[I know this episode aired a couple weeks back, and the statute of interest has expired, so I’ll keep this brief.]
Law and Order, Special Victims Unit, episode “Funny Valentine”…I found the recent and highly-publicized riff on the Chris Brown/Rihanna case to be exceptionally clever, and enjoyably melodramatic (was the acting good? No, but Chris Brown and Rihanna often seem like they’re acting out some bizarre stage play/after-school-special anyway, with Brown excelling in the role of abusive, volatile prince).
They start out with a classic case of abuse by a young woman that should know better, but (somehow) thinks it’ll all work out in the end. And the show does a skillful job at combining the real facts of that particular case———-faux-Rihanna’s twitter feed has hate from people that think she should take back faux-Chris or think she’s a “bitch” who had it coming, tapping into an ugly vein of hip-hop misogyny that did exist for the real Rihanna (and anyone who dared speak against Chris), and faux-Brown manipulates the racial aspect of the case to continually play the victim himself———–but also expanding the case to make it not just about them, but a cautionary tale of abuse. [Needless to say, the fictional Rihanna doesn’t get her fairy tale ending…]
The episode is streaming on Hulu if anyone wants to catch it.
I like the review, I am now going to watch this episode.
I really love the review.