"Beautiful Frame" has possibly one of the gutsier topics of Season 14, and my first watch memories were that it was one of the more compelling and tactful handlings of any of the subjects covered in the season. Season 14 was fairly mixed to mostly solid up to this point, three episodes were pretty much outstanding but three episodes were also very disappointing so both extremes of good and more and average and less could be seen in the previous ten episodes.
On recent rewatches, "Beautiful Frame" is to me one of the best episodes of the first half of Season 14 and one of the better faring ones of the season overall. If not one of the very best episodes in 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' history. It still stands out as one of the more compelling and tactful handlings of the topics that were particularly difficult and is a massive improvement over the mess that was the previous episode "Presumed Guilty".
Nearly everything is very good to superb. Production values as ever are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough.
Really loved the script, which is so thought provoking and hard boiled in the legal story especially. The story always absorbs, especially the riveting and suspenseful legal story that keeps one guessing. There is a healthy use of flashbacks, which can go either way of intriguing or momentum sacrificing when used. These ones are far better than the ones in "Manhattan Vigil", which did affect the pacing of that episode.
Here the pace isn't bogged down and a good way of giving Barba and the viewer context. Helps one understand what is being said. Raul Esparza has brought much needed spark ever since he was introduced and he is great fun here without going over the top. The regulars and supporting cast are all very good too, but this is Esparza's show acting-wise.
My only complaint really was the ending, which did feel unsatisfying and to me unrealistic.
In conclusion, excellent. 9/10.
On recent rewatches, "Beautiful Frame" is to me one of the best episodes of the first half of Season 14 and one of the better faring ones of the season overall. If not one of the very best episodes in 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' history. It still stands out as one of the more compelling and tactful handlings of the topics that were particularly difficult and is a massive improvement over the mess that was the previous episode "Presumed Guilty".
Nearly everything is very good to superb. Production values as ever are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough.
Really loved the script, which is so thought provoking and hard boiled in the legal story especially. The story always absorbs, especially the riveting and suspenseful legal story that keeps one guessing. There is a healthy use of flashbacks, which can go either way of intriguing or momentum sacrificing when used. These ones are far better than the ones in "Manhattan Vigil", which did affect the pacing of that episode.
Here the pace isn't bogged down and a good way of giving Barba and the viewer context. Helps one understand what is being said. Raul Esparza has brought much needed spark ever since he was introduced and he is great fun here without going over the top. The regulars and supporting cast are all very good too, but this is Esparza's show acting-wise.
My only complaint really was the ending, which did feel unsatisfying and to me unrealistic.
In conclusion, excellent. 9/10.
