"Confession" did very little for me on first watch, again like what was said for "Trials" this was quite a few years back. Great supporting cast but a mess story-wise. The subject is a tough one and the story does sound interesting, though is one where one does have to be careful in executing it as it is sensitive territory. One does hope for it to be unsettling and emotionally impactful rather than sleazy and muddled as it can easily go either way.
My negative feelings have not really changed, same criticisms with more problems found if anything. Was really hoping that it would be better than the disappointing "Trials", but no it was worse and it is one of my least favourite episodes of a not particularly great (with exceptions) Season 10. Is "Confession" a complete mess? No, and it is not quite as bad as has been said. It just doesn't do very much for me and could have handled sensitive territory so much more tactfully.
Am going to start with the good things. The production values are slick, gritty and professional. The music is haunting while not spelling out the emotions too much. Almost all the regulars are excellent with one (obvious) exception, with Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay as ever providing conscientous contributions.
This is a case though of the supporting cast making an even bigger impression. Teri Polo has never been more heart-breaking. Tom Noonan, giving the performance of the episode, is chilling personified (it's type casting but type casting is not a bad thing if it's done well, and Noonan does this sort of role pretty wonderfully). Marshall Allman does anguish very disturbingly and poignantly.
Only Micaela McManus is bad, in fact she is pretty awful and never did anything for me on this show, always lifeless and wooden to the point of annoyance. Greylek as a character is one of the worst the show ever had (she and Dale Stuckey were a very strong tie for this season) and was a complete deadweight, and McManus was always wooden. Never liked Greylek as a character, a mess of excessively written negative character traits and no positives (pomposity and aloofness being the prime ones).
Most of the supporting characters are overly cruel caricatures rather than real people, Berlin and Kelley especially. Even lost some sympathy for the mother later on. Also found them, and maybe it's just me who feels this, indecisively written. Whether Eric's remorse was genuine or an act is left too hanging in the air and the writers didn't seem sure whether to write Berlin as an irredeemably evil monster or a character where one can see his point of view. Both are attempted it felt and it made the motivations confusing, hence the polarised summings up of him here.
What was a massive problem here was the attitude of the SVU towards Eric and the case. A vast majority of the squad are far too judgemental and one-sided (with the sole exception of Olivia), immediately jumping to conclusions without considering other options or sides (this happened more than once this season). Particularly Stabler's, whose personal drama and loose cannon behaviour have gotten tired and predictable since the second half of Season 7, also contradictory as there have been past episodes where he has tried to help perpetrators or potential ones (i.e. "Nocturne"). The script is very soapy and long-winded. The story starts off well, Allman's big scene is beautifully played and written, but became increasingly muddled, bizarre and over the top, the final quarter is pretty out there. The tension and suspense are too far and between.
In conclusion, even more disappointing than the previous episode. 4/10.
My negative feelings have not really changed, same criticisms with more problems found if anything. Was really hoping that it would be better than the disappointing "Trials", but no it was worse and it is one of my least favourite episodes of a not particularly great (with exceptions) Season 10. Is "Confession" a complete mess? No, and it is not quite as bad as has been said. It just doesn't do very much for me and could have handled sensitive territory so much more tactfully.
Am going to start with the good things. The production values are slick, gritty and professional. The music is haunting while not spelling out the emotions too much. Almost all the regulars are excellent with one (obvious) exception, with Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay as ever providing conscientous contributions.
This is a case though of the supporting cast making an even bigger impression. Teri Polo has never been more heart-breaking. Tom Noonan, giving the performance of the episode, is chilling personified (it's type casting but type casting is not a bad thing if it's done well, and Noonan does this sort of role pretty wonderfully). Marshall Allman does anguish very disturbingly and poignantly.
Only Micaela McManus is bad, in fact she is pretty awful and never did anything for me on this show, always lifeless and wooden to the point of annoyance. Greylek as a character is one of the worst the show ever had (she and Dale Stuckey were a very strong tie for this season) and was a complete deadweight, and McManus was always wooden. Never liked Greylek as a character, a mess of excessively written negative character traits and no positives (pomposity and aloofness being the prime ones).
Most of the supporting characters are overly cruel caricatures rather than real people, Berlin and Kelley especially. Even lost some sympathy for the mother later on. Also found them, and maybe it's just me who feels this, indecisively written. Whether Eric's remorse was genuine or an act is left too hanging in the air and the writers didn't seem sure whether to write Berlin as an irredeemably evil monster or a character where one can see his point of view. Both are attempted it felt and it made the motivations confusing, hence the polarised summings up of him here.
What was a massive problem here was the attitude of the SVU towards Eric and the case. A vast majority of the squad are far too judgemental and one-sided (with the sole exception of Olivia), immediately jumping to conclusions without considering other options or sides (this happened more than once this season). Particularly Stabler's, whose personal drama and loose cannon behaviour have gotten tired and predictable since the second half of Season 7, also contradictory as there have been past episodes where he has tried to help perpetrators or potential ones (i.e. "Nocturne"). The script is very soapy and long-winded. The story starts off well, Allman's big scene is beautifully played and written, but became increasingly muddled, bizarre and over the top, the final quarter is pretty out there. The tension and suspense are too far and between.
In conclusion, even more disappointing than the previous episode. 4/10.