dunleavy), Paul Fitzgerald (Charles Murphy), Max Carpenter (Jeremy Jones) and Andres Quintero (Mason Clark)... all give great performances.
The second half almost turns into Barba's show... He also has the last word about the hate in the story.
Of course, Nia Vardalos (Minona Efron) is among the great performances... She has a very original style and movements. Frankly, she is one of the characters I want to see often.
Fin ve Rollins are so cute.
Spousal privilege comes with same sex marriage
bkoganbing2 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Despite Max Carpenter giving a really mesmerizing performance as a self loathing gay man, this episode was one of the most confusing ever done by the SVU series, in fact from the whole Law And Order franchise.
There've been a series of rapes of closeted gay men that the squad comes upon and therein lies the problem, you've got victims who just won't talk. Then SVU gets a report of a dead man in a state of undress in a hotel room and of course efforts are redoubled and these guys are hauled into court to prosecute Max Carpenter who the squad has zeroed in on as the rapist/murderer.
With all the advances in guaranteeing civil rights for LGB people and the massive educational efforts making sure that folks know that being gay isn't the end of the world, I fear that the closet will still hold its attractions for some. I remember some years voicing that notion and getting shouted down for it. This episode underscores what I said then and now.
Max Carpenter is a gay man, making his living on his looks and love making abilities and he's drunk the heady wine of gay liberation a little too well. When he finds a closet case he degrades and humiliates them and in one instance goes over the top and murders one. Probably did not mean to, he wants them to live with their humiliation. He knows that closeted folks don't want to reveal anything. The prosperity even with a closeted existence that his victims enjoy no doubt angers him even more as Carpenter lives on society's fringes.
He's even married and the ADA Raul Esparza tries to get the spousal privilege denied in order to get his husband to talk in court albeit under subpoena. The judge properly slapped that one down. Later on the husband provides more damaging evidence without having to open up and say one word of testimony. That's where the confusion sets in on this episode as the DA is supposed to be upholding the law as well as prosecuting under it.
Some sympathy was shown for the closet cases, none of them were rightwing preachers or loathsome elected officials protecting their position and privilege through law. These are people who made a life choice in an earlier time and lived to regret it.
In the future it will be harder to justify either entering a celibate priesthood as a Catholic or actually marrying and raising a family and living a double life. There are still places in the USA and around the world where a closet looks mighty inviting. Laws will change, attitudes will follow, but a lot more slowly.
There've been a series of rapes of closeted gay men that the squad comes upon and therein lies the problem, you've got victims who just won't talk. Then SVU gets a report of a dead man in a state of undress in a hotel room and of course efforts are redoubled and these guys are hauled into court to prosecute Max Carpenter who the squad has zeroed in on as the rapist/murderer.
With all the advances in guaranteeing civil rights for LGB people and the massive educational efforts making sure that folks know that being gay isn't the end of the world, I fear that the closet will still hold its attractions for some. I remember some years voicing that notion and getting shouted down for it. This episode underscores what I said then and now.
Max Carpenter is a gay man, making his living on his looks and love making abilities and he's drunk the heady wine of gay liberation a little too well. When he finds a closet case he degrades and humiliates them and in one instance goes over the top and murders one. Probably did not mean to, he wants them to live with their humiliation. He knows that closeted folks don't want to reveal anything. The prosperity even with a closeted existence that his victims enjoy no doubt angers him even more as Carpenter lives on society's fringes.
He's even married and the ADA Raul Esparza tries to get the spousal privilege denied in order to get his husband to talk in court albeit under subpoena. The judge properly slapped that one down. Later on the husband provides more damaging evidence without having to open up and say one word of testimony. That's where the confusion sets in on this episode as the DA is supposed to be upholding the law as well as prosecuting under it.
Some sympathy was shown for the closet cases, none of them were rightwing preachers or loathsome elected officials protecting their position and privilege through law. These are people who made a life choice in an earlier time and lived to regret it.
In the future it will be harder to justify either entering a celibate priesthood as a Catholic or actually marrying and raising a family and living a double life. There are still places in the USA and around the world where a closet looks mighty inviting. Laws will change, attitudes will follow, but a lot more slowly.
Not Bad as SVU Episodes Go...But Nia Vardalos???
ScottAmundsen8 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I am sorry, but Nia Vardalos is a TERRIBLE actress. She is clearly out of her element here and it shows.
Fortunately the balance is restored by Max Carpenter as the self-loathing gay man Jeremy Jones and his rather mousy husband Mason, played with delicacy by Andres Quintero.
Also in the cast are Jenny Bacon as the widow of the one man Jones kills; she is sensational, nearly stealing the whole episode in a single brief scene.
Nick Amaro makes one blooper by suggesting that one of the victims was asking for what he got by going out on his wife; the remark is uncharacteristically judgmental for Amaro and leaves the viewer with a bad taste in his mouth.
Fortunately the balance is restored by Max Carpenter as the self-loathing gay man Jeremy Jones and his rather mousy husband Mason, played with delicacy by Andres Quintero.
Also in the cast are Jenny Bacon as the widow of the one man Jones kills; she is sensational, nearly stealing the whole episode in a single brief scene.
Nick Amaro makes one blooper by suggesting that one of the victims was asking for what he got by going out on his wife; the remark is uncharacteristically judgmental for Amaro and leaves the viewer with a bad taste in his mouth.
Barba is outstanding!
Josabeli5 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Raul Esparza dazzles and entertain more and more for every episode he is in. He entered SVU in the 3rd episode in the 14th season. He is fastspoken, educated, handsome, cocky and witty all in one. It was a sad, sad day when he quit in season 19.
Mr. Esparza is a versatile award winning actor and performer and the best ADA tied with ADA Casey Novak. It would be so interesting if they would've appeared together.
Nia Vardalos and the guest stars unfortunately overplay it and you wish that they've would have been accepted to a professional drama school or at least taken one or two acting classes.
Keep on the good work, Barba!
Mr. Esparza is a versatile award winning actor and performer and the best ADA tied with ADA Casey Novak. It would be so interesting if they would've appeared together.
Nia Vardalos and the guest stars unfortunately overplay it and you wish that they've would have been accepted to a professional drama school or at least taken one or two acting classes.
Keep on the good work, Barba!
Maybe these guys shouldn't have cheated
fbupdates121 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A guy goes after closeted gay men who chest on their wives. Charles Murphy, a whiny little pissant, doesn't want to testify but does and blames the cops for his marriage crumbling. Nick Amaro said if he'd just gone out of town with his wife like he was supposed to he would have been fine. He's right. He lies about having to work and goes out trolling gay bars. He doesn't deserve sympathy. The actor who played Jeremy Jones did a great job but Nia Vardalos is terrible. Not a terrible episode just largely unforgettable.
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