Since this is a Recap, per policy all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.
Written By Barbie Kligman
Directed By Jean De Segonzac
When an escaped prisoner seeks revenge on his stepson, Detective Benson ends up having to play mediator in a deadly hostage situation.
Tropes
- Asshole Victim: Lee was in fact raped, but he framed his stepfather because he resented Baxter's presence in his family life.
- Believing Their Own Lies: Lee says "I said it was Baxter so many times, I almost believed it myself".
- Calling the Young Man Out: After the reveal that Lee lied about Baxter raping him, Lee's mother tells him "I raised a son with no heart." (It turns out not to be quite this simple, however, as Lee actually lied because he was actually raped by someone else who he was too scared to accuse - or, that's his story, anyway, but later conversation indicates he framed Baxter because he resented his relationship with his mother.)
- Clear My Name: Baxter escapes from prison and kidnaps his stepson so the latter would admit he lied about being raped by Baxter.
- Conflict Ball: Benson gets mad at Eckerson for correctly surmising that Baxter's mother is helping him and warning her that if she obstructs justice on his behalf she'll be arrested, giving the writers the opportunity to have her remind him of their prior relationship.
- Cowboy Cop: Eckerson tells the sniper to shoot through the wall and just hope that he doesn't hit one of the hostages. He also engages in the kind of police brutality that is typical of the genre, grabbing a suspect by the throat to make him admit guilt.
- Dirty Cop: The prison guard was bribed to let Baxter escape.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Baxter manages to prove his innocence, and the episode ends with his mother, ex-girlfriend, and son going to see him at the hospital.
- Frame-Up: It turns out Baxter didn't rape his stepson, but the boy panicked and fingered him when it was actually his cousin who raped him.
- The Virginia crime lab "misinterpreted" the DNA evidence, knowing the sample in question is from the person accused of raping an eleven-year-old boy (because faulty procedures preclude a double-blind setup).
- Hollywood Law:
- Baxter is going to be a free man even though he's guilty of a series of crimes including prison escape and taking hostages.
- Casey thinks the squad should prove Jeremy's guilt without the DNA evidence that implicates him because somehow that will stop him filing a police brutality complaint.
- It's All About Me:
- While Baxter's stepson was indeed raped by his cousin, he blamed Baxter for it because he couldn't stand his mom dating the guy, feeling she loved Baxter more than him.
- In a rare heroic version, Benson is so convinced that the episode must be about her that when Baxter tells her "it's not about you", that she is irrelevant and commands her to leave the hotel room where she and Lee are being held hostage she refuses to go so she can be the one to solve the problem. The squad agrees with her and convinces the sniper not to fire on Baxter so she can talk Baxter down even though he has a clear shot and Baxter is still holding hostages - temporarily, anyway, just long enough for Baxter to deliver exposition.
- Mama Didn't Raise No Criminal: Baxter's mother believes he didn't rape his stepson despite the evidence. As it turns out, he really didn't do it.
- Zigzagged because she seemingly believes her son, then admits she has always thought him guilty once he's been shot, then switches back immediately to believing in his innocence at the first encouragement from Benson.
- Only a Flesh Wound: Averted. Baxter is shot in the shoulder, but he still ends up in bad shape in a hospital as a result of the wound.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Baxter's mother gives one to Olivia for letting Baxter get shot. Though in this case it's a completely undeserved one, because Olivia had the least responsibility for what happened. Lee was the one lying about the rape, Baxter was the one who took him and Olivia hostage to force Lee to tell the truth, and the outside team were the ones who made the decision to take Baxter out. Olivia, for her part, was caught in a crossfire and did everything she could to keep everyone alive.
- Working with the Ex: Eckerson is Benson's ex boyfriend and they're forced to work together to find the escaped convicts. This causes no end of bickering between the two as Benson is frustrated with Eckerson's Cowboy Cop antics which is why she broke up with him in the first place.
