'Law & Order: SVU' Season 22 Episode 4 Spoilers: Barba and Carisi clash over a case of vigilante justice
While 2020 is now in the past, recent events have made it clear that we have not truly left it behind. As the characters on NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU' welcome the new year with renewed hope, only those of us watching from home know what the case truly is. That said, the longtime-running procedural drama returns with a bold and trying case and also sees the return of a beloved character, Raphael Barba (Raul Esparza) for the episode.
What to expect in Episode 4?
The synopsis for this week's episode states: "The squad spends New Year's Eve tracking down an Amber Alert and Carisi faces off against counselor Rafael Barba in an emotional courtroom battle."
After Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (Ice-T), Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish), Katriona "Kat" Tamin (Jamie Gray Hyder) are called from their New Years' Eve parties, the four are tasked with finding a 13-year-old girl who was reported as being kidnapped by her foster father. However, after the team finds the girl, they realize that what was presented to them may not necessarily be the truth. As the episode goes on, another murder means that Assistant District Attorney Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino) is forced to pursue a case against a man who may have committed the crime because that was the only way he could protect his family.
Enter Raphael Barba, who decides to defend the man. This puts him in the crosshairs with Carisi and it no doubt gets awkward. Even with the tension rising amid them, the two men still respect each other, however, it will be interesting to see how Carisi, who regards Barba as a role model and mentor, will go against him. Barba's decision to defend the man will also bring some tension between Carisi and SVU, but one member of the special unit tries hard to make sure that Carisi knows that they support him. Given that they would have spent New Year's Eve together were it not for the Amber Alert, we sense a romance brewing on 'Law & Order: SVU'.
When will Episode 4 air?
'Law & Order: SVU' returns to NBC with its midseason premiere for Season 22 on Thursday, January 7, at 9/8c. This season of 'Law & Order: SVU' is shorter due to the pandemic. However, there are still more treats for long-term fans of the show. In addition to Barba, we will see some other familiar faces including Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and ADA Isaiah Holmes (Wentworth Miller).