Care

In this SVU story Dann Florek has to become learned in the ways of a certain computer game in order to communicate with a juvenile suspect. Young Colin Fickes is rather obsessed with a computer game he's an expert in. Florek goes all the way to level 13 and slays a Gorgon. When Fickes who is thought to have killed one of his fellow foster kids names someone else a Gorgon, the SVU squad has their right suspect.

The episode revolves around the squad investigating the murder of a child found in an abandoned building. Piper Laurie and Kathleen Wilhoite a mother and daughter team run a well regarded foster home which is really a house of horrors.

The show itself is quite an indictment of the foster care system. Too many kids, two few workers.

Even reading the plot summary is enough to make the heart break. "Care" really moved me on my first watch when first getting into the early seasons of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit', a long time ago. Re-watching the whole show up to the point it is now from the start over-time, it is a shame that the early seasons aren't quite as well known or as more commonly aired as Season 7 onwards, being somebody who actually prefers the earlier seasons. Whether that is a popular opinion is uncertain.

"Care" is a fine example of how brilliant a lot of the earlier seasons' episodes are. Season 3 is a solid one on the whole with the most consistent Season 3 in quality of the franchise's big three (the original 'Law and Order', 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent'), and "Care" is one of its very best. Namely because it connected with me a lot emotionally and not just sadness. A wide range in fact. Not an easy topic to explore, but handled beautifully and with intelligence.

The episode is shot with the right amount of intimacy without being claustrophobic and that the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time has been great too. Nice use of locations too. The music doesn't get over-scored or overwrought, even in the more dramatic revelation moments. The direction doesn't try to do too much and is understated but never flat or unsure.

All the regular performances are strong with Dann Florek shining, while Colin Frickes is surprisingly moving as Glenn and Piper Laurie was seldom more chilling than here as a gorgon of a character. The writing is typically taut yet sensitive, especially during Glenn's testimony.

From start to finish, the story handles a typically difficult topic in a way that is hard-hitting but also compassionate. "Care's" case is a heart-breaker, where it was easy to feel for Glenn while absolutely despising the perpetrator. It did make me feel angry at how anybody could treat the victim in the way that she was.

Wonderful episode overall and heart-breaking. 10/10