Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Desperate (2003) User Reviews

Max Weinstein is awesome in this episode

[doglover1767 · 10/10 · 12 September 2012]

I actually called someone about this episode after it aired to tell them about Max Weinstein's acting. Also bought the season's DVD set as well so I could see it again. This was before HULU and Amazon streaming days.

Highly recommend this episode if only for the last scene between father and son in the courtroom. Max Weinstein is great throughout the episode, but the last few minutes are absolutely awesome! Highly recommend this episode to every watcher of SVU. Too bad they later became so graphic in what they showed. Not a current watcher. Older episodes are better for those that don't like to see all the violence.

Traumatized kid

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 7 February 2014]

One of SVU's best episode occurs here with the squad investigating the homicide of a woman that was truly brutal and one that her little boy watched. Later on it develops that the little boy was not her biological son. She was in fact his stepmother and they were fleeing a brutal and abusive husband and father.

Which the squad zeroes in on. Rob Estes is by all accounts a nice guy, popular and in good standing with the Rotary and Chamber Of Commerce in Rye, New York. No one up there believes him capable of such barbarity. But he is being tried in New York City.

Young Max Weinstein is truly outstanding as the traumatized kid who has to testify against his father. He's the whole case for Stephanie March. To save said case Christopher Meloni finds him the best possible support.

A real good one, not to be missed.

The last gasp

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 22 October 2020]

On my first watch of "Desperate" when first getting into 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' years back, it was an episode that really hit me hard emotionally. Not that that is a bad thing, far from it. Considering the subject, which is a hard-hitting one, that was appropriate and the show and the franchise showed how brilliant they were at pulling no punches. Found it a truly beautiful and powerful episode and a standout of a mostly solid Season 4.

Which with "Desperate" got back on track quality-wise, after two disappointing episodes in a row after "Mercy" and a very good but not great one in "Privilege". On many re-watches since, "Desperate" still holds up. Brilliantly. It was wonderful on first watch and got even better with each viewing, thanks to the emotional impact, the gripping storytelling and the pitch perfect performances. The best since "Mercy" and one of the best and most heart-wrenching of the whole season and of the early seasons.

"Desperate" is spot on in every way. 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 lets the drama breathe while making sure that the tension and emotion never slipped.

The episode is a very tautly yet sympathetically scripted one. It particularly resonates in the dialogue between Olivia and Tommy, like when he opens up, the tenderness and poignancy of that part especially really packs an emotional wallop and a major one. The story still wrenches the gut, and a subject that takes a lot of guts to tackle anywhere is handled in a way that is uncompromising yet tender. The ending, one of the most powerful of Season 4, has never failed to make me cry, likewise with much of the episode (up there with "Angels", "Vulnerable" and "Mercy" on the high emotion level).

All the characters are interesting and sensitively written, Tommy is both adorable and incredibly easy to relate to. The character interaction is similarly gripping and sensitive, Tommy and Olivia being a prime example. The acting is excellent all round. Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay are equally without complaint and this is an example of an episode that shows how when well written good they are as characters. Rob Estes is suitably loathsome but acting wise the episode belongs to a heart-rending and never over sweet Max Weinstein, child acting performances on 'Special Victims Unit' were seldom equalled or bettered and when it comes to guest acting turns in Season 4 Weinstein for me is easily in the top 10.

Overall, wonderful episode. 10/10

A tale of the tragic effects of spousal abuse on the entire family

[garrard · 9/10 · 15 June 2010]

Rob Estes guests as the "perfect-on-the-outside-husband-and-community-leader" who masks a penchant for violence toward his spouse. In this case, his actions make him the prime suspect in the "disappearance" of his first wife and the murder of wife number two.

Besides Estes' performance, kudos must go to young Max Weinstein who portrays Estes' five-year-old son, witness to the murder of his step-mom and the key to the conviction of his father.

The last five minutes when the young actor makes a major revelation are spine-tingling as well as satisfying that justice has been served.

Signy Coleman is also quite good as the little boy's mother and wife number one.

This is the first episode that really made me cry

[jadabolain · 10/10 · 13 April 2021]

So many emotions in this one, with a happy ending too. It's hard to get me connected enough to cry about a character, and I hardly write reviews for anything! But it was just that good I felt like I had to. Bravo.

Came here for Max

[kristenlong-15173 · 9/10 · 29 January 2023]

I know I'm insanely late but I've only just got into SVU this year. Immediately after watching this episode I came here to see who played Tommy/Mikey. Absolutely amazing acting by Max. His facial expressions alone had me crying. The court scene with Tommy's dad and the scene where his dad interrupts the interview moved me the most. I just wanted to scoop him up and give him a giant hug. It's not easy finding a kid that can carry their roll so well but Max sure did it. And in a drama to boot. Great job to the casting crew for this one. I saw in his list of other rolls that he is on Ghost Whisperer as well. About to investigate which episode so I can see more of Max!