First viewing thoughts generally of "Glasgowman's Wrath" were positive, while finding that it was one of the episodes that ended a lot worse than it started. One of those episodes where the first quarter or so was very memorable and lived up to the potentially unsettling premise, but on first viewing the conclusion had a running out of steam and too conventional feel. Loved 'Special Victims Unit' when it first started but the mid and espeically later seasons have been very hit and miss.
"Glasgowman's Wrath" luckily is closer to being one of the hits than the misses and is pretty much the same now as it was before. It's not a complete winner and didn't wow me over, though it was close considering how strongly it started. But it is a long way from a misfire, there are a lot of great things and the beginning alone makes it one of the creepiest episodes of the season. Still vividly remember how creeped out the episode made me on first watch and that feeling still remains.
Am going to start with the good. Peter Scanavino continues to get better and better with each episode and he gives an intense but also nuanced performance here, while all the regulars are good he stands out. Especially in his very touching bond with Charlie, which turned out to be the heart of the episode. Will Harris has an interesting character and plays him with assurance that unsettles to begin with but then moves.
Moreover, the atmosphere is wonderfully spooky and the beginning is one of the creepiest and most suspenseful of the latter seasons. Appropriately like being a part of a horror film. The script probes thought and is tight enough and the story is one that starts off incredibly well and is intriguing for much of the length.
Which is why it is a shame somewhat that "Glasgowman's Wrath" doesn't finish anywhere near as strongly as it started. Despite the perpetrator being unnerving, the truth didn't surprise me all that much and the momentum and suspense aren't there.
Rollins and Amaro come over as forced together and Cox is on the neurotic side.
Overall though, good episode. Just not a great one. 7/10.