The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit team will be pulling double duty this week.
Not only will the SVU team be handling a case that becomes a media sensation, but they’ll also be aiding the Law & Order: Organized Crime Unit in a trafficking case that could put Stabler in danger.
SVU vs TikTok
The last episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit had Benson pushed to an emotional new limit.
Not only was her doctor recommending retirement following her leg injury, but Benson (Mariska Hargitay) clashed with Chief McGrath (Terry Serpico) over a mother being raped. McGrath wanted it dropped as the woman had been with several men and didn’t see much of a case.
McGrath only changed his tune when the same attacker went after the daughter of a high-ranking cop. The assailant was caught, but the D.A.’s office was pressured only to prosecute the man for the attack on the cop’s daughter, not the other woman.
That led to Benson openly telling McGrath that he could have her badge if he ever blocked her from helping a victim again.
In this week’s episode, Fast Times @TheWheelhouse (which follows a rerurn of Season 22’s Welcome to the Pedo Motel), the team investigates the attack on a popular TikTok star. It becomes complicated when accusations fly that the girl made the whole thing up for attention.
The SVU faces the fury of social media fans when they arrest two popular influencer brothers.
The promo shows how the team has to face a wave of public opinion on this case, with some cheering Carisi being sprayed with a drink at the courthouse. It’s never fun when the media gets involved and the SVU team has difficulty getting to the truth.
But that’s not the only appearance by the SVU team this Thursday.
Another SVU/OCU team-up occurs
Just a few weeks after Stabler (Christopher Meloni) appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Benson returns the favor on Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Stabler’s undercover operation in the Kosta Organization got even worse in the last episode. While pulling a robbery, Stabler had to shoot a man in self-defense. He also discovered that Flutura (Lolita Davidovich) was keeping the passports of young women, hinting she was involved in a trafficking operation.
In this week’s episode, The Good, The Bad and the Lovely, the OCU reaches out to the SVU team to get to the bottom of the trafficking ring. However, there’s a big risk this could jeopardize Stabler’s cover in the mob.
“Stabler discovers Flutura’s true role in the family business; Bell asks a favor from Kilbride to move her case forward; Bernadette and Eli adjust to their new living situation.”
While having Benson and Stabler working together again sounds good, there’s a huge elephant in the room: To keep up his cover, Stabler slept with Flutura, which could obviously complicate things.
The synopsis also reveals there will be more of Ellen Burstyn as Stabler’s mother, suffering from dementia and now living with the family. There will also be more interaction between Bell and Congressman Kilbride (Ron Cephas Jones).
The following week will be notable for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit celebrating its 500th episode, yet this week promises a fun double dose of Benson in action.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 23 airs Thursdays at 9/8c, followed by Season 2 of Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 2 at 10/9c on NBC.