Manhattan Transfer
- Episode aired Mar 2, 2016
- TV-14
- 42m
While SVU investigates a pair of vice cops found in the middle of an underage prostitution sting involving high-ranking public officials, the team discovers that a priest may be involved in ... Read allWhile SVU investigates a pair of vice cops found in the middle of an underage prostitution sting involving high-ranking public officials, the team discovers that a priest may be involved in a high school sex trafficking ring.While SVU investigates a pair of vice cops found in the middle of an underage prostitution sting involving high-ranking public officials, the team discovers that a priest may be involved in a high school sex trafficking ring.
- Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
- (as Ice T)
- Didi Denzler
- (as Mary McCann)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is Jonathan Cake's third appearance in the Law & Order universe:
- He played Colin Ledger on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) in Neighborhood Watch (2008) & Last Rites (2008)
- He played Marcus Woll on Law & Order (1990) in Boy Gone Astray (2009) & For the Defense (2009)
- He plays Monsignor Mulregan on this show in Manhattan Transfer (2016) & Unholiest Alliance (2016)
- Quotes
Rafael Barba: Monsignor Mulregan's visit was not a social call. He has made some very serious allegations.
Olivia Benson: Yeah. Against Father Eugene.
Rafael Barba: No. Against Tucker.
Olivia Benson: Allegations against Tucker? What did the monsignor say, exactly?
Rafael Barba: He said that he and Father Eugene went to Tucker a year ago. That they had information that Vice was running some of their students. Father Eugene even violated the seal of the confessional to provide evidence.
Olivia Benson: He claims that?
Rafael Barba: They also named Russo and Jefferson. And Tucker buried it.
Olivia Benson: And he's telling you this now? This is about protecting Father Eugene. I was there, at that church, when Tucker confronted him. I thought he was gonna rip his head off.
Rafael Barba: I don't know. I don't know. I mean, maybe... maybe... maybe that's what he wanted you to think.
Olivia Benson: No, Ed is not capable of that.
Rafael Barba: Since when? I thought SVU hated this guy. He's gone after each and every one of you.
Olivia Benson: That's his job. He has to be relentless. You're wrong about him. Trust me.
Rafael Barba: Wait. Are you involved with him?
Olivia Benson: Don't ask me that.
Rafael Barba: When were you gonna tell me? I am informing you that a captain at IAB may be involved in a sex trafficking ring, and you don't mention that the two of you are sleeping together?
Olivia Benson: You're wrong about him. Bring him in here, ask him yourself.
Rafael Barba: You and I are done talking.
"Manhattan Transfer" is the first part of the second two parter of Season 17, the first being "Devil's Dissections"/"Criminal Pathology". The subject here is a courageous and scary one and also very sensitive, that in the right hands can be powerfully explored. Though there also can be the risk of heavy handed-ness and one sided-ness. "Manhattan Transfer" and its second part "Unholiest Alliance" for me was in the former category and is a very good episode.
Nearly everything works and there for me was little to criticise. It is an incredibly well acted episode, with no real sore spot. Raul Esparza is heart breaking jn his reaction to Benson and tucker and Robert John Burke gives one of his best performances of the show. Love Tucker's softening and development. The story is harrowing and chilling, an example of a subject in need of an umcompromising edge getting exactly that. It really chilled and moved me and it's only the first part of the two parter. It's also tactful, which is not always the case with episodes that have religion playing a big part.
The script is intelligent and tight, not coming over as melodramatic or too on the surface level. It looks good, with the usual slickness and subtle grit. Really liked too that the photography was simple and close up but doing so without being claustrophobic. The music has presence when used, and luckily it isn't constant, and when it is used it doesn't feel over-scored. The direction is controlled but also tight.
However, considering how Tucker treated SVU in the past, where he was very antagonistic and one of those love to hate it characters, he and Olivia are not ringing true yet.
A bigger issue is that Olivia makes a lot of basic mistakes here, the worst one being the senseless and unrealistic stuff with Nina.
Otherwise, very good indeed. 8/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Sep 28, 2022