Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 12 Review: Hubris
If any Grey’s Anatomy fans missed the mean streak of Ellis Grey, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 12, “Hubris,” absolutely delivers everything that could be missed about this character. Kate Burton steps into the heels of doctor Allen and delivers an incredible performance that makes viewers hate her.
Not as much as Benson hates everything this doctor brings to the table. While Carisi is right that going after someone like Allen might set some actual abusers free, Benson is right to say her conscience is clear because at least two kids get to go home to good parents now.
It is ironic that Allen wants to tell Benson she has no idea what she’s talking about and can’t really tell what abuse is when Benson has been working SVU longer than anyone. If you’re one of those fans who uttered the words “look who you’re talking to,” as if Benson was a real-life person, I am right there with you.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 12, “Hubris,” comes to be entirely because of a gut feeling Benson has. Even though we see Bruno, Curry, Rollins, and Fin, the focus of the episode is on the captain and how she always follows her instincts.
A big theme this season (and always, really) has been Benson’s empathy. While Rollins tells her on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 11, “Career Psychopath,” that not everyone deserves her empathy, it is that superpower that gets the victim to open up about what’s happening.
It is that superpower that makes her well-known and respected in the hospital. Ashley has no interest in commenting on another doctor’s work, but because it’s Olivia asking, she does it.
Benson’s reputation follows her, and that’s why people do agree to work with her (for the most part). Ashley tells her, “Don’t bite her head off,” and when Benson says she’ll let something go, she adds, “That sounds just like you.”
This is what stands out this episode. What always stands out. Benson knows what she’s doing. Benson trusts her instincts. Benson fights until the very end. Benson is rarely wrong.
While Benson is the main focus, CJ plays a big part. Even though she knows going after Allen could jeopardize many convictions, she still wants to go against her.
The moment in the diner when she tells Carisi and Fin that if even one single person is in prison, wrongly accused, she needs to go after Allen, we can tell a lot about CJ’s character. She is bold and doesn’t back down even when her boss is advising her otherwise.
The truth is that fans have been on the fence about Carisi’s work as an ADA. He hasn’t always been the best at this, but CJ shows different potential. CJ could be like the Alex Cabot or Casey Novak of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 3.0 (if that’s the version of the show we’re on).
It would be interesting for the show to actually give her a chance to appear more. Her character has so far been more interesting than Griffin, but we know the show is saving Griffin for Tynan’s attack.
Viewers do have to wonder if Allen’s motives were racial. We see two of the cases in which she lied about abuse, and they’re both connected to families of color.
It would have been interesting if the storyline had explored that, but we have to congratulate the writers for sticking to the original plan and delivering a quality episode. In the past, when the storyline became too complex, the show lost its essence and ended up making no sense.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 12, “Hubris,” makes sense, and once again makes Benson everyone’s hero. Seems like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 is all about celebrating who Olivia Benson is.
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 known as a Media Relations Expert. 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, W Spotlight, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.