Bullseye

The episode was good overall but it could've linked better to the episode before since the same guy was in it. Why wasn't he investigated more since he kept acting really suspicious? And why didn't we see anything happen to Rose's "parents"? There was clearly something very wrong there and so much child neglect!

Also, did the writers just find some random unknown syndrome online and give it some random characteristics because that's not what Noonan syndrome is at all. One of the main characteristics is short stature and the guy looks very tall (turns out he's 5ft 6 but that's not really short - the average height for people with Noonans is around 5ft to 5ft 3). Another one is heart defects, not diminished psychological capacity as it's not a chromosomal abnormality, it's a genetic disorder.

If you're going to give a character a diagnosis then do some actual research on what is it.

Anybody who has read any of my other reviews for for example individual episodes of the 'Law and Order' shows, am slowly working my way through writing reviews for all the episodes of 'Law and Order, 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent' with a long way to go, will know already how much admiration there is from me for anything that tackles difficult and controversial themes and issues. The case with "Bullseye" in a classic 'Special Victims Unit' scenario.

While not quite as brilliant as the previous episode, the Season 12 opener "Locum", "Bullseye" is one of the best episodes easily of the season and the second winner in a row. Part of a four great and more episodes in a row streak, before the streak was broken with "Wet" which began the season's general inconsistency. "Bullseye" is not quite perfect, but there is very little to fault and the many good things are done greatly and brilliantly even in most.

The Noonan Syndrome reference, if to be picky, in my view was best left out, what is said is not accurate and in a way that is not tasteful. The frame up also seemed on the neat side.

"Bullseye" succeeds extremely well everywhere else though. The slick, subtly gritty and intimate production values are still present, while not going too far on the intimacy that it becomes too drab and closed up. The music lets the writing do all the talking without over-emphasising the emotions, while the direction is subtle without being bland or leaden.

Furthermore, the script is tightly structured and intelligent, conveying a wide range of emotions, especially in the latter stages. The story is another one that hits hard, and while the approach to the difficult subject matter is uncompromising and the complete opposite of sugar coated it is done tactfully too at the same time. It doesn't feel simplistic or convoluted and for a long time the twist was completely unexpected, still remember the mouth agape reaction felt on first viewing.

Acting is also great, especially Marsiska Hargitay and Henry Ian Cusick. Love their chemistry too. It was great to see more of the too often underused (or at least in the late Stabler period episodes) Munch and Fin.

Overall, excellent. 9/10.

Henry Ian Cusick makes a second appearance as computer whiz and leader of a vigilante group against pedophiles in this SVU episode. During the course of the story he tries to date Olivia Benson to no avail.

A young girl is raped in the Kip's Bay area of Manhattan after which she's found in a garbage pile not having eaten. It takes awhile and Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay go through a series of false leads before the right perpetrator is found.

I say it that way because this show is an indictment of the sex offender registry. A lot of people are on it for various reasons as we find out, but the published existence of such a list is an invitation to vigilante behavior.

Stephen Tobolowsky looks good for it for a bit. But he gets rather neatly framed and it has tragic results.

I have to single out Daniel Stewart Sherman and Melissa Rain Anderson as the parents of the victim Ruby Jerins. There's a reason she's out in that dumpster, both of these people are something else with some considerable problems. B.D. Wong diagnoses one really strange syndrome for mom.

You'll think about sex offender lists real hard after seeing this story.