# Law & Order SVU 10/2/07 "Avatar" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344 "2007-10-03T03:33:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/1 "2007-10-03T03:33:04Z")
Wow, just wow. [ul] [li]Sexsomnia! Which is apparently a real disorder! Which makes raping someone OK! :rolleyes: [/li][li]The entire SVU being shocked _SHOCKED_ that people do sexual things on the Internet![/li][li]Weirdoes who refuse to even look up from their Second Life… I mean Another Youniverse… screens[/li][li]Locke’s father is a perv![/li][li]A woman who stays in a cabin for 25 years waiting for her boyfriend to come home[/li][/ul] The worst part about the woman in the cabin is that they didn’t have ANY kind of explanation for why she never tried to save her boyfriend from jail. OK, she was afraid they would send her back to her parents if she talked. But what about when she turned 17? And why didn’t Locke’s father go see her in the decade since he’s been out of prison? The whole thing was almost played for laughs. Man, SVU is really circling the drain isn’t it? What a shame, I used to love this show. But after the premiere and this episode, I can’t see it having a season 10. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/2 "2007-10-03T04:06:11Z")
I had no real beef with this episode until they were able to pinpoint the location of the cabin by comparing it to the virtual one, on the virtual lake that was geographically _identical_ to the real lake. Come ON! And the big to-do about "turning the sun on\* so they would know where the cabin was? Uh, did you see the size of that lake? “East” wouldn’t really be narrowing it down that much, either. ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/3 "2007-10-03T13:13:10Z")
Yeah, it’s bad when you can guess what’s going to happen based on how much time there is left in the show. “Oh, look, we’re at the fifteen minute mark. That means they don’t have enough evidence on the suspect and he gets to snark at them about it.” :rolleyes: “But…you got so…old!” Uh, yeah. Real people grow up, dumbass. (Which sort of explains why he didn’t go back to the cabin, maybe. On some subliminal level he knew that the picture of the girl he kept was the ideal, and that the real thing would never live up to it.) Pervy McPedo was suitably creepy, but I wish they left more time at the end so that the Stockholm Syndrome Victim’s turnaround is more believable. I’m glad she did get suitably disillusioned about the nature of her Big Strong Hero, but still. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/4 "2007-10-03T14:21:14Z")
That was just bad. I can’t remember when any L & O, of any flavor, sucked that badly. I want some of that magical computer software though. I don’t think the Star Trek computers were _that_ advanced. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/5 "2007-10-03T14:37:55Z")
Speaking of Law & Order, when do new episodes of the original start again? I can’t find any listings for it on NBC. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/6 "2007-10-03T14:42:23Z")
I’m so glad someone started this thread. It’s like every episode of every drama that’s been on the air for a few years now has to be the most emotional gut-wrenching show evar. ER is the same way. Kind of like how comedies have to resort to becoming over-the-top ridiculous to “maintain” viewers, these dramas think they have to resort to over-the-top, er, drama. This was indeed a steaming load of crap. That’s pretty much two weeks of steaming loads of crap for SVU; I might be done with this show. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/7 "2007-10-03T16:32:59Z")
What I don’t understand is why they always seem to go for Rape and Murder. On rare occaisions they do have a live victim, who not infrequently winds up dead by the end of the program. In fact, they keep trying to go for more and more extreme monsters, with more horrific crimes. I remember… two episodes where there wasn’t a murder by the end. I’m sure there must be more than I recall, but… And even if the rapist isn’t a killer, the raper usually gets slain, or kills someone else at the end, or they use the entire rape/murder angle to bring to light another crime entirely. What? I might not interested without rape and murder? 😕 And in the original L & O, what? No bank robberies? What about a pyramid scheme? It’s never an interesting crime unless someone gets killed? I mean, I wanted to know where all the non-murders were. Can’t people commit crimes without being cold-blooded executioners anymore? ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/8 "2007-10-03T17:03:52Z")
I’ve found that many in the SVU fandom like to refer to the writers as “plot weasels”. It kills me that this show, which has such fantastic characters and actors, sticks them in stories this crappy. I understand that the show is often a way to educate its viewers about the weird world of sex, but sometimes, it seems like every episode is a Very Special Episode. Also, while I love both Stabler and Benson, I want time for the rest of the cast. I want Munch and Fin. I want the Captain. Gimme more of them! ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/9 "2007-10-03T19:30:17Z")
No particular cite, but in the olden days, in a lot of B movies, a character would just ‘go mad’ to suit the plot. Same thing here in 2007. When they brought in his girlfriend from 25 years ago (!) all bad guy had to say was, “Wow, it’s great to see you! Let’s go back to the cabin together and catch up.” He would have been free to go. But instead, we get those spooky, \*serious chords \* on the soundtrack and the camera comes in close to bad guy’s face as his sudden maddness causes him to confess. Too funny. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/10 "2007-10-03T19:42:45Z")
I saw so many plot holes and jump-to-conclusion bits of “detective” work in this one that I read the recap on television without pity, just to see if maybe I had missed some stuff. Turns out, no, I pretty much caught every detail. It starts out with the “sexsomnia” thing, which made no sense. They took this guy’s word for it that he has this condition? “OK, you didn’t know you were doing it? Are you sure? OK, you’re free to go!” And it ends with a woman who waited 25 years in a cabin for some guy realizing in 30 seconds that he’s a nutjob. WTF? In between, an hour’s worth of equally confusing developments. Ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/11 "2007-10-03T19:48:02Z")
The whole opening bit with the sleepwalking rape was so idiotic. The characters on this show would never have let something like that go with just a “whoops, he’s got **sexsomnia**! Guess he goes free! Have a nice day.” Olivia would have tried to find some way to arrest him. That was so incredibly out of character and the episode just went downhill from there. SVU used to be my favorite of the three, but this season has been awful so far. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/12 "2007-10-03T19:48:29Z")
I almost never watch this show, and I’m not inclined to do so now. Man that was bad. I felt like they were actually trying to insult my intelligence. Anyway, I missed the first 20 minutes or so. Does anyone know who played the old creep? I’m pretty sure I used to see him on shows when I was a kid. _Emergency!_, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/13 "2007-10-03T19:52:54Z")
[QUOTE=saoirse] I almost never watch this show, and I’m not inclined to do so now. Man that was bad. I felt like they were actually trying to insult my intelligence. Anyway, I missed the first 20 minutes or so. Does anyone know who played the old creep? I’m pretty sure I used to see him on shows when I was a kid. _Emergency!_, maybe? [/QUOTE] _Emergency_ is exactly where you know him from. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/14 "2007-10-03T20:08:00Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena] _Emergency_ is exactly where you know him from. [/QUOTE] Kevin Tighe. He also plays John Locke’s father on **Lost**. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/15 "2007-10-03T20:09:19Z")
[QUOTE=Eyebrows 0f Doom] Kevin Tighe. He also plays John Locke’s father on **Lost**. [/QUOTE] Have we seen Randolph Mantooth in anything lately? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/16 "2007-10-03T20:17:46Z")
[QUOTE=Eyebrows 0f Doom] The whole opening bit with the sleepwalking rape was so idiotic. The characters on this show would never have let something like that go with just a “whoops, he’s got **sexsomnia**! Guess he goes free! Have a nice day.” Olivia would have tried to find some way to arrest him. That was so incredibly out of character and the episode just went downhill from there. SVU used to be my favorite of the three, but this season has been awful so far. [/QUOTE] If your sexsomnia is so bad you non-chalantly rape your girlfriend’s little sister, maybe you should spend the night locked in your room. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write. It’s so ridiculous that I can understand why the SVU team has never tackled it as part of a full episode. Who would believe it? They even needed Huang to show up during the interrogation and say “Yup, it’s real.” Lisa did the same thing when Homer developed perfect pitch from lying on his back on The Simpsons on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/17 "2007-10-03T21:28:41Z")
Hmm, well what do you know, apparently it has been a successful defense in court: [BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Sleepwalking man cleared of rape](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4543340.stm) Still, I don’t know why they didn’t arrest him and make him argue his defense. To just take him at his word was completely beyond belief. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/18 "2007-10-03T21:49:41Z")
[QUOTE=smiling bandit] And in the original L & O, what? No bank robberies? What about a pyramid scheme? It’s never an interesting crime unless someone gets killed? I mean, I wanted to know where all the non-murders were. Can’t people commit crimes without being cold-blooded executioners anymore? [/QUOTE] …Cause they work in _homicide_? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/19 "2007-10-04T00:55:20Z")
ok, so my recorder fritzed on the last 2 minutes or so - I know it was cheezy, but could some nice person fill me in on what happened when the former kidnap victim confronted Kevin Tighe? thanks, ever so. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344/20 "2007-10-04T03:00:26Z")
It was a brutal episode. I didn’t think I could make a list with everything that I hated about it but then I read the thread and found all of my points already made. Thanks guys!!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-order-svu-10-2-07-avatar/421344.md?page=2)