Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 17 Review: Accomplice Liability
It seems Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 has gotten better the closer we get to the end. The storylines are stronger, the characters’ interactions make perfect sense, and even the absence of some characters fits the story each episode is telling.
On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 17, “Accomplice Liability,” it makes sense that the only characters we see are those who worked alongside Amanda Rollins in the past. Her insertion in the investigation flows perfectly, reminding us why we miss her so much.
She shows up not only to support Carisi as his wife but also to do what she does best as a sergeant and former member of SVU. Her dynamic with Benson and Fin makes us wish she was still around, not only for a few episodes here and there. After all, nothing’s been the same since she left.
Carisi hasn’t been the same since being held hostage on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 8, “Cornered.” He’s struggled to do his job, be present in every case, and move on from what he experienced.
His inability to move on is very present throughout the episode until the end. He disagrees with the lawyer in charge of the case, mixing his personal and professional lives. Even though he is a victim in this case, Carisi treats it as if he was the ADA in charge.
This nearly ruins the case when he loses his temper in court, giving in to Deonte’s desire to get under his skin and win the case. Luckily, he isn’t alone, and the people around him can see he is struggling, so they do their best to help.
Benson brings her many years of experience to talk to Carisi as a victim and help him navigate this part of the trial. He’s not used to being the victim or the one testifying, so Benson’s wise words help him see things more clearly.
Rollins keeps her wife concerns to herself as she steps into her sergeant shoes and helps get more evidence to help the case. Working with Fin, she is able to deliver the same results this duo always used to and bring the key evidence that seals the deal on Deonte’s sentence.
We rarely see Benson or anyone on her team prep for trial. But on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 17, “Accomplice Liability,” we see Benson and Rollins prepping with Rourke.
While Benson’s prep is the standard, Rollins is the one who gives insight into the storyline and allows her fans to get more out of her short appearances on the show. As she talks about the day in which Carisi was held hostage, Rollins breaks down because she remembers how afraid she had been to lose Carisi.
Because Carisi is the only member of that marriage still on the show, we’ve only seen his feelings in the aftermath of the incident. This is the first time we see how the person who loves him the most feels about him. It is a nice look at their marriage and how strong their relationship has gotten.
But what stands out the most is that in that short scene, we get more of Rollins than we have all season of all the other members of the squad who have remained on the show. The relationship between the fans and Rollins already exists, so it’s nice to see more of her. Still, it’s disappointing to see the show isn’t working to replicate that relationship with the newer characters.
It would help to see the more vulnerable side of characters like Silva and Curry for us to be more invested in their storylines.
There are certain details on the episode that are very important. The first one is Velasco choosing to guard Tess until she testifies.
He says it’s because he can’t forget how Tess screamed when she walked out of the bodega, but there seems to be more to it. One gets the feeling that Velasco is also choosing to take care of the key witness in the trial because it’s a personal case for Carisi. The two have been working together for a while, and Velasco has seen how the case has affected Carisi.
Maybe it’s his own way of helping protect Carisi and bringing him the resolution he deserves.
The second detail is Carisi’s knowledge being used by Rourke. When he meets her at the restaurant, he mentions he’s always wondered who brought the guns to the robbery since Boyd had just gotten out of prison. While Deonte’s lawyer claims Boyd brought the guns, Rourke makes the jury second-guess this by bringing up Carisi’s theory.
This is a small nod to Carisi’s ability and experience as an ADA.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 started very disappointingly. The episodes lacked the essence of what’s made this show so important. However, the last few cases have picked up the quality, delivering more of what viewers are used to.
Hopefully, the last few episodes of the season will continue to be as good as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 17, “Accomplice Liability.”
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.