This is really what the title of last night's 'SVU' episode should have been, because, aside from the detectives, everyone involved in this case was a loser, and a criminal. And talk about bitches, I had no sympathy for Haley Sadler, as the story wound up.
All that said, let me say this could not have been pulled off by a less than superb cast of actors. None of them, except possibly one, I had heard of, but all made the story one of the more exciting episodes I have seen in awhile. And I think the writers are beginning to catch on to how tired folks are of Olivia, as Philip Winchester, as Peter Stone, is given the last shot. That made me so happy.
But the actors made the episode--Mallory Bechtel, as Haley Sadler, Will Sasso, as her father, Chris, Wendy Hoopes (whom I feel I have seen elsewhere, in the franchise) as her mother, Anna, and, in two chilling performances, Eric Tabach, as Vincent Drago, and Erik Jensen, as Music teacher, James Turner.
The clown theme was beautifully introduced at the start, with a positive clown representation, surrounding an office birthday party for Finn, given by his son, partner and adopted grandson. Sweet.
Contrast this with the sadistic clown faces at this downtown club on the Bowery, where Haley, and her friend Jenni Hanson (well played by Molly Brown) are partying. They are part of a group of high school students from somewhere in Nowheresville called Beartown, PA, so how do two 16-year-olds from the sticks have enough navigational skills of the Big Apple to find their way to the Bowery? I don't get down there much, but even I, having lived here over thirty years, still get confused, when I go. Which, at my age, is less, rather than more.
So, Haley and Jenni are clubbing. Haley meets up with some creepy clown guy, and spends time with him. The more sensible Jenni, aware they are on curfew, goes looking for Haley--but she is gone!!!!!!!!!!! Where???????????
This sets the story in motion. When Vincent Drago is tracked down, (he was the creepy clown guy, with Haley) the chilling way Eric Tarbach plays this role suggested two things to me--at that point, he looked good for it, but even more, he is clearly a sociopath, and while he is not the perp, his performance was enough to impress upon me to suggest the writers come up with a substantial role for this guy. He is one scary dude. And a loser--cutting up meat, in a Brooklyn slaughterhouse.
So, who abducted Haley? Vincent goes so far as to be indicted, but there just is not enough evidence. That he got this far it was surprising.
But, afterwards, when everyone is outside the courtroom, and the camera lingers on Music teacher, James Turner, alone, and musing, I knew he had something to do with it--the old student-teacher relationship. And I was right, but with a chilling difference.
Will Sasso's performance as father Chris Sadler was truly moving and heartbreaking. He realizes he and his wife are losers, living in a Podunk town, but he is smart enough to realize Haley's gift, and wants something more for his daughter than the small town life he and his wife have. Now, Haley's mother, played by the familiar looking Wendy Hoopes, is some piece of work, and turns out to be the Lady Macbeth of the piece.
Things start to come together, when Alan Hubert, a former colleague of Turner's (wonderfully played by Don Stephenson, either as a flaming queen or a brilliant parody of one) is tracked down. He admits when young he and Turner wrote a commercial jingle that had a modest success, but that Turner was not cut out for it. It was a Mozart-Salieri thing; Hubert went on to success, while Turner did not have the talent for it. When the less successful teacher runs into Hubert in town, at a bar, he asks for a favor--to hole up in the man's Oyster Bay, Long Island, manse, to think things out, as he is having martial problems.
So, is Turner's wife, who initially gives the info on Alan Hubert, but she has no idea the problems she is in for!!!!!!!!!! Oh, boy! Another loser, and stupid, too!!!!!!!!!!!!
The team races to the manse, and, of course, sixteen- year- old Haley is in bed with forty year- old James Turner. They actually look ridiculous as a couple!!!!!!!!
But Haley defends James, saying she loves him, they were meant to be together, and all that, with James supporting her every word. They go crazy over each other, as they are separated, but the real reason for watching this, comes in the climactic encounter by all, at the precinct.
Anna Sadler knows she is a loser, working, I believe, in a supermarket, as a cashier. She demonstrates little love for Chris, and even Haley, which is more disturbing, once all is revealed. She knows Chris is a loser, and resents it, so she goes and has an affair with James Turner--resulting in the conception of Haley. Yes, darlings, Haley is James' child, and the guy was not only committing stuatroy rape, but incest!!!!!!!!!!! He was fucking his own daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone then goes at each other, and I think the squad should have just walked away, and let everyone tear each other apart. They deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chris, a garbage man, has been cuckolded by his wife, loving a daughter he did not know was not his. James has been nurturing a talent he had no idea was inherited from him. And Anna, basically hating her loser husband, whored herself out, so she could have a superior child. What a dumb slut!!!!!!!!!! Sleeping with James was fortunate that Haely turned out a musical prodigy, because nothing is guaranteed. I mean, Meryl Streep's parents were a pharmaceutical exec, and, I believe, an educator. They had no theater background. And look how things turned out!
But there was no guarantee in Haley's case, so if Anna had not had a prodigy child, she would have really been dumb, but also Haley would have ended up emotionally traumatized over lack of maternal love.
Not that Haley isn't going to suffer trauma, anyway. In fact, she might bring on some, because, in her final shot, just like Lili Reinhart as Courtney Lane in "Lost Traveller," Haley shows herself to be something of a sociopath, and a snob, when she smirks and says, "I knew my father could not have been a garbage man." Bitch! Hates her father her entire life for being what he is, and seemingly not fazed by having slept with her biological father. Maybe she is a bit like Daisy, in "Girl Interrupted," played in an award caliber performance by the late Brittany Murphy.
Haely's final shot, after that line, should have been getting smacked across her little bitch face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wait till admissions gets hold of this. She can kiss Juilliard goodbye.
Haley's Hell will be to be trapped in that small town everyone was trying to get her out of, but only succeeded in embedding her further within! They nailed her shut in a suburban coffin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sick bitch deserves it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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