Will admit to not being crazy about "Thinking Makes it So" on first watch. Just didn't buy how Fontana got away with his actions so easily and Borgia's (actually liked her character and much preferred her over Southerlyn, who did nothing for me) attitude also turned me off. There are episodes of the franchise though that didn't impress me on first watch but fared much better on rewatch and turned out to be good and more.
"Thinking Makes it So" is one of those episodes. While not quite a 'Law and Order' high point, to me it is one of the most memorable and best episodes of Season 16 and Fontana's behaviour and why the other characters don't challenge it as much (though it's hardly ignored) are much more understandable. It is also the episode that improved the most on rewatch. My thoughts on Borgia in "Thinking Makes it So" remains the same having said that.
Borgia's character writing is the one thing that didn't work for me in "Thinking Makes it So". Actually liked her (at least she had some personality and was professional, unlike Southerlyn) and always did feel that she didn't get enough of a chance to completely shine or develop, but here she comes over as very opinionated and stubborn in a way that she was not before. She always did have strong views expressed strongly, but not like this.
Everything else isn't a problem. That is including Fontana's actions and the attitude towards it. The reactions were extreme, but it was spur on the moment anger when seeing how dangerous the perpetrator really was. What he does is nothing compared to the level of unprofessionalism seen in latter seasons 'Special Victims Unit' (which included confidentiality breaching, beating up suspects in prison and male bias).
Coming onto individual elements, the production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden. The script is tight and thoughtful, raising some interesting questions in the legal portions, and the policing and legal scenes are equally good. The arrest in partiicular has a good deal of tension with the policing.
Performances are all strong and the perpetrator is one of the season's most despicable and creepily played.
In summary, great and so much better than remembered. 9/10.
"Thinking Makes it So" is one of those episodes. While not quite a 'Law and Order' high point, to me it is one of the most memorable and best episodes of Season 16 and Fontana's behaviour and why the other characters don't challenge it as much (though it's hardly ignored) are much more understandable. It is also the episode that improved the most on rewatch. My thoughts on Borgia in "Thinking Makes it So" remains the same having said that.
Borgia's character writing is the one thing that didn't work for me in "Thinking Makes it So". Actually liked her (at least she had some personality and was professional, unlike Southerlyn) and always did feel that she didn't get enough of a chance to completely shine or develop, but here she comes over as very opinionated and stubborn in a way that she was not before. She always did have strong views expressed strongly, but not like this.
Everything else isn't a problem. That is including Fontana's actions and the attitude towards it. The reactions were extreme, but it was spur on the moment anger when seeing how dangerous the perpetrator really was. What he does is nothing compared to the level of unprofessionalism seen in latter seasons 'Special Victims Unit' (which included confidentiality breaching, beating up suspects in prison and male bias).
Coming onto individual elements, the production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden. The script is tight and thoughtful, raising some interesting questions in the legal portions, and the policing and legal scenes are equally good. The arrest in partiicular has a good deal of tension with the policing.
Performances are all strong and the perpetrator is one of the season's most despicable and creepily played.
In summary, great and so much better than remembered. 9/10.
