Total throw-back episode. Down to the fact we actually saw a lot of the trial, and we even got (edited together but still) closing arguments. When was the last time that happened?

I LOVED Robert Sean Leonard. I mean, I always do, because he's amazing, but he got so much to do last night and he was so great. You could see he wasn't being cruel, he did have some reservations, though he wasn't as riddled by guilt as we've seen Barba be. Also, he wasn't wrong. Was this the best case to make an example out of? No. But was his message correct, and important? Yes it was. People's lives, kids' lives are ruined all the time. Tough shit. Darius "chose" to harass Avery, verbally and physically, and then he chose to push her. Should his life be ruined over it? Maybe not. Is his punishment unfair? Not in my opinion. It's harsh, and strict, but not unfair.

Ultimately, I do agree that due to his age and demeanor he shouldn't have been tried as an adult, but since that was decided, I think it was ridiculous to suggest this wasn't a hate crime. Would he have pushed a "normal" "boy" off a bridge? Would he have harassed a "normal" "girl"? I don't believe so. There was no argument there, and I liked Darius breaking down, crying "I don't know". Because, it's true, he wasn't a bad kid, and if asked he probably wouldn't have hateful opinions, but in that moment his actions were sparked solely by the fact he was seeing an "other", like the ADA said.

Disclaimer: I realise the episode was trying to make Darius seem sympathetic, and I did feel for him (and his mother especially), and I do agree that putting a teen away for 7 years will likely ruin his life, but as I watched I didn't feel he was wronged. Maybe don't push anybody off a bridge, and you won't go to prison. I also found it interesting that Darius' sister, who was a little girl, was clearly aware that what the boys were doing was wrong, and asked them to leave because they'd get in trouble. If a 7-year-old can tell something is wrong, there's no excuse for the 15-year-old. When O'Dwyer shut that down by saying "what, boys will be boys?", like that makes it OK, I cheered. Plus, Darius was 15, not 11.

I mean, if Darius had just, say, punched Avery and knocked her out, and left without getting caught (and without thinking she had died), and that video had been posted and all his friends thought he was a hero, would he have felt bad then? And what if an alive and well Avery wanted to press charges for assault and battery? Wouldn't Darius be all "he had it coming, I was provoked, it didn't mean anything"? Would he know what he did was wrong at all? Sure, he felt sick to his stomach because Avery died, but why? Because he was sorry a life was lost? Because he was sorry he had taken a life? Or because he knew he was going to go to prison?

I do think there's an educational aspect there, and a class aspect, both of which the episode touched on in a smart way, and both of which do make me feel for Darius more. His age, as well. Still, I didn't shed a tear for him at the end. I did shed a tear for his mom.

Sooooo, as I said, total throw-back episode, down to the fact it gave me a lot of (probably cruel) feels.

On to happier stuff, Carisi! He's so great. He was so kind to Avery from the start. It's telling that even at first, when he couldn't fully grasp the notion of being transgender, his attitude was positive and supportive. And then he tried to understand, he talked to Rollins (which, yes, an SVU detective like Carisi should totally know these things, but this was a Very Special Episode and someone had to ask and Carisi is the youngest and least experienced). I was just glad Carisi was shown to be compassionate from the start, like he accepted Avery even when he didn't understand her.

I also thought Peter Scanavino played the Carisi/Rollins scene so well. There was palpable hesitation and awkwardness and then there was the realization. That was a Teachable Moment, but Scanavino did character work instead of just asking a question. This was Carisi asking; a well-natured, empathetic, protective, but also inexperienced and at times ignorant white guy, who wants to learn. All of that came through.

Add to that the fact Carisi was all over the diagnosis (Benson' reaction to that was flawless, by the way) and he sassed O'Dwyer and he was all about legal strategy, and no one, not even Rollins, talked down to him, and I was a very happy viewer last night. 

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