Intent

I learned one thing about the internet, a new term. When one e- mails someone pretending to be someone else it is called catfishing. After Golly Golightly is raped by martial arts boxer Steve Howey after an investigation it is determined that both were set up by someone else. The fake e-mails said that Golightly has a rape fantasy and Howey was purportedly doing what she wanted.

This one really belonged to computer crimes more than SVU. The e- mails were sent by this sad sack of a teen Tenea Intriago who wanted some attention and used her lap top to get it. Golightly is a teen media queen and Howey is a prominent sports figure.

The wild thing is that Intriago comes across like such a sad sack that even Rafael Barba admits he might acquit her if he was on the jury. But it is Barba who finds the real rationale behind what is going on with Intriago. She's a sad sack, but a dangerous one.

We are watching a story that cyber crime can extend to sexual crimes. It is meant to be told that the deceptions that are made behind the computer are not just pure stupidity, but malicious intent and revenge.

It is an interesting and important article on social media, fans and followers agenda. As Barba said, "The Internet has made the world a smaller place. But some people still get lost in it."

Especially Heather Parcel... Katy, Monster, Attorney Phillip Altshuler... again the guest stars are great.

Conclusion, "It isn't fair..."

In the scenes of Rollins and Carisi partnership, it smells like a sweet town movie. This episode is the first spark of the Rollisi fire.

The question Rollins asks is important: "You know I'm human, right?" Because the character of Rollins is the symbol of the lifestyle we are used to in men but strange when we are women: has two children but is not married, two children have separate fathers. Gambling, addiction, drinking, bar, entertainment, free sex, responsiveness, assertive speech e.t.c

She is like a representation of a female character that we would only look at as human beings. That's why she is one of the strong characters in Svu.

"Intent" covers a very hard hitting topic that is also not easy to talk about or explore. It doesn't sound like new territory for 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit', especially considering what 'Special Victims Unit' is all about (or at least meant to be) but generally the show did it pretty well with exceptions. Remember on first watch being rather mixed on it, admired and appreciated that it tackled such a difficult and relevant issue but finding the story execution very flawed and not focused enough.

On rewatch, "Intent" fared slightly better, instead of just mixed it went up to moderately liked it but only just status, despite feeling similarly about what was good about it and what was not so good about. In ranking Season 19, "Intent" is somewhere in the middle. Really admired that a topic as scary as this was tackled and it needed to be in a way, and appreciated it, but at the same time there was room for it to be executed better than it turned out if the second half was as good as the first.

The good things will be talked about first. It 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. The music doesn't get intrusive or overwrought, even when the episode gets more dramatic. The direction doesn't try to do too much and is understated but never flat or unsure. The acting throughout is very good from all.

Writing is generally thought provoking and tight, not resorting to melodrama. Enough of the story compels and has some nice tension and intrigue to begin with, it was easy to care for what happens at the end. The first half is very intriguing. Rollins and Carisi are a great teaming and Barba as ever is a breath of fresh air.

Conversely, there is again too much of the Olivia and Noah plotline which slows down the episode too much. While there is some advancement, the subplot is pretty dull.

While finding it interesting on the whole and liking the first half, much of me didn't buy how the prime suspect so easily caved in and once the truth is revealed one answers out loud why too. The truth felt too much like a cheat, didn't think it particularly plausible that a plan so elaborate was carried out by the person in question and so expertly (i.e. The catfishing) considering their level of education.

In summary, uneven episode but liked it enough to moderately recommend it. 6/10.

This one could've been pretty good episode unless the show wasn't so obviously man hating. Just last weeks episode they were advocating to get justice for murderer that was woman and this week they are hell-bent to get innocent man pleading guilty of something that he didn't do. If the roles were reversed they would had found some other way to find justice instead or railroading innocent person. The exact same pattern can be seen on oh so many episodes, they are so okay railroading innocent men that one could almost think that they get off from that but when it comes to female suspects they do almost anything they can to get her out from the mess.