In older days, when glimpses of stocking still shocked, as Cole Porter once said, cheap romantic novels, featuring highly imperilled women, were called "bodice rippers." "Pornstar's Requiem," this past Wednesday's episode of 'SVU,' would qualify as such, since it involves both the porn victim, and ripping the victim, Evie Barnes (a remarkable performance by Hannah Marks) of everything, including her dignity.
I have to confess, as I was watching, I didn't know where the writers were going with this. All the 'SVU" episodes claim to be "ripped from the headlines," but what the hell was this based on?????? Well, as I probed on the Internet afterward, I found out. Type, and ye shall find, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back in March, a young college (Duke University, to be exact!!!!!!) coed named Marie Weeks was outed by a student as being porn performer Belle Knox. She came clean about what she was doing, admitting it was a choice she made, due to the astronomical costs of higher education; she has a point, there. But she was raped, and degraded by every male fiend out there, who, via online, phone, or even good old fashioned snail mail, had no qualms about verbalizing their fantasies to her. After all, she is a porn star!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The episode essentially followed the same trajectory. Evie is a good girl, who makes a particular choice, which still makes her a good girl. Two students, Daniel Pryor (Max Ehrich) and Justin Adams, (Harry Zittel) discover "Roxxxanna De May--Evie's screen persona--online, and, suddenly, this girl, who, off the set dresses so plainly they would never give her the time of day, is suddenly the object of their revved up sexual desires. They invite her to a party, where they lure her into a bathroom, have sex with her, and film it! After all, she is a porn star, right????????????
There is so much wrong with this. Let's start the fact that she said no. And no means "NO!" Second, what is it with everyone wanting to film themselves having sex???????? Has privacy and intimacy gone out the window, thanks to our technological age? This was one of many issues this episode tried to cover, as Evie transforms from mousy victim, into crusading sexual rights activist, losing everything--her college education, the support of her parents, who were so inhumane to their daughter, I almost made both of them Bitch Of The Week, and, ultimately, as she feels, the option of doing anything else, except what she knows best--porn!!!!!!!!!!!
Which is where Rollins and Carisi (Peter Scanavino, cuter and better than Danny Pino, who, I hope is on his way out!!!!!!!!!!!) find her. But it is how they get there that is interesting, because, for a minute, I thought they were bringing in at least an aspect of the Tyler Clementi story.. Evie's mother (Lisa Barnes, played by Emily Donahoe, who looks like she could be the daughter of Eleanor Donahue!!!!!!!!!!) shows up, finally evidencing some concern for her daughter, who has dropped out of sight, leaving what amounts to a suicide note on her computer!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought she was going to commit suicide, but when Olivia asks the mother about a favorite place, and the mother mentions New England, they know she has gone back to porn, because, as Tutuola says, it's where professional porn filmmakers can still film sex, without a condom. I don't know how accurate that is, but it raises another issue.
Doesn't Evie care that she could contract HIV??????? And what about the fact--and it IS a fact--that, eventually, she will age out of the industry????????? Then, what is she going to do??????????
The episode ends with Evie defending her choice, scoring two points. Now, everyone can watch, and, when someone on set calls "Stop!" it is respected!
Now, girls, I know what you are thinking. Why didn't Evie just go for a scholarship, or take out student loans????????? I guess with porn, she could be debt free, because she made enough money from it to cover costs, and some student loan debt can be lifetime lasting. I certainly don't advocate anyone doing sex work, but it is a choice, and people need to realize, just like in mainstream films, what one sees on the screen does not necessarily represent that person off screen. On these counts, the episode scored.
But that judge, Oscar Briggs (wonderfully played by Richard T. Jones!!!!!!!!), setting aside the jury;'s verdict, due to a combination of the Double Standard, or being paid off by the defendants' parents or school, made me want to put my fist through the screen. It also made me aware of how lenient a sentence the defendants in Tyler Clementi's case got, though I hope, on some level, they are haunted forever. But these boys, like Ravi and Wei, weer so venal, I am not at all sure they will be haunted. This served as a stimulating plot device, because I cannot imagine any judge getting away with such a thing in real life. And, girls, IF a jury's verdict CAN be set aside, what, then, is the good of our justice system????????????
This episode offered so much food for thought, but what about Baby Noah??????? A picture of him in Olivia's office is used to represent he is till around--but is he??????????--and Olivia says he is fine, and at home. Alone? Doing what, trigonometry?????????
Once more Olivia simply cannot keep a kid. But it was so nice, for a change to have this be a thought provoking 'SVU' segment, and not "The Olivia Benson Show."
When the writers make the show Olivia's, maybe it is because they see themselves in an alternate universe, writing "My Little Margie!"
Make sure you walk onto the right set, now, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment