Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 15 Review: Thirsty
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 15, “Thirsty,” gives fans a joyful moment between the members of the squad as they get together to cheer for Curry during her boxing match between NYPD and FDNY. It is a nice change to see them outside of work, hanging out, and having a relationship that transcends their cases.
However, the happiness of the moment is immediately forgotten when Tynan walks into the locker room and starts talking to Curry. At any other given moment, fans would have loved to see a female chief cheering her captain on, but this time, we know her intentions aren’t good. Tynan isn’t here because she wants to support Curry, but because she wants to aim at Benson.
Unlike Griffin and his hesitation, Curry doesn’t veer from the path of loyalty to Benson. She is very clear in where she stands and rejects Tynan’s offer.
The entirety of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 has been about Tynan aiming at Benson for having rejected her offer. While it was clear that she was using Griffin for this purpose, now everything has escalated, and she is trying to get those closest to Benson.
She brought Rollins back to SVU in hopes that she could cash in a favor, but we know Rollins would never betray Benson. Now, Curry confirms she is the same way by rejecting the SVU Deputy Chief position. However, Benson doesn’t agree with this decision.
When Curry shares the news with Benson, her captain disagrees with the decision to pass on the promotion. Benson believes in Curry and her work and thinks she deserves said promotion regardless of Tynan’s intentions.
To no one’s surprise, Tynan retaliates by having Curry reassigned. Now is when Benson stops playing the fool and begins to react to Tynan’s actions. Even though Curry doesn’t want her to fight her battles, Benson is ready to retaliate, and she knows exactly what to do next.
When Curry says there is nothing Benson can do about the transfer, Benson disagrees and looks at Griffin. She knows how to get to Tynan. While she probably doesn’t want to use Griffin, she knows it’s the way to keep Tynan from coming for her team.
What surprises us is that Tynan is no longer staying quiet about what she is doing. While she started off slowly, introducing Griffin into the unit and sharing her intentions with Benson, she is now working full force to attack her.
Not only does she come for Curry on this episode, but she also spreads the word because Whelan shows up at Benson’s office to tell her about it. Whelan implies that Benson is at war with Tynan. However, the war was one-sided until Tynan aimed at Curry, igniting the fire in Benson.
Whelan coming into Benson’s office and sharing a story from Tynan’s (and Griffin’s) past proves that Benson has more friends in the department than Tynan expects. If there is one thing Benson has done over the years, it is earning the loyalty of the people she has encountered. Benson is the kind of person people go to war for.
If this is indeed war, Tynan had better prepare to lose.
While Tynan is busy trying to bring Benson down, the captain continues to prove why she is the best to lead SVU. On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 Episode 15, “Thirsty,” she allows Bruno to take the lead because he can connect with the victim. But it is also the opportunity Bruno needed to bring closure to a part of his past that still haunts him.
Even though fans already knew a little about Bruno’s assault, this episode digs deeper into that as he shares his story with Romeo. It gives viewers an insight into why Bruno fits perfectly at SVU, why he uses humor and sarcasm as a shield, and why Benson gives him free rein to work this case.
What we see in Bruno as he interacts with Romeo is a more vulnerable side that we hadn’t had a chance to witness before. We see him lower his walls, let someone in, and allow both of them to heal. Without Bruno’s vulnerability, Romeo might have had a harder time sharing his story with the team.
This wraps up beautifully when Bruno tells Benson he wishes he had someone like her when he was assaulted, and Benson adds that it could have been someone like him. Bruno has learned a lot from Benson, and that empathy that she shines on everyone has transferred to him, but he knows when to hold the reins and not wear his heart on his sleeve.
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.