'Law & Order: SVU' Fans Ride ‘Roller Coaster of Emotions’ During Unplanned Season Finale

Thursday night's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit might not have been planned as the Season 21 finale, but it sure felt like it in some parts. "The Things We Have to Lose" brought together several of the cases the SVU team has handled over the past season, including the shocking Harvey Weinstein-inspired case from the Season 21 premiere from back in September 2019. While Law & Order fans are used to seeing their favorite characters not get their way easily, the cliffhanger ending for the story put most viewers on a roller coaster ride.

Way back in "I'm Going to Make You a Star," legendary actor Ian McShane (Deadwood) was introduced as Sir Toby Moore, a movie producer who seems untouchable, just like Weinstein did in real life before the #MeToo movement. In Thursday's episode, the case was finally set to go to trial, but nothing went as Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and A.D.A. Dominick Carisi (Peter Scanavino) hoped. Moore never went to any hearings as his attorney, a former judge, kept claiming his health made it impossible. After jury selection was complete, Carisi and Olivia turned their attention to preparing witness Pilar Reyes (Carmen Berkeley) to take the stand, but she was afraid by how the defense would cross-examine her.

At every turn, Carisi and Benson ran into trouble. Moore's attorney tried to get the judge to recuse himself, then explicit photos of Pilar were leaked to the press. On the day the trial was supposed to begin, Moore was still nowhere to be found, and Carisi insisted Moore physically attend the trial. Moore's attorney claimed Moore had a sudden heart problem and could not be there, so the trial was delayed until he could finally attend. Benson told Carisi that Moore will not get away with it, but Carisi is sure he already has.

The story ended with Benson looking up at a television, watching the news report about the trial being delayed again. Benson looked more determined than ever to see Moore put behind bars, but it was an awkward end to note the season on. In fact, this was not supposed to be the end. Four episodes were reportedly left to be filmed before production ended early due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although the show has been renewed for another three seasons, that could not please impatient fans hoping for a resolution to the story.