Really like 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' in its prime years, and can see why it is one of the most popular and most regularly aired 'Law and Order' shows. Will admit to preferring the early years, where there was less focus on the team's personal lives getting in the way of the case and when team members were more professional. The early seasons and the show's mid period also had cases that gripped and moved me more and the early seasons do deserve to be aired more when on television.
Season 3's "Rooftop" is a good example, if not one of the finest examples, of why the earlier seasons should be just as well known as the episodes from about Season 6 onwards. It is not a 'Special Victims Unit' high point and it is not even one of the best episodes of Season 3, but while a team member's unprofessionalism admittedly bothered me "Rooftop" is a harrowing and emotional episode with a lot to it to make it a very good one.
This is going to come over as a nit-pick for some and it does depend on the person as to whether they don't consider it a problem at all or that it's a turn off for them too. But to me the extent of the unprofessionalism of Stabler here stuck out like a sore thumb.
What he does is not acceptable anywhere, let alone a police-force, so to see him behaving pretty much illegally and with so little evidence other than one piece deemed inadmissable seemed unrealistic to me and does not send a particularly good message.
However, "Rooftop" has great acting all round. Especially from intense Christopher Meloni and Ice-T, the latter having settled very well since being first introduced in Season 2. As well as a hard-hitting one from Dorian Missick, Leon is an interesting character. The production values as usual are fine and so is the not overused or over-bearing music.
On top of that, "Rooftop" has an intelligent and thoughtfully written script that doesn't take itself too seriously. The story is compelling with some unexpected surprises and a wide range of emotions. Seeing how it affects Fin brings a lump to the throat, affecting him more than Stabler yet he handles the case more professionally. As said, Leon is interesting.
In summary, very good if not a classic. 8/10
