Griffin was tasked with going undercover against his boss, but Benson ended up pleasantly surprised.
Season 27 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is delivering some high-octane thrills in and out of the squad room as Detective Jake Griffin (Corey Cott) makes some power plays to help his steadfast Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay).
Benson wasn’t sure how to feel about Griffin after he was assigned to her squad by NYPD newcomer Chief of Detectives Kathryn Tynan (Noma Dumezweni). While Benson usually holds the power in hand-selecting her unit, Griffin landed at the 16th Precinct due to his strong bond with Benson’s boss.
Griffin grew close to Tynan as a young boy after the tragic death of his father, Tynan’s former NYPD partner, Lt. Jimmy Griffin. Benson has come to value Griffin as a member of her elite unit, but as she continues to navigate ongoing conflicts with Tynan, who’d rather see Benson in a more administrative role outside of the field, she’s grown weary of his lifelong connection to the woman who could jeopardize her multi-decade career. Griffin’s passion and eagerness to deliver justice have charmed Benson, but she needs someone she can trust to have her back.
As Cott revealed in an interview with NBC Insider, Griffin is finally being faced with choosing between his cherished childhood mentor, Chief of Detectives Tynan, and his new commanding officer and sage advisor, Captain Benson. It’s an impossible choice for Griffin to make, but the precinct tensions are reaching a fever pitch as Tynan continues to meddle in Benson’s business.
“There’s a big decision coming up for him that might torpedo his career,” Cott teased ahead of SVU‘s “Vivid,” an action-packed must-watch. “That’s the risk that he’s getting very close to.”
Read on to find out what happened with Griffin, Tynan, and Benson during SVU’s April 2 episode, “Vivid.”
Griffin seemed to be working as a mole for Tynan on SVU, until…
As the SVU tackled a harrowing assault case of a woman being abused during an experimental drug trial by her therapists while under the influence, Benson and some of her closest SVU confidantes noticed Griffin acting strangely. Griffin was more distracted than usual and, for some reason, was poking around in old NYPD case files. Griffin wasn’t on his A-game, and it didn’t take long for Benson to notice.
With Benson on Tynan’s watch list all season, Griffin’s colleagues were quick to note Griffin’s activity in the NYPD archives, alerting their commanding officer to some potential nonsense afoot. After wrapping up the case, Benson found Griffin at the 16th Precinct late at night, poring over old case files. Benson slapped a stack of reports on his desk, revealing to him that she never misses a beat.
“A few files that you missed,” Benson said while pulling out an old file and telling Griffin it was from a case she worked that fell apart at trial, eagerly giving him details about some of her former mistakes. Benson wasn’t afraid of anyone combing through her multi-decade career.
Knowing he’s been found out, Griffin was eager to set the record straight as his captain’s trust began to waver.
“Captain, I can explain!” Griffin said, giving Benson a slight pause before she leveled with him.
“I don’t know why you’re pulling my old cases. I suspect it’s because somebody told you to,” Benson said, alluding to Tynan. “So you go ahead, Griff. You look into anything you want, because I don’t have any secrets. And whatever mistakes I’ve made, and I’m sure there have been a ton, I stand by it.”
Griffin has chosen Benson’s side and is making explosive moves on SVU
As Benson turned toward her office, Griffin spun in his chair. “Wait! Look at this!” Griffin said, handing his captain an incident report.
“What is that?” Benson asked.
“It’s from a shooting in a bar in the Upper West Side in 2001, look at it,” Griffin said, handing her the file. “Involving a Lieutenant Jimmy Griffin and Detective Kathryn Tynan.”
So, the rumor Benson heard about Tynan covering up a shady shooting back in the day was true. Benson put on her glasses as Griffin confessed, “You’re right. I was tasked with looking into your old cases, OK? And I used that as cover to dig that up.”
All of Season 27 has led Griffin to these crossroads, but Benson was eager to know what Griffin’s plan was. What was his next move?
“I’m going to find out the truth, and I’m going to give that to the commissioner,” Griffin said, emotional. “I don’t care what happens to me. I don’t care what happens to my dad’s legacy after this. Legacy, like what the hell does that even mean? Tynan, I mean, you know this, she’s been there for me. Through some very hard times, OK?”
But just like Benson, Griffin had had enough of Tynan’s looming shadow over the SVU and her secrecy over his late father. “I cannot take any of this anymore. I gotta know, I gotta know the truth,” Griffin told Benson.
“This is gonna blow everything up,” Benson told Griffin, warning him of the chaos that awaited him. “Are you ready for that?”
Griffin grimly smirked, as he’d clearly gone enough mental back and forth. “No,” he admitted, spinning the question on his commanding officer. “Are you?”
