Fight

This could have been one of the better episodes but it was let down by the actual writing, which included what is hands down the most unintentionally hilarious death scene in the entire history of the Law &Order universe. Less entertainingly, everybody missed the blatantly obvious fact that one character was confessing to the initial murder just to protect someone else, and Casey Novak didn't even notice that that defendant's vague allocution while pleading guilty didn't line up with the crime scene evidence. And finally, I'm getting really tired of there being one last dramatic turn or event -- usually involving somebody dying -- popping up in the very last few minutes of an episode for no good reason except to be shocking. It's a cheap trick that turns up way too often in both the original L&O and SVU.

On first watch, expectations were mixed. While liking 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' as a show in its early seasons, part of me was worried finding that the character of Chester Lake would feature heavily. With a few exceptions, he didn't do much for me and it did seem that by the end of his stint that the writers didn't like him that much either. On first watch feelings were mixed, while surprisingly not having a problem with Lake the story was less than great.

Rewatching "Fight" some time back, my feelings are still a bit mixed. Lake does make one of his better appearances here and his chemistry with Fin gels a lot better than it did in "Outsider", but it was just very forgettable and dull. While not one of the worst episodes of 'Special Victims Unit', it is among the weakest of a hit and miss Season 9 and not a good representation of the brilliance that the show was often capable of which is a shame.

"Fight" does have good things. The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. The direction has its moments. Lake is not bland this time and actually seems to care about the situation, while Adam Beach is less wooden and more at ease than most episodes.

Ice-T is also without issue and it was great to see more of Fin. The chemistry between Lake and Fin works much better than it did in "Outsider", there wasn't any in that episode whereas they were entertaining together here. The acting in general is fine and did think the brothers reunion was poignant as well.

However, a lot works against "Fight". The case didn't grab me at all, very slow moving and too thin. There is very little tension and it doesn't go anywhere in the middle too often. It's also very predictable and not much different from similar scenarios, which makes the episode feel forgettable. The dialogue for my tastes was too exposition heavy and talky, which was relatively uncharacteristic of 'Special Victims Unit' in its early seasons.

As well as awkward and unintentionally silly. There is nothing memorable about the supporting characters despite being gamely acted. The final quarter is rushed with the final solution feeling like it arrived too late. Plus the shocking event was more unintentionally funny than tense or shocking.

Concluding, not particularly good but watchable. 5/10.

Back streets Gangrene Sores Dead end Streets "Geography is Destiny"

It was nice to see the soft and pure forms of Lake and Ice T.

A sincere and emotional story.

Adam Beach as American Indian detective Chester Lake shines in this episode which concentrates on Lake getting evidence to free a couple of brothers who are charged with murdering college student and party girl.

Beach does a good job, but sad to say this episode bounces all over the lot as the dead girl's father Lenny Venito shoots down mixed martial arts champion Forest Griffin right in the police station. That was starting to look interesting, but then the story line switches to the two brothers, both thinking the other did it and both trying to protect the other.

Dann Florek has to remind Beach for whom they work for, not that it makes him change his course. For abruptly changing the storyline of this episode, I have to put this story in the negative column.

First things first, Chester Lake ruins everything. The writers tried to give us some of his backstory and it backfired. It's painful to watch his tonal miscues and poor attempts at convincing us he's a cop. Whenever he gets close to a moment of me buying in, it's railroaded almost comedically.

Fin is very Ice-T in this episode. I love Fin for his funny one-liners alluding to Ice-T, I mean his younger days on the streets. I rewinded a particular exchange a few times that references Georgia in a way you may not be familiar with. He also brings his wife Coco in for a small role. She's a bad actor too but it's cute seeing them be bad together.

The story is all over the place, as if they were making it up as they went along. It deals with race and opportunities in a tropish way. Yet, this is also SVUs legacy: being a messy, almost trashy show sometimes with fairly predictable characters (the unit, ADA/judges).