Season 6's "Doubt" is quite a unique episode of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'. It is also an understandably controversial one. Due to having the verdict left open in the air, so an open-ended up to interpretation ending (not one of my favourite types of endings overall if to be honest) that leaves the viewer to decide. Will say too that the "she said, he said" types of stories are not my favourite, but 'Special Victims Unit' didn't do too badly with the early examples.
"Doubt" is no exception. It is not my favourite episode of Season 6 or of 'Special Victims Unit' in general, but it is one of those episodes that has actually grown on me quite a lot. Which, as far as previous episodes of the show goes, is exactly my reaction when re-watching Season 5's "Poison" a while back. It was frustrating to me on first watch, due to not liking the abruptness and finding it very difficult to root for the accuser, but is now very interesting and leaves me deep in thought.
There are so many great things here in "Doubt". The production values as ever are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable. Cannot fault Christopher Meloni or Mariska Hargitay, who are both wonderful and equally. Their chemistry has always been the heart of 'Special Victims Unit' in the early-mid years, and one can see why. Love the take no prisoners toughness while also showing that they care for each other. It was interesting too seeing their stances on who's telling the truth in one of the few cases up to this point where they are not on the same wavelength.
Did think that Stabler's subplot was very touching and didn't feel like soap opera (a few personal life subplots since did feel like that, for instance the one concerning Olivia and her brother). It was integrated well with the case and doesn't take over too much. The script is intelligently crafted, and could really see that it really did try (if not completely succeeding) to keep a very complicated situation, where getting to the truth is not as easy as one would think, compelling with interesting questions raised. There are excellent supporting performances from Michael Dolan and Shannyn Sossaman, both in challenging roles. Dolan is particularly good at making one feel unsure about whether he is innocent or not.
However, to me, somehow "Doubt" doesn't do a good job (or enough of one) to make Myra likeable or easy to root for. Despite the open-endedness of the ending, there is something about the manipulative way she behaves throughout that actually has always strengthened my opinion on what the verdict really was and should have been. Which is why the abruptness was frustrating for viewers and also me on first watch.
It was good that the episode found some way of leaving the viewer deep in thought and thinking of their own interpretation but there is something about the way the characters are written that makes one think that the kind of ending adopted here was not necessary.
Overall, didn't bowl me over but mostly very well done. 8/10
