When I heard this weeks's episode of 'SVU', entitled "Military Justice," was going to deal with rape and the military, my mood was very ho-hum. This has been dealt with time and again, not only on this show, but many others, so I was not expecting much in the way of excitement or anything from this segment.
I have to admit the opening grabbed me. It opened with Ensign Amelia Alber (well played by Shiri Appleby) drunk as a skunk, disheveled, bloody, and fighting with a cop about to arrest her, screaming about how she is a Marine, her father is an Admiral, she can't be arrested. you know, the usual entitlement crap. Which goes to prove that boorish, drunken behavior, knows no gender bias. As it turns out, though, there is more to Amelia's story than at first seems.
She is taken to the hospital, and a rape kit done on her proves she was violated by several men. What seems to terrify her more is the fact that she missed her curfew, and that she will disappoint her father, when he finds out what happened. Right away, I thought, "Oh, brother; the father must be a real, Right Wing, Grade A SOB!!!!!!!!!!! And when Mamma shows up, a real tightly wound, blonde dyed, face lifted crone, who is all business and about pleasing her husband, you think, here it comes, the wife under siege, the husband, a controlling, abusive bastard. But John Getz, in a wonderful performance as Admiral Vincent Albers, proves anything but.
It turns out four men raped her. But one of them, Officer Scott Graver, beautifully played by Will Janowitz,, did not. He, while culpable, held her down. But he did this for a reason. One of the rapists was their commanding officer--and Amelia's--Lieutenant Commander William Taverts, played with just the right amount of entitled sleaziness by Terry Serpico. You really wanted to punch this guy in the teeth, and, when Daddy Admiral, sticks up for his daughter, by doing just that, I knew they were going for something different here.
Furthermore, it turned out Gravrer was forced to participate because Taverts had something on him--he knew the young man was Gay. And, even though it has been well over a decade
since Randy Shilts wrote "Conduct Unbecoming," things are not still great for gays and lesbians who want to serve in the military. He was afraid of ruining his career, and so was Amelia. The men are charged, and hauled off, as they deserve. Amelia, though cleared, faces honorable discharge, because the stain of here reputation cannot infringe on the so-called purity of the organization, but Daddy loves her, no matter what she decides to do!!!!!!!! Sweet, huh??????????
Amelia will probably go back to college, and have herself a husband, child and career. While Lieutenant Commander William Taberts, while he still looks good, will be hauling his ass skyward in prison, for any inmate who wants it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guess this episode was not as boring as I thought! You just never know, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment