Outsider
- Episode aired Jan 16, 2007
- TV-14
- 1h
Fin reluctantly works with a Brooklyn detective who thinks that Fin's rape cases are connected to his unsolved murder cases.Fin reluctantly works with a Brooklyn detective who thinks that Fin's rape cases are connected to his unsolved murder cases.Fin reluctantly works with a Brooklyn detective who thinks that Fin's rape cases are connected to his unsolved murder cases.
Photos
- Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D.
- (as B.D. Wong)
- (credit only)
- ME Dr. Melinda Warner
- (credit only)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGuest star Kal Penn, who plays Henry Chanoor, is best known for playing stoner Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series. Cast member Christopher Meloni, who plays Stabler, also appeared as two different characters in the films. In Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) he played a creepy religious tow truck driver named Freakshow, who offered to help the duo fix the tire on their car and also offered to have sex with the duo along with this wife, but they become disgusted and leave. A year after this episode aired, Meloni appeared in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) in which he played the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan who tries to kill the duo, but they manage to escape.
- Quotes
Chester Lake: [incredulous] I should take career advice from you?
Det. Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola: [turns, angry] What's that supposed to mean?
Chester Lake: I did my homework before I showed up. Yeah, Stabler and Benson get gold stars in Cragen's class; where does that leave you?
Det. Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola: I'd like to answer that question outside.
Chester Lake: I'm sure you would, friend. But that would be even dumber than ignoring me. You don't like me, fine. But you know there's a connection between my bodies and your victims.
Det. Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola: [pause] We don't find a link in 48 hours, you solve your cases and I'll solve mine.
Chester Lake: [nods] Done.
Det. Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola: Try to keep up.
[Chester smiles and follows him]
- ConnectionsReferences The Bullwinkle Show (1959)
"Outsider" was sadly a real disappointment and for me one of the weaker episodes of Season 8. My issues do not lie with Fin, in fact he is the main reason as to why the episode is just about watchable. It is not a terrible episode, it does have some of the usual good things and it is great to see Fin in the spotlight. Other Fin-centric episodes though represent him a lot better and are vastly superior (i.e. "Manhunt", "Denial", "Haunted", "Venom"), and considering that 'Special Victims Unit' did some great and more changes of pace where "Outsider" went wrong is mystifying.
Ice-T is excellent, bringing lots of intensity to Fin (on strong form) despite having to work with an inferior character. As said, it was great to see more of a focus on him after too much underuse for a while. Kal Penn is suitably freakish and did like that the perpetrator was a surprise in an episode with many suspects. And how much of a creep they were.
The production values are still slick and suitably gritty (without being too heavy in it). The music is not too melodramatic and is not used too much, even not being too manipulative in revelations. The direction has its moments.
However, as said the character of Lake did not do anything for me in his first appearance (that opinion seldom changed throughout his stint and there is a reason as to why he didn't last long). He is far too bland and very cocky. Adam Beach is rather wooden and whenever he tries to act all tough it comes over as too affected. There is also no chemistry between him and Ice-T, who look very stilted together, and the episode would have fared much better with Fin partnered with Munch or Stabler.
Ernest Waddell actually didn't bother me in his previous appearances, but here he is awkward and unnecessary. The dialogue for my tastes was too exposition heavy and talky, which was relatively uncharacteristic of 'Special Victims Unit' in its early seasons, as well as forced. While it picks up a little later on it takes a while to get there. And most of the case is very predictable and lacks suspense and atmosphere, not to mention too thin. While the perpetrator is surprising and well played, the reveal felt like it came too late and the motive is rather extreme.
Concluding, underwhelming but watchable. 5/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 7, 2021
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