Law & Order: SVU season 20 episode 6 review: The true story of Grace Walker
The case tonight started with an assault on a homeless woman named Grace Walker, but the longer the story progressed, the more that it became clear that she hadn’t always been that way. Instead, we learned that up until her freshman year of college, she went by the name of Sophie and she was a seemingly normal girl. Yet, something happened to her to cause her to develop a disorder that forced her to eventually assume a different identity. This could have been triggered by a number of different things, whether it be a past assault or some other traumatic event.
It was painful, but eventually Benson realized that the best way to bring about results here was to bring Grace / Sophie back to the site of the incident. Grace was eventually able to piece everything back together, and what we learned was that she was raped by a former professor at the school and that caused her to recount everything. After that point, her entire life and her entire world changed. She had a believer in Benson, but the next order of business was to find the person responsible for the crime. The unfortunate realization here was that this man had previously died.
The moment after Sophie learned the truth, things started to unravel for her. She was enraged, full of pain, and had to figure out how to recover. Aimee Spring Fortier, who played Grace / Sophie in the episode, was absolutely fantastic in some of these scenes. We imagine that they had to be difficult to film, but what better scene partner than Mariska Hargitay?
As it turns out, Benson still found a way to get through and help Sophie — she brought her to the grace of the man who assaulted her so that she could say to him precisely what she wanted to. It was a way in which for her to get some element of peace and try to move forward. She has a support system around her now, and this episode concluded with a way that made us think that this support will last for her.
CarterMatt Verdict
This episode was Law & Order: SVU at its best — a great guest star, a story with some twists, and a dramatic/emotional conclusion that offered some hope for the victim’s future. It was a reminder of why Benson is one of the best TV role models out there — no matter the situation, she will always try to find a way to help.
What did you think about SVU season 20 episode 6 overall? Let me know your thoughts in the attached comments, and be sure to stay tuned for some other updates. (Photo: NBC.)