All this, girls, despite the fact it drew heavily from two classic episodes of the series--1999's "Killerz," which was featured on the regular "Law And Order," and "Mean," which was first aired on 'SVU' in 2,004!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ghosts of Jenny Brandt, Tara Padden, Aaron Polansky, and the actresses playing them (Hallee Hirsh, Madeline Blue), as well as real life victim Jamie Bulger--the stand-in for Aaron Polanski-- plus Jamie's killers, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables; not to mention those of Brittany O'Malley, Paige Summerbee, Andrea Kent, Emily Sullivan, as well as the actresses playing them--Kelli Garner--yes, from "Pan-Am"!--as Brittany,
Kimberly McConnell as Paige, and Arielle Kebbel as Andrea, not to mention Shanda Sharer, the real-life stand-in for victim Emily Sullivan, seemed to hover around this episode--and yet it did not matter, because the results were still riveting!!!!
Honey, it was just another Wednesday night, with Monsieur and I settled in to watch another 'SVU'. The logo came on, I recited the opening monologue in perfect synchronicity--don't I always, darlings???--and we were off.
The opening at once set things apart; it went on far longer than usual, more like 'Criminal Intent' than 'SVU', and was incredibly cinematic. Nicco Grey, a fourth grader, and his mother, Nadia, are getting him ready for school, with the boy arguing about independence, and walking to school himself. Let me tell you, the name "Etan Patz" immediately flashed through my head. But, as soon as Nicco walked out the door, and into a Brooklyn neighborhood, my hair stood on end, and, by the time he reached the subway, I cried out to Monsieur, "Oh, my God! It's Leiby Kletzky!"
For those who live in or near to New York, the horror of that tragedy last summer cannot be over stated. Leiby Kletzky, an 8-year-old member of an Orthodox Jewish sect in Brooklyn, was allowed to walk home from summer school last July 11. He had practiced the route again and again with his parents, till he knew it cold!!! And yet, he never made it home. The neighborhood was searched, the media swooped down on this enclave, until the horror of Levi's dismembered body, killer Levi Aron, and the murder that took place under the nose of everyone on the street, came to light. It will go on record as being the most famous and tragic child case in the city since Etan Patz 32 years ago. At least, the Kletzkys got closure.
How, I thought, as I realized what was being dramatized, can they do this, when Aron has not yet been brought to trial and sentenced? Well, lambs, the results were interesting.
But first, another comment on that cinematic opening. As the realization of what was being done sank in, and the music played, you looked for fear in every corner. And when a mysterious looking man was seen following Nicco, I bristled, thinking this was the killer. Only, it turns out to be Nicco's father!!!!
Alexandra Silber gave a heartrending portrayal of the grief stricken mother. What the writers did here, to make it less obvious, was to focus on another community targeted for persecution and social isolation--the Romanis, aka Gypsies. Not chorus kids, girls; you know, like in the classic Cher song "Gypsies, Tramps,And Thieves!"
Her anguish was so genuine, she gave, in a way, a voice to the always reserved Kletzkys, who, in reality, had to be even more anguished than can be fathomed. And did you know, girls, that the smarmy Brooklyn detective, was played by former (WAY former) cast member Dean Winters' brother, Scotty???? And how about Ron Rifkin????
Next to Miss Silber, the other outstanding performances were by Michael Barra and Tamir, as Mark Rajic and his mother, Ana. Mark is the Levi Aron stand-in. He is seen waving at Nicco (beautifully played, in a too brief appearance, by Cameron Ocasio) as he marches off to school. Mark is developmentally challenged, and his mother keeps him locked in a basement apartment for his own protection. His disabilities, and the derision with which he is regarded in the neighborhood, would seem to make him the prime suspect. As soon as I saw Mark wave to Nicco, I knew he was the Aron stand-in, so I figured the show would focus on him and his being convicted. Did I turn out to be wrong!!!!
The first place Olivia and Company go to is Nicco's school, a private one, called Caswell Academy!!! (Named for Marilyn Monroe's character in "All About Eve?")
Earlier, we have seen Nico at school being bullied by three much older classmates--Courtney Lane (Lilli Reinhart), Emma Butler (Quinn Shephard), and Ryan (Sammuel Soifer). From his obnoxious behavior, I thought Ryan might be the killer (shades of Jamie Bulger!!!), but when he walks away, and Courtney and Emma (who are two real Diane Dykeman and Roberta types, so, believe me, I know!!!!) snicker at Nicco, I had an idea they would be more than just walk-on's in this episode.
The trajectory is basic. The neighborhood is canvassed, the media swoops in, everyone is questioned. Courtney's father says his daughter was scared of Mark Rajic, and the girls themselves tell detectives how peculiar and alarming Mark's behavior is to the rest of the neighborhood. Mark is looking good as a suspect; they bring him in, and, as Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) says, he is guilty of something, but she is not sure what.
Meanwhile, Nicco's parents are living on hope that their son is still alive, as someone has deleted messages on his cell phone, which is now going to voice mail!!!! But a search of Mark's apartment reveals the boy's rabbit foot hidden under the bed, and a Metro card that is not Mark's. Amidst all this, the Girls turn up again, saying how Mark is able to sneak out of the basement from the back, and on evenings (Courtney and Emma both live on Mark's street) they have seen him on his roof, smoking.
The Metro card leads them to the East Broadway station, home to many construction sites, and it is in one of these that Nicco's body is found. ME Warner (the wonderful Tamara Tunie) says Nicco was killed there Monday night by strangulation with his own scarf. His body is also covered with cigarette burns, and his clothes were urine soaked, meaning he was terrified as could be. She also says he has been under the tarp he was found in about 72 hours.
Nicco's parents are devastated by his death, and, later, are so distraught they throw Olivia and Amaro (Danny Pino) out of their home. I did not like Olivia's behavior here; it is the only time I have ever disliked her. They deserved to be thrown out. But they are soon back; word comes in that Nadia has tried to set Mark Rajic on fire!!!!!!! She had gone to his apartment window, in the basement, and, through the window, doused him with gasoline, and tries to set him aflame. Lucky for her, she fails. Mark is brought in again, and NOW, darlings, things really begin to heat up!!!!
Olivia observes that the details of Nicco's cigarette burns were never press released; only they and the alleged killer would have known about them. Nadia got the idea for burning Mark when she saw the burns on her son's body. But she says she knew about them before the morgue visit, because someone had told her. Only she won't say who. Hmmm.........
It is Amaro who first points suspicion at the Girls, Courtney Lane (Lilli Reinhart) and Emma Butler (Quinn Shephard). Mark had no knowledge of the cigarette burns, and the Greys are ruled out, as, during the time frame, father Tomas was at work, while Nadia was at home all the time, frantically trying to reach Nicco from a land line. Amaro says the Girls have always been around every step of the investigation, watching, commenting, offering advice. Maybe they tipped Nadia off.
The Girls have no criminal records, but on a surveillance video of that day and time, just after Nicco vanishes from camera range, the Girls are seen walking behind him. Uhm hm........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rollins was right; Mark is hiding something. They bring him in again, and with the help of their community leader, the Ron-Baro, who also happens to be his lawyer, Mark says that on Monday evening, Courtney and Emma basically broke into his apartment, while he was watching football. Embarrassed, he tells them that, while he knew it was wrong, Courtney touched him "down there", causing nice feelings, and results!!! Which we all know about, don't we, darlings?????
Things become apparent. The Girls lured Nicco, took him to the construction site, killed him, then snuck back to Mark's. While Courtney distracted him through masturbation, Emma took the Metro card and rabbit foot, placing it under the bed, to implicate Mark. This was really interesting,loves, because, even without the murder, this proves how sick these girls are !!!! (Way beyond Diane and Roberta, who, once again, I repeat, were, and are, just your Garden Variety Suburban Bitches!!!!!!)
The Rotten Duo is finally brought in. Amaro goes at Emma, who, of course denies everything, saying they never saw Nicco after school. He says she is lying; they have she and Courtney on surveillance video, following behind Nicco. Emma says Mark did it, and why hasn't he been arrested? Then Amaro says how they snuck into Mark's room, because he told them, and does she want to say, in front of her mother, what they did to him????? This gets to Emma, who reacts visibly. Amaro says she is scared now, isn't she? and demands she look at the photos of Nicco's body, with all the burn marks. Emma begins to cry, and her mother is puzzled, not yet understanding her daughter is a sick psycho sex killer!!!!
Emma says they were joking around, playing and teasing with Nicco. Courtney started on him with the cigarettes after they "pantsed" (I guess pulling down his pants) him, and she kept telling her to stop. Yeah, right, Emma; why didn't you just smack and attack Courtney, getting into a big cat fight, allowing Nicco to run off, where he might have found his way to a police station, safe??? But no, Missy; that would have blown your cover! Nicco kept saying he was going to tell, and was making lots of noise--of course!!!--so Courtney says he has to be shut up. She took his scarf, wrapped it around his neck, and strangled him, saying no one would miss a dirty little Gypsy!!!! Emma seems to have remorse, but I don't buy it for a second; as I said, if she really wanted to stop it, she could!!!! She is as guilty here as Courtney!!!!!
And this becomes apparent, as Emma is led away. Courtney sees this, and, knowing the jig is up, calls her friend a stupid little bitch. Her hitherto arrogant father is shocked out of his smug complacency, realizing how sick she is, when she tells him, it was just a joke. (This is when he should have smacked her across the face, and sent her flying across the room, even if he would be arrested. It would have been worth it!!! You can bet, darlings, if Courtney had been MY daughter, I would have done exactly that!!!!!)) He tells her to say no more; they will get a lawyer. Courtney says to him, with chilling contempt, "Isn't it a little late for that, Dad?" She then turns to Olivia, and, as calmly as at a social tea, asks if there is anything else she wants to know? Olivia, glaring at her, like she wants to kill her, speaking for all viewers, says, "Why?" Courtney's response, and disturbed look, end the episode, on what will become a classic note. She simply says"
"Why not?"
The ghosts of Leopold and Loeb, and their victim, Bobby Franks, hover over this segment, too. Let me tell you, loves, what with being able to Pity Jerk Off an ugly guy, Courtney (if she is ever released from whatever correctional or psych facility she is placed in) will have a GREAT career as a hooker!!!!!
Even with my Diane/Roberta issues, I had to wonder, after watching this, whether the 'SVU' writers had some issues of their own with teen-aged girls, since they have been used as perps so frequently, and in such classic episodes. Or maybe it is just these episodes we remember, because they violate cultural stereotypes still held about girls, as the show has had many teen-aged boys as perps. Or so a coworker suggested to me yesterday, while discussing this.
From the looks of things, it seems this show was shot fairly soon after the Kletzky incident; no one is in outer wear, the sun shines brightly, suggesting summer. Which makes me wonder--if they can jump on this so quickly, why hasn't 'SVU', or any show of this type, tackled the Tyler Clementi tragedy???? When that first happened, last year, I was sure it would end up on 'SVU'. But, no!!!!
Add Lilli Reinhart and Quinn Shephard to the "Gallery Of Evil Bitches On 'SVU'". They are as cool as ice as Courtney and Emma; like I said, Emma may act remorseful, but I don't buy it for a second. She is a follower, and they always need a leader whom they can be an acolyte to. And these types always manage to find each other. So Emma is not through yet.
And, just as in 2004's "Mean," I think the parents should be charged with raising such monsters. Because, until Truth smacks them in the face, Emma's mother and Courtney's father are too denying and arrogant to acknowledge their venomous offspring as anything less than Perfect Little Misses. Sugar and spice, right????
Bullshit; unless the spice here is arsenic.
Not only did this show press a lot of my buttons--obviously--it pressed those of anyone who lived through the Lieby Kletzky story. The poor Kletzkys; I am sure they knew about his episode coming up; how painful this must be for them.
But "Lost Traveler" made for effective television. It is easily the best episode this season, and the first indication there is a hope of a future for this program; hitherto, I was not sure.
Now, I can confess--though they were used, till exposed, like the girls in "The Crucible," the minute I saw Courtney and Emma diss Nicco in the school hallway, I KNEW it was going to be them!!!!!!
Maybe I should become a detective, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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