"Spectacle" was one of those episodes that infuriated me on first watch, due to finding it starting off with such promise and then quickly descending into contrived nonsense with an ending that on first viewing was pretty insulting. Didn't outright despise the episode at the time, but my feelings leaned towards disliking it overall and hating some elements. Despite having a negative reaction to it, "Spectacle" was still given a few more watches to be fair to it watching re-runs from time to time.
My feelings over-time have not really changed all that much. All the many problems had with it on first watch are still problems for me to worse effect, and more problems were discovered. There are not many 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' episodes that did so little for me on first watch that got worse over-time, but "Spectacle" to me is one of them. Again, it does have redeeming qualities and isn't an abomination, but of Season 12 this was one of the more infuriating ones.
Am going to start with the good. Christopher Meloni does valiant work here, at his best searing with intensity. Spencer Treat Clark also fares well, he is sinister but the reason for how he came to be is pretty heart wrenching and every sibling's worst nightmare. The opening scene is truly scary and really did wish that the rest of the episode lived up to it quality-wise.
The photography and such as usual 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.
On the other hand, the story is even more of a nonsensical and contrived mess than as remembered, also don't remember it feeling as much of a two episodes in one feel in a way that is felt now. Everything that happens before Engels comes into the picture becomes almost irrelevant and it would have been much better if the past abduction story was the focus rather than being used as a story device. The monkey references are very heavy handed and felt like they were being shoved in the viewer's faces when there was no need to. Tension and tautness are completely lacking.
Likewise with the too little and not very memorable screen time for Cragen and Fin, the only other team members featured. The dialogue is perfunctory and has no suspense or surprises, but worst of all (even worse than the contrived nonsense that was most of the story and the heavy handedness) was the major slap in the face, anti-climactic cheat that is the ending, all that build up for nothing.
In summary, mediocre and frustrating. 4/10.
