Imposter

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 and 'Special Victims Unit' 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. My memories of first watch for "Imposter" were not positive with the feeling of its difficult subject not being done well.

Something that is still felt on rewatch. To see Season 18 at its worst and to see why the season was so disappointing when its frequent problems were most evident, "Imposter" is one of the strongest examples. Not only is it one of the worst episodes of the season, one where a lot of episodes were very patchy, but also the worst one since Season 16's "Intimidation Game". Except not quite as bad. Not a good position to be in and one that no episode would want to be in.

"Imposter" is not a complete disaster. It's well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse.

Did feel too that the actors did everything they did with material that was well beneath them. The defense attorney is the best character, the one that talks the most sense and the only one in fact to do so.

Olivia however is intolerable here. Really hate how one sided, prematurely judgemental and hypocritical she became once she got promoted, being judge jury and executioner pretty much straightaway with nothing to back it up with in "Imposter". Love Barba, but the episode missed a major opportunity in him standing up to Olivia when he clearly did not agree with her. Here he comes over as spineless as did everybody else who didn't agree. There was a real lack of interesting or rootable characters, hated both sides and ended up not caring for what the outcome was.

Moreover, the story is truly far fetched and was already in bad taste just reading the plot summary. It is also very heavy handed and every bit as one sided as Olivia. The ending is rushed, abrupt and also confused, while the dialogue on the whole is ham handed.

Not a good episode at all despite a few decent things. 3/10.

Didn't make sense and trying the case was just ridiculous. The episode ended on a confusing random cliffhanger.

I suppose the writers were really, really, out of plots. Even though this is fiction, it should be believable. This episode is definitely not.

Perhaps the message is that college is not worth it. Clearly, it's a question we need to ask. Is it elitist to as people to have a college education when so many people cannot afford it? Clearly, a college education cannot make you intelligent.

Back to the episode. Were these woman raped? I think not. Only an idiot would do what they did. It was a fraudulent pact on both sides of this sordid deal.

Law & Order SVU is never bad IMO but this episode didn't live up to the general standard. The reason was it just made no sense. A case of bad behavior was prosecuted as rape. It was a sure loser. An awful man pretended to be an admissions officer at a posh university. Women anxious to get their kids into the upper echelon college had sex w/him in the belief he would admit them. Both parties acted badly. The women weren't very sympathetic -- after all, a kid isn't going to starve if he gets into a less prestigious university. The man was despicable but not a rapist. The whole thing was badly handled and made no greater point.

Hustlers getting hustled, loved it, those wealthy vile women totally deserved what happened, they tried to cheat they got cheated, well deserved !!