Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Pure (2005) User Reviews

French case State vs Fourniret ?

[zaytouna2000 · 9/10 · 11 May 2008]

Does someone know if this issue is inspired by the French serial rapist and murderer Michel Fourniret and his wife Monique Olivier ?

We are in the middle of their trial in France now.

I ask that, because, but the spirit aspect, all, the victims (young virgins), the profile of the prosecuted persons (a normal couple) are the same than them.

If somebody has a response !!!... :-)

It really seems, but I can't find anything in the internet about these facts.

Thanks, Olivier HP

How could the cast have kept from laughing while filming this episode?????

[rochelle-rochelle · 9/10 · 9 August 2006]

It's always interesting over the years having A-list celebs come and guest star as the bad guy or gal in the L&O shows, however Martin Short's guest appearance gets the prize. Martin plays a "psychic" trying to help the victim's mother and the detectives with the "case".

Sebastian arrives at the police station.

STABLER: "What are you doing here?" SEBASTIAN: "My psyche was telling me that I needed to be here." STABLER: "Well, then, that makes you the worst psychic ever!!" (meaning he did not need to be there)

I can't remember any other L&O SVU episode I laughed so hard through. Martin Short brought his comedic genius and timing and talents to this role as the "psychic".

STABLER pounds his fist on the wall next to SEBASTIAN STABLER: "Did you see that coming?" SEBASTIAN: "Well, I do see anger management classes in your future."

LOLOLOL

I don't know how the cast and crew kept their serious, "poles up our butts" facade with Short on set because he just makes everything funny. Even him possibly being the bad guy is funny.

They rerun L&O SVU on USA network all the time. Try to catch it on there. The title of this episode is "PURE". Though the crime is harsh - as all of them are on this show - just Short's presence, timing and dialogue bring an entertainment value to this show that I hadn't seen before.

BRAVO, MR. SHORT!!! And bravo to Mr. Meloni too. I didn't think I'd ever like another character more than Chris Keller (Oz), however, this show is the exception. Stabler is not only a hunka-hunka-burning love, but he's rock solid, a good American and a good guy through and through. Have to respect that!!

Frustration with Evil

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 29 December 2013]

Martin Short joins a list of players who essayed characters on SVU that really pressed Detective Elliott Stabler's buttons. Some people can do that to you and Short who most of us know as a comic actor really shows some thespian chops playing a really frightening character, one of the most frightening this show has ever had.

The SVU squad gets assigned to an abduction of a female bicycle messenger who under duress phoned her parents. The law firm that she worked for did something that the police didn't appreciate, they went public with a reward offer allowing all the nut cases in the tri-state area to call in with tips and confessions.

One of those is Martin Short who is a self-styled psychic from Canada who offers his services. B.D. Wong picks up on the fact that Short uses a special reading of facial expressions technique and is a phony, but Christopher Meloni senses a lot more malevolence.

Thespian honors in this story go to Meloni and Short. Meloni for his frustration and Short for a performance of pure evil. Check this one out by all means.

The Dark Side of Martin Short

[domino1003 · 10/10 · 11 October 2015]

The "Law And Order" franchise has a long history of casting actors against type. Stephen Colbert, Neil Patrick Harris, and even Tom Arnold in "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" showed how great a dramatic range they were capable of. However, my all time favorite cast-against- type is truly Martin Short in this SVU episode.

As Sebastian Ballentine he has his usual comedic edge that audiences who are familiar with his early work in "SNL," "The Three Amigos," and his other roles. But the more you get to know Ballentine, the more you realize how truly horrifying Short's performance is.

When he tells Stabler about his "virgin" obsession, you can see the darkness in him. And it was the first time that I saw Martin Short become a truly dark character. He can't stop his compulsion and I wondered how much further he would have went. He can't stop it, and it's scary that it would have never ended if the SVU team hadn't stopped him.

Kudos to the cast as usual, especially Chris Meloni's Elliot, who takes a huge dislike to Ballentine. But it's Short that really showed the world that he can "do dark".

See no evil

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 11 March 2021]

On first watch, "Pure" left a big impression on me. It really creeped me out and the truth was not expected on the whole. Was also not expecting Martin Short to be so good in such a dark role. Did have doubts about whether he could pull it off as it is the complete opposite to his usual work, but 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' proved frequently (as did the franchise in general) that it can have guest stars playing against type and excel.

"Pure" is one such example, and actually one of the finest and most surprising. It is yet another fantastic episode where everything works, and is one of the best ones of one of the show's better overall seasons in my view (with it having such a high number of great and more episodes and with only two that were below good and even they were still watchable). Everything is just so brilliantly executed here in "Pure" that it didn't matter to me at all that one aspect of the plot was not that hard to figure out.

A major reason as to why "Pure" works so brilliantly is the performances. All the regulars are excellent, with Christopher Meloni in particular giving a performance that is as equally riveting as the one he gave in the superb previous episode "Rage". The biggest surprise is Short, showing a completely different side to him. One would never think that he was capable of pulling off creepy, but he ends up giving in my view one of the creepiest guest turns in the history of 'Special Victims Unit' and in a brilliant way.

The dynamic between Stabler and Ballentine has a lot of nail-biting tension, which is sometimes very strong and at other times quite subtle. The story is often very unsettling, a big example being the quite nightmarish opening scene (every parent's worst nightmare) and there are plenty of shocking twists and turns in the second half. It was to me pretty obvious early on that Ballentine knew more than what he was letting on, too many details hinted that were too vivid for what he was saying he was (plus there is a similar plot device in a later episode of 'Taggart' seen well before this, except it is handled a lot better in "Pure"). Actually didn't mind that much as it was executed very well, had a real unsettlement and the things revealed in the second half were truly shocking.

Script is tight and thoughtful, with nothing cheesy or rambling. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction has momentum while being accommodating and strongly creating a dark atmosphere.

In support, superb and what 'Special Victims Unit' is all about. 10/10

What a powerful story!

[PWNYCNY · 10 September 2011]

If you're expecting Martin Short to give you laughs, you will be in for a big surprise. In this episode, Mr. Short plays a dramatic role and does a great job. He is sinister and nasty, and manages to carry the story. It's a wonderful thing to watch an actor do a different kind of role and do it well. The story itself is compelling and worthy of an actor of Mr. Short's caliber. When an hour-long episode seems to fly right by, it's a sure sign that it's a good one. The episode deals with a sensitive subjects and is intense. The other cast members are also excellent, especially Christopher Meloni whose role as Detective Stabler is classic. The story picks up steam as the detective and the suspected killer, Short, engage in mind games in an attempt to assert control. What a powerful story!

One of the best episodes

[mwcanadian · 10/10 · 15 February 2021]

This has to be one of the best episodes of Law and Order SVU ever. A mom is helping her daughter with her dress, she gets a call and some creepy voice is talking about her daughter's butt being beautiful and saying it's the best he's ever had (on an answering machine). She answers and calls him a perv thinking he's talking about the 13 year old, however the daughter says he maybe a guy talking about her older sister (likely 17 or 18) who's not home. They find out she's kidnapped when the mother calls her.

I won't spoil anymore except say that Martin Short played his character VERY well!! He should've got an award for this

Martin Short Proves that Psychics have Great After-Sex Voices

[AnotherSideToYou · 10/10 · 26 January 2008]

I went into watching this show simply for the fun of seeing Martin Short in a not-so-normal role; I figured it would be a lot of drama and such, and I always love drama (Martin + drama = *Heartthrob*). Anyhow, I had no idea about the psychic angle. The episode starts out, with Marty's raspy after-sex voice (I'm already hyperventilating here) and before I know it, I'm cracking up over the psychic bit. Martin? A psychic!? Hilarious! The episode continues on as it does, and I can't help but laugh. Every sick twisted angle brings more laughter! By the end of the episode, people think I'm crazy because I'm thinking "how sexy." For Martin Short, the episode was a perfect blend of drama and comedy. Marty gets the chance to play his genre, and at the same time gets to show how dark he can really be. The lighting was played perfect, and Short, with his ever-impish appearance, gives the perfect mischievous attitude for the role of Valentine.

Even if you aren't a Law and Order fan, this episode is a must see. Personally, I never had a taste for the show (my mother always watched it when I was a kid, so naturally I was turned away). However, I found this episode to be an extreme delight. Granted, it's dark and cruel, just like every other episode of its kind, but it definitely gives some fun to the cruelty.

How to deal with psychics

[quevaal · 15 April 2010]

I loved this episode. Psychics pop up in a lot of crime series, and it's always interesting to see how they're treated. Most of the time, they're not taken entirely serious, until finally, the body really was found "nearby water"(which is the most common place to be found anyway). So, it's like "maybe he was a psychic after all". But always, it's steady police work that saves the day, not fragmented "visions".

In this episode, however, all tricks are exposed right away, and in a very amusing manner. At the same time, the victims mother is completely fooled by the psychic. I don't want to say much about the plot, only that if this is a subject that interests you, then this episode is a must.