Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 13 “Corrosive” is an hour that, due to the real-world accusations against original guest star Timothy Busfield, is airing later than originally intended, which makes some of the dynamics between Captain Benson and her squad seem…odd, given more recent storylines. More importantly, for any viewers who know why this episode is airing late after initially being yanked from the schedule, it’s kind of impossible to not have that ongoing investigation in the back of your head as Judge Fels (David Zayas, who replaced Busfield) gives his big speech to open the episode.
And the causes for discomfort get a little bit…elevated, we’ll say, when more recent developments in that case come into play. Per The Associated Press: “Busfield’s attorneys then accused the boys’ parents of coaching their children toward incriminating statements.” Certainly, “coaching” is very different from the torture we both see snippets of, and hear about, over the course of SVU‘s fictional investigation. But…with the father of one character, who inserts himself as a (toxic, abusive, manipulative) father figure of two others—one who accuses Fels of raping her, one who pulls a gun on him after violent brainwashing—being the puppet master behind Elsa’s claims about Judge Fels, it’s just a difficult watch. Deeply unsettling, to say the least.
For the sake of reviewing the episode for what it is, not for what—or who—it’ll always be associated with, let’s pretend like we can put all of that out of our heads. Even with no context, whatsoever, Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 13 still doesn’t work. The second we know Carisi is so close with Fels, Benson and Rollins—Carisi’s loved ones—immediately have no business investigating the judge. I will, however, at least give both characters major props for reminding an understandably upset Carisi that they “never say never” at SVU. As we’ve seen time and time again, a person can be a model citizen, can never show their ugly side to the majority of the people around them, and can still have an absolute monster inside of them. Regardless, the major conflict of interest stands. Consider handing this case off to someone else, “elite” squad.
While I’m on the subject of Carisi’s relationship with Fels, him being the one to go offer the judge’s would-be killer a deal is, again, inappropriate. Or, if not that, it’s definitely weird. Sure, he understands the circumstances and realizes Jeremy wasn’t in control of his own mind, but quite a lot of people who saw their mentors shot in front of them would still have some unconscious—bare minimum—desire for revenge after that. Furthermore, what even is this from Benson? “I never heard his name before yesterday.” She’s been in the NYPD for 84 years, Fels is Judge of the Year, he’s someone who mentored her BFF Carisi, and…she’s never heard of him before? Sure, Jan.
What a mess.
Additionally, as I mentioned up above, we actually see a recording of Robbie torturing Elsa. I…don’t think that was necessary. In fact, someone involved in making this episode seems to know it wasn’t. After a relatively brief period of time—that still feels like it takes forever. Again, unnecessary—Captain Benson, who’s seen and heard quite a lot in her day, is like, “that’s enough” and abruptly stops the playback. And choices were made around the victims’ genders. Elsa’s torture, viewers have to watch; the boys’, we only hear harrowing accounts of. Yet another source of discomfort.
Sometimes, you tune in, hoping that a TV show that’s supposed to be an escape from reality actually accomplishes that. But, aside from some things that I’ll put in some quick thoughts below, this hour doesn’t do that. It does the opposite. Maybe we should’ve just, you know, skipped it completely instead of kicking the can down the road, until right after the end of a multi-week break.
MORE: Law & Order: SVU Season 27 got off to a strong start.
More Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 13 reactions
- Ok. So. On the plus side, while I still would’ve had problems with this hour even without…everything, I will say there’s a world where Zayas is the person cast as Fels from the start. And, in that version of reality, I would’ve probably spent a not-insignificant amount of effort gushing over “Angel from Dexter.”
- What if I want to play Uno with the girls?
- Curry’s whole posture while she’s talking about how quiet it is, then kinda shrugging off Benson and Rollins’ superstitions, is fun. She’s, like, so cool.
- The Munch mention was sweet, as well.
- “He may claim to be good, but he uses his position for pure evil.” If I speak…
- The way those clips of Elsa’s Crime Stoppers video line up against the judge’s speech sets up what would’ve been a really, really interesting story of corrupt judges who fool everyone around them…but SVU went another way. A shame from a TV/storytelling standpoint. Probably could’ve made the real-world parallels even more uncomfortable, though, so bullet dodged (no pun intended) there.
- Good reaction shots of Mariska Hargitay, Aimé Donna Kelly, and Kelli Giddish after the girl in the video names Fels. “Double-jinxed” indeed.
- On no planet do I believe Carisi knows from Public Enemy.
- “I love you both, but…” No, no. Just put a period on the sentence with “both” until you have proof, one way or another.
- Not sure why Liv emphasizes “the governor” like that but ok.
- “Hey, buddy. If you wanna catch a worm, you gotta dig in the dirt.” The side-eye.
- Me: Curry comes across as someone who really wants to help this girl, someone she can really trust. Curry in the next scene: Yeah, she was robotic. It was weird. Me: …oh. Nevermind.
- Zayas plays that hospital room scene as if Fels really does have something to hide??? Dude looks troubled after everyone leaves.
- Did they just put their filming schedule up on the chore chart or.
- Why is Matt the one Griff takes in for obstruction, when it’s plainly Elsa who’s giving Matt those warning glares every time he steps anywhere near helping the cops?
- “The boss already can’t stand me.” Literally not true by this point, even if SVU Season 27 has really muddled up the whole “what’s Griffin doing here” arc. Also, with “Corrosive” airing as Episode 13 instead of earlier, I got confused there for a second and wondered if he meant Tynan because of their awkward moment over him asking questions about his dad?
- “What he did to her was the last straw of 1000 straws.” Sure.
- This kid is scary, very “true believer out for revenge” here. Huge difference when he turns down Carisi’s deal at the end. Great work from Carter James McNeil.
- …perplexing timing since we see Griffin arrest the other boy before cutting to Jeremy here, though.
- “He’s having a panic attack. What do I do?” Of course Liv jumps to attention.
- I’ll admit, the scene with the ice is good.
- Dan Thompson is great as Matt, especially during the panic attack/ice scene and on the stand. I’d say something about continuing SVU‘s great trend of guest actors, but um…this episode and its baggage makes even that deeply uncomfortable to write.
- “Those look like cigarette burns.” And Liv would know. (I hate it here.)
- This emotional, helpless kid when Benson asks if he knows a Robbie…
- “…I can promise you, that no one is gonna hurt you while you’re here with me.” Stares in “Smoked.” Sister Peg would like a word. You’re gonna need a Ouija Board to get it, though.
- Curry and Benson interrogating this guy: Fun stuff from Hargitay and Kelly. So much sarcasm, and sass, and refusing to stand for BS.
- Curry and Benson going in there, seemingly knowing he’s a lying liar snake who lies from the jump, despite Matt totally clamming up when he saw the guy: …a miss.
- “Do you have kids?” I’m not sure she knows anymore.
- “…they’re kids, and they like having a parental figure around.” So, Benson’s reaction here is, like, I want to say it’s about not buying Robbie’s story about Matt and his friends wanting to keep him around. But, considering Noah is a figment of our imaginations lately, maybe it’s just Liv needing a system reboot after learning brand new information.
- “Don’t leave me hanging.” “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Queen sh**.
- I like to think campus security at my undergrad wouldn’t have stood for this.
- “It’s a cult. He is running a tiny cult in the dorm room.”
- Somewhere lost in the wild mess that makes up most of Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 13, there’s Colleen’s comment about that guy sleeping in Elsa’s bed. That’s…something we shouldn’t just gloss over. Not exactly how I like my SVU.
- This kid’s guilt and regret.
- Bruno’s WTF at that fridge is my WTF at that fridge.
- “I kinda don’t want to watch all this.” Me at a lot of this episode.
- Strong work from Hannah Masi as that word (the titular “corrosive”) combines with her inability to decide what to eat finally unlock reality for Elsa. The denial is great, and then…and then.
- “Hallelujah. Leonard Cohen.” Insert the eleventy-fifth instance of “well, here’s what the song is actually about” here.
- “Oh, you’re the bad cop. I’m well-versed in the Reid Technique. But you’re doing a bad job. Your first step is, you’re supposed to win my trust.”
- Rollins totally triggering that guy into smashing his head into the two-way is definitely a moment. He just…whew, does he drop the fake calm, egotistically smirking mask.
- “You’re gonna die! Die, die, die!” My mind instantly went to Harrison Morgan and “die-die!” Probably because of Zayas being here. (It’s a Dexter reference. I had to.)
- He did what with a banana to prove whatnow? That’s…literally not how any of this works. I mean, I get it. The dad’s not exactly great with things like logic and understanding human emotions or whatever. But even then. WTF.
- I don’t know how any jury could watch how Matt’s demeanor completely changes and believe in anything other than his father’s guilt.
- “I wanted to be a lawyer, like you.” Ouch.
- Imagine saying you’ve “never felt more free” than your four weeks (so far) at Rikers. Good God.
- (Would only a month, likely without real counseling to deprogram, actually do the trick???)
- “…because I have my own thoughts in my head. He tried to destroy them, but they’re still there. I’m. still. here.” And I’m in agony.
- “You didn’t stop him. Good. That’s justice.” “No. The—the verdict was justice.” F it. Why not both? Because, seriously, Rollins didn’t stop him, even when Griff kinda had an inkling something might happen and, as a result, warned her to watch Matt.
