User Reviews

Every 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' episode has an interest point or a main reason to see it. Whether it's the subject matter, to see a change of pace or if either a fan of an actor/actress or interested in seeing a different side to them. All of these have been interest points and main reasons with me, from the very beginning and still is the case. The main interest point here is seeing Olivia being partnered with a team member other than Stabler at this point of the show, in this case Fin.

"Counterfeit" is not one of my favourite 'Special Victims Unit' episodes. It is not even one of the best episodes of Season 3, and not up to the same level as the episodes seen between "Inheritance" and "Monogamy". It is very good though in my view and an improvement over the still easy to appreciate but disappointing previous two episodes ("Prodigy" being the bigger one of the two) and certainly an improvement over "Redemption".

The production value quality is still high, slickly shot and the editing continues the improvement that has been seen since Season 1. Nice use of locations too. The music is used sparingly and is haunting without going over-the-top. The direction has both urgency and breathing space. Both Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T are very good and Robert John Burke makes a promising first impression as Tucker. Michael O'Keefe does well too.

Do think that Olivia and Fin do work well as a team, it is always interesting and welcome for any episode of 'Special Victim Unit', in its early years and mid period, to focus on a different teaming (it worked brilliantly with Munch and Fin in Season 2's brilliant "Manhunt") or when Olivia teams up with another team member other than Stabler.

Of which "Counterfeit" is an interesting and very worthy early example. Olivia and Fin's teaming really entertains and intrigues even with the at each other's throats tension there is between them in their different approaches to the case. How the sparring is written doesn't come over as over-exhausted. The script is fun, intriguing and tight and the story is compelling. Complete with a final revelation that is not obvious from the outset or in how it is revealed.

Actually "Counterfeit" doesn't really have an awful lot wrong. Though it is occasionally not always easy to follow and is a little on the routine side to begin with.

In conclusion, very good. 8/10

The SVU squad bounces all over the lot in this episode. When a woman is found dead in a lonely spot on the piers with a trunk full of drugs it starts to look like someone both wanted her dead and wanted it to look like a sex crime. Criminal activity that the contraband might represent when another victim is found, it's back to a sex crimes.

But not after a little over view from Internal Affairs and everyone's favorite rat squad cop Robert John Burke gets involved. The investigation leads both the SVU squad and Internal Affairs to think that a cop might be the guilty party. And they have a cop in mind in the person of Michael O'Keefe. He's not one for procedure and that is what is making him look real promising.

Good thing that Mariska Hargitay wasn't working this one with Christopher Meloni, Burke's favorite target at SVU. She works it instead with Ice T who by the way has the solution all along.

Wait until you see what it is.

Another episode that chaotically bounces around and somehow ends up OK. I vacillated between a 6 or 7, but ended with a 6.

At its heart, it's a chemistry test/builder with Ice T and Mariska. Fin is very cartoonish but I believe it's intentional so we can see an obvious change in one episode. I love Ice T, but his acting is terrible in this. I wouldn't re-watch but it's a testament to how much better he is in later seasons.