Season 12 did have a reasonably high number of episodes that did little for me on first viewing and almost all of them were still majorly flawed on re-watches. Despite finding myself being disappointed by at least one episode in each season from Season 7 onwards, all the episodes of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' have been re-watched at least once when the show reruns on television every night in order to be fair. And also because there have been episodes that have improved on re-watch.
"Bombshell" is not one of the episodes of Season 12 that improved. In fact, like "Dirty", "Spectacle" and "Bully" before it, it fares worse now. All the major flaws that bothered me on first watch still are major flaws now but even more glaring, and like those three mentioned episodes more problems arose. Will say again that this is not coming from someone who hates 'Special Victims Unit', actually love a vast majority of Seasons 1-6 and love quite a large number of Season 7 onwards episodes and still stick with the show due to being so fond of many episodes, individual scenes and guest stars.
There are good things here in "Bombshell". The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The regular acting is without issues, with Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay being solid as rocks, and what particularly makes the episode bearable is the great chemistry between Stabler and Olivia.
Have always loved their partnership and it was often the show's heart when Stabler was still present. The episode does start off intriguingly.
It is a shame though that it loses its way too early and never really recovers. It is a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, meaning too much going on and feeling over-stuffed in the case. It also feels bland and phoned in due to pedestrian pacing and very little new done with too many recognisable elements in plot and characterisation. Further ruined by an over-emphasis on shock value, and this felt gratuitous and not very tasteful. Especially the twincest and Stabler's line about the transvestite.
Will say that "Bombshell" does try very hard to be a 'Special Victims Unit' episode, but this felt forced and only the beginning and the Stabler and Olivia interaction felt like 'Special Victims Unit' in a case that felt more like 'Criminal Intent' in subject. The dialogue is very overripe and the writers could have had a lot more fun with the dialogue for Stabler and Olivia, it's thanks to Meloni and Hargitay that the interaction between them worked so well. Usually have no problem with the music, but it comes over as intrusive and repetitive. One of the worst aspects is the performance of Rose McGowan, her role needed a good deal of edge and she was a complete plastic blank in it.
Overall, very little explosive and closer to being a bomb. 4/10.
"Bombshell" is not one of the episodes of Season 12 that improved. In fact, like "Dirty", "Spectacle" and "Bully" before it, it fares worse now. All the major flaws that bothered me on first watch still are major flaws now but even more glaring, and like those three mentioned episodes more problems arose. Will say again that this is not coming from someone who hates 'Special Victims Unit', actually love a vast majority of Seasons 1-6 and love quite a large number of Season 7 onwards episodes and still stick with the show due to being so fond of many episodes, individual scenes and guest stars.
There are good things here in "Bombshell". The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The regular acting is without issues, with Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay being solid as rocks, and what particularly makes the episode bearable is the great chemistry between Stabler and Olivia.
Have always loved their partnership and it was often the show's heart when Stabler was still present. The episode does start off intriguingly.
It is a shame though that it loses its way too early and never really recovers. It is a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, meaning too much going on and feeling over-stuffed in the case. It also feels bland and phoned in due to pedestrian pacing and very little new done with too many recognisable elements in plot and characterisation. Further ruined by an over-emphasis on shock value, and this felt gratuitous and not very tasteful. Especially the twincest and Stabler's line about the transvestite.
Will say that "Bombshell" does try very hard to be a 'Special Victims Unit' episode, but this felt forced and only the beginning and the Stabler and Olivia interaction felt like 'Special Victims Unit' in a case that felt more like 'Criminal Intent' in subject. The dialogue is very overripe and the writers could have had a lot more fun with the dialogue for Stabler and Olivia, it's thanks to Meloni and Hargitay that the interaction between them worked so well. Usually have no problem with the music, but it comes over as intrusive and repetitive. One of the worst aspects is the performance of Rose McGowan, her role needed a good deal of edge and she was a complete plastic blank in it.
Overall, very little explosive and closer to being a bomb. 4/10.