"The Darkest Journey Home" Represents The Best, Mostly Worst, About 'SVU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

                             The title was overly poetic--like O'Neill's "The Long Voyage Home"--for this trite story of a self proclaimed party girl named Raegan James, (played by former "Modern Family" star Ariel Winter, in what was meant to be a dramatic showcase for her, but failed) whose character was so poorly written I could not muster much sympathy for her.

                              Now, let me clarify, before I am attacked.  Just because Raegan was a party girl, and, for all intents, a pathological liar, does not mean I think she deserves to be raped.  Like my post on Channing Smith, there are people out who need to be saved from themselves, and this was why Raegan landed in her situation.  Girls, and yes, young gay men, take note!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 It was dramatic contrivance that put her in the Uber with two scumbags, especially the back seat guy who was so obviously desperate for something he can't otherwise get that he calls his former boss, and sets up a gang rape.  And you know what they say about when men share a woman--it's an excuse for them to sort of have sex with each other.

                                  Except they are too closeted to eliminate the third party.

                                   Now, Ariel Winter is not to be blamed, She did everything that the writers and directors asked her.  And, of course, she had to curb it in her scenes with Mariska, who has to look good, even if she cannot act  in a role that is now so stale I am surprised rats are not nibbling at her.

                                    Wouldn't it be great to have MERYL guest on this show?  Would they DARE ask her to pull back on her acting, to favor Mariska????????  I would love to see them try!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     As has become apparent over several seasons, the show's savers are Kelli Giddish, as Amanda Rollins, and Peter Scanavino as now ADA Carisi.  In this segment he showed both humanity and some of that needed Stephanie March toughness.   While Kelli's scene where she gets the DNA from a smoothie maker, was classic Rollins, and the way she is being shot, as indicated above, shows her being highlighted.  Good as they are, with the unit shrinking, the show has no choice; they just lucked out with two genuinely good actors.

                                        But the worst one is now Captain Benson, and she still gets the final shot!

                                         Maybe it is time for Olivia to be burned--not for being a witch, but for being useless, like the sled "Rosebud" at the climax of "Citizen Kane."

                                          Hope springs eternal, with this show, darlings!  Unfortunately, so far this season, it has pretty much let us down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!