Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 24 Episode 2 Review: The One You Feed

Do you hear that? It’s the hundreds of fans cheering because Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 24 Episode 2, “The One You Feed,” finally feels like the show everyone knows and loves, with Benson in charge, Fin appearing more, and Amanda showing a vulnerable side.

David Graziano, the new showrunner, co-writes this episode with Julie Martin, letting us know what kind of show he believes Law & Order: SVU is. An action series where the survivors can be heard, and Olivia Benson will always have your back.

Is this the kind of high-quality content we can expect for the rest of the season? I sure hope so!

Let’s start with Olivia Benson clearly stating that this is her squad, and she will not let anyone else take charge or change the rules.

If there is one thing Law & Order: SVU Season 24 Episode 1, “Gimme Shelter — Part 2,” left us with, it is that she is always in charge, and everyone respects her for it.

Benson’s boss knows that, which is evident when she says, “must have been afraid to tell me.” After over two decades in SVU, no one knows how to handle the unit, the survivors, and the perps better than her.

However, it is entertaining to watch someone else try to challenge her authority. We all know it has been hard for Benson to partner up with new people after Stabler’s departure. Unfortunately, Duarte isn’t the exception.

Even though he comes in thinking he will be able to take control and use SVU’s case for his benefit, he quickly finds out that it will not be happening. Not only is Benson strong, but she has a squad that will never go against her orders.

Fin is the most significant proof of this.

Speaking of Fin, during the last few seasons, it had felt that the Sergeant had taken a step back or was being kept out of the scene. But, lucky for us, that changes on “The One You Feed” — the man we know is finally back.

He is there supporting Olivia, giving her advice, and hearing her out when she has doubts or is questioning the case. Fin seems to be her most effective support system and having him on screen is extremely important for the development of the storyline.

Like Benson, he has been at SVU for decades and knows what he is doing. Hopefully, the new showrunner understands our desire to see more of Tutuola and will continue to let him shine for who he is: a funny, sarcastic, and talented cop.

Fin isn’t the only one. Amanda has had Olivia’s back for many seasons now.

Both women have had a long road to becoming friends. From disliking each other to being a solid support system, they have seen it all.

“The One You Feed” gives us a beautiful scene between the two women that allows Amanda Rollins to be vulnerable and speak about her near-death experience. Benson can see she isn’t doing okay and can offer a shoulder to cry on.

But what makes that scene so precious is that Olivia can see herself in Amanda. She understands finally finding something to live for, to make sure you stay safe. Both women grew personally when they became mothers and can understand each other differently.

It will be sad to watch Amanda leave when her time comes.

Amanda isn’t the only one on Law & Order: SVU that reminds Benson of herself. The appearance of Detective Muncy reminds us of a younger Detective, Benson. Clearly, the Captain sees it too.

The excuse to get Muncy on SVU is that they are short-staffed, which happens too often on the show. However, we can tell Benson sees a potential in the detective that will be put to better use on SVU.

For us, it is great to have a new detective on board. It has been sad to see so many of our favorites leave the squad room throughout the years. Even though those characters can never be replaced, Muncy seems like the kind of character we will all grow to love.

Hopefully, it will allow for mentorship between Benson and Muncy, allowing us to see more of Olivia’s journey.

Stray Observations

• Duarte is a character that challenges Benson, and it would be nice to have him on the show again to see how their dynamic may grow.
• How much power does McGrath have? Olivia seems to get away with almost everything — which we appreciate — but what does this mean? Could this be in preparation for her to take his job one day down the line?
• When Velasco begins to second guess his place on SVU, it is nice to see Fin reminding him how important it would be for him to discuss it with Benson first. And it is even nicer to see him choose to stay with the team. There is so much potential in his character! Plus, it is essential to have Latinx representation on the show.
• Even though there was more Carisi on this episode than in the premiere, we still need more. If Amanda is getting ready to leave, it would be good for the fans to see more of Rollisi on camera before the big goodbye.
• This episode definitely keeps up with the 1.0 vibes.

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What did you think of this episode of Law & Order: SVU? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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