While not a novel concept, the story did sound promising and potentially creepy. Which is what is kind of expected reading a title like "Father Dearest". Season 13 was not a bad season at all, the opposite, and generally an improvement over the three before it. Was very interested to seeing this side to Eric Close and to see James Van der Beek in another dramatic role, which he proved he could do very well indeed in his incredible guest performance on 'Criminal Minds'.
"Father Dearest" was the second disappointing episode in a row. It is marginally better than the previous one "Street Revenge", as it treats its subject more tastefully and doesn't feel as unfocused or as strange. It does suffer however from the execution not being as interesting as it sounded on paper, and from being bland and not particularly memorable aside from the guest stars. Not terrible, just not great or any great shakes either.
There are good things. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction has momentum while being accommodating in enough parts.
It was good to see a return to taking a tough subject seriously after the over the top campiness of "Street Revenge". It was even greater to see Huang back, though too briefly, and the perceptive and collected Huang of the earlier seasons rather than the sanctimonious and easily riled up one in Season 11. The regulars are fine, while Close is at his arrogant and sleaziest in a quite disturbing (in a good way) portrayal. And Van der Beek again shows that he can do drama quite powerfully.
On the other hand, it could have been a good deal better with nearly all the problems being story related. It does drag in the second half when the case became thinner and more obvious, in a case where surprises are very few and where tension is much too little. The story on the whole is very predictable and at times ridiculous, the episode also doesn't go into anywhere near enough depth in regard to how the donor 141 identity was discovered.
Also thought that the perpetrator-ex interrogation scene was an oddly staged and written scene and was more strange and silly than tense. The ending is rushed and too abrupt and the dialogue is both bland (which is one of the adjectives that best sums up "Father Dearest" as an overall whole) and awkward, not enough of the tautness and thought probing that 'Special Victims Unit' did so well when at its best.
Concluding, mixed feelings here. 5/10.
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