Love it when an SVU episode captures the nuances of 1.0 vibe, but is obviously all new.
This second episode of the season was a really promising debut for the show's new producer and head writer David Graziano, who helmed this hour as if he'd been doing it forever, (but who did not write last week's crossover premier).
The One You Feed features an uptown gang whose subway attack on a vacationing family spurs McGrath to pair Benson with Bronx gang unit captain Mike Duarte (terrific Maurice Compte).
Mariska Hargitay and Compte are fun together and the with a few threads from the case still dangling at hour's end, it seems possible his character could return.
But this episode also has Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Velasco (Octavio Pisano) soul-searching; Betty Buckley pouring actual tea; Fin reminding everyone he's still with Phoebe; new detective Grace Muncy (Molly Burnett) making her debut, and most importantly Hargitay laying down the law, running to the scene in Kevlar, and looking gorgeous in a series of designer jackets under the much-improved lighting in her office.
It's a big busy episode that never lagged. And how refreshing to see Benson written as 'happy,' particularly after the mostly aimless incoherence of last season. 10 stars baby!