Throughout the trial, Hodda and his defense attorney worked the angle that Benson was overzealous in her tactics to get Hodda’s confession, something that she vehemently denied to just about anyone who would listen – Barba, the jury, and even to her old friend Dr. With only the tenuous murder charge in play, Barba was all too aware that he would have a harder time securing a conviction. Ironically, the murder case, while a much more heinous crime, was a weaker pursuit since so much time had passed since the crime and due to a distinct lack of evidence in the case. The first decision that complicated Barba’s mission occurred when Wyatt’s mother refused to let her son testify, thus torpedoing the much stronger kidnapping case against Hodda. Sadly, actual guilt didn’t really seem to matter in this case, it more about reasonable doubt and there were several factors that contributed to the ultimately wavering jury. 8/10.The legal proceedings featured Barba, with his shadow Carisi (yes, Carisi was a fixture at the prosecutor’s table), facing off against a crafty defense attorney over reasonable doubt. Overall, very good and much better than expected. Actually didn't find Olivia that over-sanctimonious, something that was a frequent big problem in the later seasons, and do feel that other episodes before and since have done this a lot worse than here, her feelings towards Hassler are understandable. The tension is plenty and chilling and emotionally it's poignant.
The story is always compelling and did shock and move me. Carisi is amusing and there is a heartfelt final scene for Rollins, Kelli Giddish has come on massively since her first appearance. Shining particularly in Barba's cutting one liners.
The script is tight and thought provoking, with no rambling or overdone melodrama. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden, while having enough momentum. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. On a visual level, the episode is solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. "Depravity Standard" has so many great things on the other hand. Did find the outcome of the case rushed still, the episode could have done with 5-10 minutes more or the conclusion happening earlier. Also found Hassler annoying, due to being too pushy in personality and indifferently acted. Whether it adds anything new to what was said in "Manhattan Vigil" is up for debate but to me this was on rewatch a superior episode to that as there aren't as many contradictions or inconsistencies in continuity. Absolutely do not agree with the low rating, one of the biggest examples of lowly rated episodes of the show here that are not only not that bad but also to me good. This was one of the episodes that was much better than remembered and turned out to be very impressive in many areas this time.
Speaking as someone who was mixed on "Manhattan Vigil", also a divisive episode within the fandom, so expectations were quite mixed before sitting down to watch this episode again as part of my whole show rewatch. My memories of the episode were not too great, loving the performances but disliking the pacing of the outcome and the character of Hassler. Season 17's "Depravity Standard" follows on from the events in Season 14's "Manhattan Vigil".
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