Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 15 Review: Undertow
While Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 15, “Undertow,” is one of the most entertaining episodes of the season, it seems unrealistic that Stacey would believe Ryan was of age.
Several times in the past, the show has used guest actors in roles of teenagers who seemed way older than the age they were playing. This time around, the actor portraying Ryan looks like he is 16.
Therefore, the claim that Stacey has no idea he is a minor makes absolutely no sense. It fits the storyline and the narrative, but it’s the least believable fact.
It is good that the bottle of vodka that randomly appears at the pool scene after they leave the bar is actually mentioned afterward. For a detail shown so closely, it’s important that it’s picked back up later on during the episode.
That is the piece of evidence that undoubtedly pushes the jury for a mistrial. If the vodka and the ecstasy hadn’t been there, Stacey would have been found guilty immediately.
However, Carisi raises a good point in his closing argument. It’s probably the only good thing he does this entire trial.
When he mentions the case wouldn’t be the same if the minor was a teenage girl and the adult was a man, he’s showcasing the bias present when a male victim comes forward.
While it’s true that Ryan only comes forward because his stepmom finds out about it, he is still a minor. If he were a teenage girl, everyone would be outraged that there’s even any doubt of assault.
Whether Stacey was incapacitated or not is impossible to prove. Only she knows the truth. But again, we would be very upset at a mistrial if the roles were reversed.
We can tell Bruno is building a rapport with Ryan from the beginning. He wants the teenager to trust him and open up about what truly happened.
At first glance, it looks like Bruno is doing his job. While sarcasm has always been his thing, he takes this case very seriously. It isn’t until he leaves the courtroom that we realize this hits closer to home than the audience expects.
If one wants to know more about Bruno’s backstory, this is the episode that does it. He opens up to Benson about the fact that an old neighbor assaulted him when he was 15.
This is a detail that shouldn’t go unnoticed nor be forgotten. So many storylines fall through the cracks of the show, but this shouldn’t be one of them.
Bruno tells Benson she’s the first to know about this, and we hope it doesn’t end there. Mostly because there’s a wound he hasn’t allowed himself to heal, and talking might be good for him — particularly to Benson, who’s known for going above and beyond to help her squad.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 15, “Undertow,” isn’t the perfect episode, but it makes up for the disasters we have witnessed this season.
It does, however, play against Carisi. This isn’t his episode at all. He makes mistake after mistake, making us wonder if the wins he’s had are enough to keep him where he is.
Carisi is best when he’s investigating, and this episode proved so again.
What did you think of this episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC.
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature who works in PR. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Eulalie Magazine, Geek Girl Authority, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.