New Confront Police Delineate & Lodge Svu “Totem” Recap & Review

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Law & Order SVU “Totem” featured 2 powerful invitee stars – Jeremy Irons as well as Elizabeth Mitchell – who made this gripping, heart-wrenching story come upwardly to life. The illustration begins amongst a missing fille who is establish dead, as well as it leads to a story of an abusive woman rear who has traumatized both her daughters. It seems at kickoff that Elizabeth Mitchell’s really troubled character, June Frye, is the 1 guilty of the abuse as well as murder of the fiddling girl, but every bit the detectives dig farther into the case, they uncovering June is a victim herself. Mitchell, every bit always, does a superb project conveying the emotions of her character's anguish over the decease of 1 of her love students, her horror of existence defendant of the criminal offense she knows she did non commit, as well as her decades-long inner torment from an abusive mother. I establish myself wondering how draining that functioning must receive got been for Mitchell because her emotions seemed incredibly existent - as well as I felt emotionally drained myself only watching. It was for sure an Emmy-worthy performance; perhaps the Academy should only start engraving her call on that abide by correct now.

Jeremy Irons returns every bit psychiatrist Cap Jackson, as well as it’s his unconventional perspective on the illustration that helps signal the detectives inwards the correct direction. Jeremy has 1 of those voices that tin terminate locomote commanding yet incredible soothing at times. This comes inwards handy when Cap has to utilization his shine talking talents to non only learn access within June’s home, but also to learn her to opened upwardly up to her. I would actually love to consider Jeremy to a greater extent than on SVU inwards this role; he has amazing presence as well as the graphic symbol Cap Jackson seems to locomote a prissy fit amongst the SVU team.

The intensity of the episode kept my involvement all the way through, as well as I must acknowledge that I did non consider until nigh the goal that it was June’s one-half sister, non her creepy, abusive mother, who was the killer.

With Munch (Richard Belzer) conspicuously absent again, it seems that Stabler is right away getting all the “dry wit” lines, such every bit “Welcome to the perv parade that leads to nowhere.” But thankfully, the episode steered clear of sense of humour – it would receive got felt out of identify inwards this intense episode, which is 1 of SVU’s best of the season. (Kudos to the writers, producers, as well as casting, who delivered a perfectly executed story.)


Here is the recap:

Two immature girls stumble on a duffel handbag left inwards the street exterior a church building as well as uncovering a torso inside. Later, Detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) as well as Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T), along amongst ME Warner (Tamara Tunie) are at the scene. They ID the torso every bit Marnie Foster, a fille who had been reported missing. As the girl’s woman rear Susan (Heidi Armbruster) cries inwards grief, Fin consoles her.

Later, Benson talks to the press to tell them the fille is dead as well as they are investigating the homicide as well as she asks people to telephone telephone SVU if they receive got whatsoever information. Detective Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) approaches Benson as well as Fin, as well as tells them the commons across the street has a video of the church building as well as they sent him the video. The stance of who left the duffel handbag is blocked past times a truck. Benson tells Stabler that Warner called as well as wants to run into them, along amongst Huang, at the morgue.

At the morgue, Benson as well as Stabler are told past times Warner that Marnie was raped, as well as it seems every bit if it was done past times a unusual object. Marnie was suffocated. When Benson asks amongst what, Dr. Cap Jackson (Jeremy Irons) walks inwards as well as responds that it was amongst a pillow. The detectives seem shocked to consider him. Jackson says that he is filling inwards for Huang, who gave him some locomote when his clinic folded. Cap said the someone who left Marnie wanted to brand sure she was comfortable; she was wrapped inwards silk sheets. There was also a doll left amongst the torso that looks similar Marnie. Warner said she sent deoxyribonucleic acid establish on the doll to the lab, as well as she also establish evidence of sleeping pills inwards her stomach. They create upwardly one's take away heed to banking concern check out the common suspects. As the detectives leave, Stabler tells Cap they may demand his help, but Benson is a fiddling concerned every bit Cap has never done this before. Stabler says he has a feeling Cap volition convey something to the table.

The detectives banking concern check amongst the common grouping of offenders, as well as Cap is surprised they are letting them all go. Stabler says they all receive got alibis, as well as tells Cap “Welcome to the perv parade that leads to nowhere.” The call of the doll establish amongst Marnie is Perfect Penny as well as it hasn’t been on the shop shelves inwards over 20 years. Marnie’s dad is on his way habitation as well as they create upwardly one's take away heed to "welcome" him.

Fin as well as Benson brand it at the Foster habitation as well as consider a homo disputation amongst Susan Foster as well as they come upwardly to her assist when he shoves her to the ground. The homo races off but Fin catches upwardly amongst him as well as he takes a swipe at Fin. He as well as therefore tells Fin his call is Chet Hadler (Doug Wert).

In SVU interrogation, Chet tells Fin that Susan is his girl as well as she was going to leave of absence her hubby as well as convey Marnie to alive amongst him. He says he never touched Marnie. With Benson, Susan says that is true, as well as said she told her hubby virtually it as well as stopped seeing Chet months agone but Chet won’t accept no for an answer. Benson tells her Chet has a law record. Fin, meanwhile, reminds Chet of his arrest for touching the fille of some other girl as well as the fille said he wanted a threesome. When Benson tells this to Susan, she also tells Susan that they know Susan lied virtually existence at work, her boss told them she left after lunch. Susan admits she as well as Chet were at the Amsterdam hotel, inwards bed.


Afterwards, Benson as well as Stabler comment that Fin talked amongst Marnie’s grief stricken manlike someone rear as well as therefore hash out the illustration amongst Cap. Cap thinks based on how the torso was left that the killer may locomote a woman. The doll was left there, as well as the torso left at the church, to brand her experience safe. The detectives uncovering this all difficult to believe, but Cap feels confident the killer is a woman.
Later, Benson brings Cap some java as well as he cheers her for the flowers they sent to his daughter’s funeral. She asks virtually his clinic but he says his peers call upwardly he is a charlatan as well as he violated patient confidentiality. Benson asks if he is sure he is upwardly for this, as well as he thinks Benson does non believe a adult woman could receive got killed. Benson expresses her concerns. Cap says he met 2 adult woman who abused as well as killed their victims as well as they were afterward diagnosed every bit sociopaths. He thinks this killer is different, she showed tenderness, as well as he thinks she may receive got been abused herself, as well as the clue to her psyche is Perfect Penny. He thinks it is a totem for the innocence she felt her abuser stole from her. Benson says they demand to verbalize to every adult woman inwards Marnie’s life

At the Foster residence, Benson speaks to the housekeeper who said Marnie had pianoforte lessons that day. Benson as well as therefore speaks to the pianoforte instructor June Frye (Elizabeth Mitchell) who says Marnie had lessons every Mon for almost 2 years but Susan called as well as cancelled the final appointment. June says her parents died inwards a auto accident when she was 17 as well as she hasn’t changed anything inwards the theatre since. June, clearly grieving, shows Benson a photograph of Marnie at pianoforte practice.

Meanwhile, the detectives as well as Cap inquiry Marnie's teachers, in that place seem to locomote no problems amongst Marnie as well as the teachers receive got alibis. The create upwardly one's take away heed to banking concern check out Marnie’s funeral every bit the someone may locomote mourning her to a greater extent than than anyone else.
Stabler as well as Cap learn out the church building after the service acre Benson as well as Fin illustration the crowd exterior as well as they consider nix unusual. But Benson as well as therefore spots a adult woman running through the crowd, as well as she stops her. It’s June, as well as June is overwhelmed amongst grief. June runs off as well as Benson thinks she is to a greater extent than than the pianoforte teacher.

At SVU, Stabler tells Fin as well as Cap that June has no tape as well as she teaches pianoforte at the brownstone she inherited from her parents – as well as Fin adds it is correct around the corner from the church building where Marnie’s torso was found. Cap says June said Marnie’s woman rear called to cancel her appointment, but Benson chimes as well as said Marnie's woman rear said that is a crock – June called her to cancel the appointment. June also blew off a grouping of students betwixt 3:30 as well as 4:00. But Marnie never got the message to cancel. Stabler wonders if June’s brownstone is the criminal offense scene as well as thinks they should learn a warrant, but Cap thinks they should only inquire her, he thinks she may already know they are on to her.

At June’s brownstone, Benson, Stabler, as well as Cap brand it as well as they tin terminate hear pianoforte music coming from inside. June answers the door as well as when Benson asks for her help, she says she can’t as well as tells them non to come upwardly in that place again. Cap asks if she was playing the Etude #3 as well as says she makes it audio therefore easy. He slides his way in, as well as when he asks for help, she said it is likewise painful to verbalize about. He says it may assist them uncovering who took her from them, as well as she lets them in. Once inside, he compliments her on the theatre as well as and therefore asks for a loving cup of tea. Stabler asks to utilization the bath as well as she points him downstairs. When she walks off to brand tea, Stabler tells Cap he is a shine talker. Stabler tells Cap they tin terminate expect at anything inwards manifestly sight. Based on what they see, it appears fourth dimension stopped inwards the theatre xxx years agone as well as Cap thinks something happened in that place that brought June’s life to a screeching halt. Cap sees a lock of pilus on some pianoforte music as well as Stabler picks it upwardly amongst his gloved hand. It looks similar doll hair. Benson warns them that June is returning as well as Cap as well as Stabler caput downstairs. They consider a pillow that looks similar the 1 tucked nether Marnie's caput as well as they aroma bleach. They create upwardly one's take away heed to banking concern check the garbage.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Benson listens to June play the pianoforte acre Stabler as well as Cap search the trash outside. They consider a suitcase that matches the laid inwards which Marnie’s torso was found. Inside is a wooden spoon. We hear a muffled thud, as well as and therefore Benson’s vox on the law radio bespeak for a autobus at that address for a cardiac arrest. Cap as well as Stabler race within to uncovering Benson standing over June, who is lying unconscious on the floor. Cap tries CPR as well as Benson finds as well as empty bottle of pills – the same drugs given to Marnie. Benson said June told her to tell Marnie’s parents she is sorry.

In Mercy hospital, June wakes upwardly to uncovering Benson as well as Cap there. They tell her what they found, as well as Cap mentions the wooden spoon as well as the sleeping pills as well as the pilus that matches the doll. Cap tries to verbalize her into telling them why she said she was sorry. She says she volition exceed away earlier she talks virtually Marnie.

Back at SVU, Fin says the lab swabbed the suitcase as well as the wooden spoon as well as came dorsum amongst zip. The bleach June used destroyed DNA. Marnie's fingerprints were at June’s but therefore were those of many others. They expect to Cap to sugariness verbalize June into talking.

Cap walks into the children’s interrogation room amongst the doll as well as he questions June virtually why she tried to goal her life. He tells her he is a psychiatrist. She says she does non deserve to live. She talks virtually her pianoforte playing as well as that she was an only child. She talks virtually her mother, as well as June looks over to the doll, proverb her woman rear called her a princess. She said he manlike someone rear gave her the doll, as well as June doesn’t desire to verbalize virtually him. He hands her the doll as well as she becomes upset, proverb he doesn’t know anything virtually the way she feels. She says perhaps she should inquire for a lawyer. He asks why she needs a lawyer, they hear a knock on the glass, as well as June is upset that someone is watching them.


When Cap walks out of the room, Stabler explains that Cap can’t nation she doesn't demand a lawyer. He says he is a psychiatrist non a cop, but Benson tells him that he is an agent for the law as well as anything he asks her after he said she does non demand a lawyer is illegally obtained. He asks if she tin terminate alter her take away heed – legally. When Stabler says yes, he goes dorsum inwards as well as tells her that he has to stop. But she seems worried that he has to go, as well as she asks if she says she does non demand a lawyer tin terminate he say? He says yes, as well as she says she does non desire a lawyer. She does non desire them watching her, as well as he directs her over to some other expanse inwards the room.
He tells her virtually his fille as well as that she hated him for 20 years. He explains that she was attacked past times someone who worked for him as well as she died. He tells her virtually his previous addiction to sexual activity as well as alcohol as well as that for years he idea he had harmed her. He said he understands how she feels. She tells him when she was seven her dad came into her room at bedtime as well as told her how particular she was as well as he wanted to give her a present. He gave her the doll, as well as he said the doll reminded him of her because she was his perfect fiddling doll. Cap asks if he got into bed amongst her as well as said she knew it was incorrect but they could non tell anyone because no 1 would understand. Cap brings out the moving-picture present of Marnie, proverb June had to give her the doll to maintain her safe. June says this was non supposed to happen, as well as every bit June becomes to a greater extent than upset, she asks why Marnie had to come upwardly to the house, she told her woman rear that she was non to come, as well as that she would locomote uncovering had she non come upwardly to the house. June asked her if she wanted a drinking glass of milk as well as she lay the pills inwards the milk as well as she gave it to her as well as she sat downwards at the pianoforte as well as Marnie started to drift off. Cap mentions the wooden spoon as well as she said that is when Marnie cried as well as said she was going to tell her mother. She knew she could non permit her wake up. She said she got the pillow as well as she sheets as well as lay the doll inwards in that place therefore she would non locomote alone. Cap mentions she left Marnie where got could uncovering her. June, sobbing, repeatedly says she is sorry.

While June is nonetheless inwards the room, resting side past times side to the doll, Fin tells the detectives as well as Cap that he called the ADA to nation they got the confession as well as was told to learn June into the organisation ASAP. Cap is concerned she would locomote sent to jail, as well as Stabler said they volition lay her on suicide watch. But they hear June nation “dear lord” as well as consider her kneeling as well as praying for forgiveness, as well as bespeak to comfort Marnie's soul as well as all of those that needed her comfort as well as protection that she could non give them. Benson wonders virtually the “all of those” utilization as well as Cap wonders if something triggered a memory. Stabler wonders if in that place are to a greater extent than victims. He says they should interview her other students.

Later, they interview some of the other students as well as they all love June. One tells her that June blew her off the twenty-four hr menses Marnie was kidnapped. She saw June on the street that twenty-four hr menses disputation amongst some quondam lady amongst a cane.

Back at SVU, Benson tells them that the quondam lady is June’s woman rear – her manlike someone rear died but her woman rear remarried. Her call is Elaine Frye Cavanaugh as well as she lives inwards Brooklyn. She ran Jane’s call through the organisation to uncovering a relative amongst a limp as well as her woman rear popped up. Cap wonders why June would nation her woman rear was dead – as well as Stabler wonders if her woman rear abused her. Cap nation some girls nation their woman rear manlike someone rear molested them because they can’t confront the reality that it was their mother. Stabler thinks Elaine may receive got already been in that place when Marnie came over – as well as Benson wonders if June’s woman rear killed Marnie.


At Elaine Frye Cavanaugh’s home, they speak amongst Elaine (Lisa Banes) Elaine laughs when they tell her June thinks she is dead. She said she tried to dependent area June to perfection but her hubby Roger spoiled her which is why she divorced him. He electrical flow hubby isn’t electrical flow – he died final twelvemonth as well as he was every bit weak as well as useless every bit Roger. She says she was a fair as well as theatre disciplinarian, as well as when Benson mentions using the grip of a spoon, Elaine coldly asks what that means. Benson said she wasn’t didactics June how to bake cookies. Stabler convey sup Marnie, as well as she asks what they are bespeak her of. When Stabler asks why she went to June’s house, because it doesn’t audio similar June loved mommy therefore much, as well as when the detectives locomote on to press, Elaine gets angry as well as shouts for them to learn out. When Stabler says Elaine abused June 1 to a greater extent than fourth dimension past times forcing her to dump the torso at the church, Elaine’s fille Katie (Agatha Nowicki) walks inwards as well as asks what is going on. Elaine asks them to tell him where she was on Mon as well as Katie says she dropped her off at a dyad tournament. Katie is upset, as well as says she did non do anything. Elaine tells her to unopen her mouth, but Katie says they do non demand to locomote in that place as well as she runs downstairs, screaming she didn’t do anything. As the detectives chase after her, she runs into some other room as well as slams the door, proverb no no no. They uncovering her hiding inwards the cupboard as well as cowering. Stabler coaxes her out. She says she didn’t do anything. Benson asks if this is her bedchamber as well as she says yes. But Elaine walks inwards as well as tells them to leave of absence her fiddling fille lonely as well as learn out of her bedroom. Stabler asks, “Your bedroom? She only said it was hers.” Benson gets a expect of realization on her face, as well as says “oh my god.”

Later at Rikers, Stabler as well as Cap speak amongst June. They tell her they know she does non belong inwards there. June calls to the guard to accept her back. They said they know she lay Marnie inwards the duffle but did non kill her, what she did she did out of love, to repay some debt she never owed. Benson walks inwards amongst Katie, as well as Katie asks June why she told them. June says she didn’t, as well as she hugs Katie. June says mommy wasn’t hurting her anymore as well as she left her lonely amongst her as well as she should receive got stayed to protect her. Bensons reminds June she was a victim, as well as Cap says none of this is her fault, as well as turns to Katie as well as asks, “Is it Katie?”

In interrogation, Katie says she called June as well as said she was going to her theatre as well as she would locomote out for a while, as well as that she should permit herself inwards amongst her key. June had cancelled her kickoff pianoforte lesion, When she got in that place Marnie was on the porch as well as she had seen her earlier having lessons. They went within as well as Marnie was therefore cute as well as innocent as well as sweet. She doesn’t know why but all of a abrupt she asked her if she could accept her clothes off as well as Marnie said no as well as she tried to leave. Katie got existent mad but did non desire Marnie to experience bad therefore she went into the kitchen as well as got some of June’s pills as well as the wooden spoon, similar the 1 her mom uses. June came habitation as well as saw what she had done. June, meanwhile, is watching from behind the mirrored drinking glass as well as says she does non desire to take away heed whatsoever more. Benson tells June she volition receive got to bear witness against Katie virtually the abuse she endured, as well as virtually her ain abuse. Benson tells her Katie would locomote sent to a psychiatric facility. Cap says they volition do everything they tin terminate to assist her but she volition never locomote costless again. June asks virtually her mother, as well as Benson said in that place was only 1 bed inwards the even out that Katie shared amongst her, therefore Elaine volition locomote going to jail for the ongoing abuse. June hears Katie telephone telephone her call through the drinking glass as well as June walks upwardly to the drinking glass as well as says to June that she nonetheless loves her as well as she volition ever locomote her sister. Stabler tries to learn Katie to sit down dorsum downwards as well as verbalize more. She does. June said she permit her whole theatre unit of measurement locomote destroyed as well as how tin terminate she forgive herself. Cap says she volition start past times letting him assist her try. As he walks off amongst her, Benson looks on sadly every bit nosotros fade to black.


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