"Facing Demons" is most interesting for seeing Cassidy return and having some character development for him, which was needed. Cassidy was a character that started with great potential, but the romantic relationship between him and Olivia never properly got off the ground. Was also a bit apprehensive though, because the latter seasons have really varied with the personal life subplots and very few in Season 20 worked properly (one of the few that did was surprisingly Stone's in "Dear Ben").
Cassidy's in "Facing Demons" is another example of a personal life story that works. It was a very illuminating look at him and his past and saw me appreciating him more as a character. It is one of those episodes where one story is better than the other, and in this case Cassidy's story worked really well while the case was less consistent (mostly it was fine, but loses lustre later on). "Facing Demons" is a good episode for Season 20, but not a great one that is neither among the season's best or worst.
It is lifted significantly by the compelling tortured performance of Dean Winters, bringing gritty intensity and poignancy to Cassidy in a way not seen before to this extent. Mariska Hargitay is strong sympathetic support and the two surprisingly smolder together, the most convincing their chemistry has ever been. As said what makes "Facing Demons" is Cassidy's character development, which is truly illuminating and provides the necessary answers to questions thought of from his previous episodes. Including an explanation for why he blew up on the stand of a previous case.
The script has a lot of punch and is not melodramatic or too talky. As ever, the photography and such are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed.
However, it could have been great and just missed out on that. The story is nothing ground breaking and is quite thin, pretty much secondary to Cassidy's development. It is a case of starting off well but running out of steam later. The ending unsatisfies, it would have been much more powerful if Cassidy was the character it focused on and would have made more sense that way too.
Phillip Winchester is very flat in personality and doesn't look comfortable, apart from his surprisingly good performance in "Dear Ben" he and the character of Stone never really ignited.
Overall, good but not great. 7/10.
Cassidy's in "Facing Demons" is another example of a personal life story that works. It was a very illuminating look at him and his past and saw me appreciating him more as a character. It is one of those episodes where one story is better than the other, and in this case Cassidy's story worked really well while the case was less consistent (mostly it was fine, but loses lustre later on). "Facing Demons" is a good episode for Season 20, but not a great one that is neither among the season's best or worst.
It is lifted significantly by the compelling tortured performance of Dean Winters, bringing gritty intensity and poignancy to Cassidy in a way not seen before to this extent. Mariska Hargitay is strong sympathetic support and the two surprisingly smolder together, the most convincing their chemistry has ever been. As said what makes "Facing Demons" is Cassidy's character development, which is truly illuminating and provides the necessary answers to questions thought of from his previous episodes. Including an explanation for why he blew up on the stand of a previous case.
The script has a lot of punch and is not melodramatic or too talky. As ever, the photography and such are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed.
However, it could have been great and just missed out on that. The story is nothing ground breaking and is quite thin, pretty much secondary to Cassidy's development. It is a case of starting off well but running out of steam later. The ending unsatisfies, it would have been much more powerful if Cassidy was the character it focused on and would have made more sense that way too.
Phillip Winchester is very flat in personality and doesn't look comfortable, apart from his surprisingly good performance in "Dear Ben" he and the character of Stone never really ignited.
Overall, good but not great. 7/10.