Wildlife
- Episode aired Nov 18, 2008
- TV-14
- 1h
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Stabler is shot while working undercover investigating a violent animal smuggling ring believed to be connected to a young woman's murder.Stabler is shot while working undercover investigating a violent animal smuggling ring believed to be connected to a young woman's murder.Stabler is shot while working undercover investigating a violent animal smuggling ring believed to be connected to a young woman's murder.
Photos
Richard Belzer
- Sergeant John Munch
- (credit only)
BD Wong
- Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D.
- (as B.D. Wong)
- (credit only)
Big Boi
- Gots Money
- (as Antwan Andre Patton)
Amelia Alvarez
- Regina
- (as Amelia Jean)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe detectives investigate a rapper who was inspired by the movie Scarface (1983), which Richard Belzer appeared in briefly in a night club scene.
- GoofsThe basketball that contained the gibbon changed colors between Cragen getting a hold of the ball and actually opening it to rescue to animal.
- Quotes
Andre Bushido: [as he's being hauled off] You're a dead man, Mike! Dead! Nowhere you can hide! I'll find you!
Detective Elliot Stabler: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You already killed me once.
- ConnectionsReferences Scarface (1983)
Featured review
Animal instinct
Season 10 was not very good at all in its first quarter (pre-"Persona", which was when the season started to pick up), with the only episode to be above good being "Swing". "Wildlife" did nothing for me on first watch, just found it far too strange, silly and confusing. It sounded interesting on paper but another case of "too many cooks", felt that way as well with "Babes", except that in the case of "Wildlife" it was throughout most of the episode rather than the second half.
"Wildlife" still leaves me indifferent, with my reservations being the same. There are episodes of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit', and of the 'Law and Order' franchise, that didn't do much for me on first watch but fared better on rewatches. For some marginally, for some a lot (Season 5's "Poison" for example grew on me a lot). Sadly that is not the case with "Wildlife", 'Special Victims Unit' was no stranger to complex and strange episodes but very few of the previous episodes went too far on both in the way "Wildlife" does. This didn't feel like 'Special Victims Unit' somehow.
There are good things. The photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone.
Also thought that the regular performances were very good, all things considered. Especially Christopher Meloni, while Andrew Divoff is chilling in the one supporting turn that properly stands out. The episode does start intriguingly.
However, "Wildlife" goes downhill significantly too early and never recovers. With it being primarily ruined by the complete mess that is the story. It is over-stuffed with too much going on and too many underdeveloped ideas, meaning it becomes confusing and at times strange. It also feels badly rushed and chaotic in structure, the suspense level is next to zero and it does get excessively silly at points, especially the ending.
Moreover, there are too many characters and only Divoff's is interesting. And even he becomes inept at one stage. The script is simplistic and heavy handed and also hated how unsympathetic how Olivia and especially Kathy were towards Stabler when he was merely doing his job.
Concluding, rather odd episode and one of the weakest of a generally disappointing Season 10. This is not me hating every episode of 'Special Victims Unit' just to say, actually like to love many of the show early and mid years episodes and even the later seasons (though the show has not felt the same for a long time) had episodes that were brilliant. This just didn't do it for me. 4/10.
"Wildlife" still leaves me indifferent, with my reservations being the same. There are episodes of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit', and of the 'Law and Order' franchise, that didn't do much for me on first watch but fared better on rewatches. For some marginally, for some a lot (Season 5's "Poison" for example grew on me a lot). Sadly that is not the case with "Wildlife", 'Special Victims Unit' was no stranger to complex and strange episodes but very few of the previous episodes went too far on both in the way "Wildlife" does. This didn't feel like 'Special Victims Unit' somehow.
There are good things. The photography while very close up doesn't come over as too static or filmed play-like, while the production values are typically solid and have subtle atmosphere while not being drab and keeping things simple. When the music is used it is haunting and has a melancholic edge that is not overdone.
Also thought that the regular performances were very good, all things considered. Especially Christopher Meloni, while Andrew Divoff is chilling in the one supporting turn that properly stands out. The episode does start intriguingly.
However, "Wildlife" goes downhill significantly too early and never recovers. With it being primarily ruined by the complete mess that is the story. It is over-stuffed with too much going on and too many underdeveloped ideas, meaning it becomes confusing and at times strange. It also feels badly rushed and chaotic in structure, the suspense level is next to zero and it does get excessively silly at points, especially the ending.
Moreover, there are too many characters and only Divoff's is interesting. And even he becomes inept at one stage. The script is simplistic and heavy handed and also hated how unsympathetic how Olivia and especially Kathy were towards Stabler when he was merely doing his job.
Concluding, rather odd episode and one of the weakest of a generally disappointing Season 10. This is not me hating every episode of 'Special Victims Unit' just to say, actually like to love many of the show early and mid years episodes and even the later seasons (though the show has not felt the same for a long time) had episodes that were brilliant. This just didn't do it for me. 4/10.
helpful•83
- TheLittleSongbird
- Oct 28, 2021
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD
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