All spoilers are unmarked per policy. You Have Been Warned
Written By Gwendolyn M Parker
Directed By Jean De Segonzac
A rising musical star is beaten by her high-profile, already musically famous boyfriend. The case hits some turbulence when its revealed that despite his actions towards her, the victim still loves her boyfriend to the point she's willing to lie under oath for him.
Tropes this episode shows:
- Berserk Button: Don't ask Caleb Bryant who's texting him, especially if you're his girlfriend.
- Book Ends: The episode begins and ends with the video of a young Micha singing what would become the first iteration of her hit song.
- Destructive Romance: The unfortunate Micha Green who loves her abusive boyfriend even after he beats her face in and killed her producer/father-figure; after she lies for him to the grand jury, they go to Bermuda where he kills her a few days later over the same thing that caused him to beat her the first time years earlier: she asked who was texting him. She was from a dysfunctional family ruled by her mother's boyfriend; her boyfriend's father was a pimp; one person commented they were, unfortunately, "made for each other".
- Downer Ending: Seeing that there was nothing to be done, Micha Green reconciles with Caleb Bryant, Benson says that they should wait (for the news to say that she's dead or he's beaten her again). Micha ends up dying in the end, and how she died is not shown, but it's implied that Caleb killed her in anger.
- Expy Coexistence: Micha and Caleb’s relationship is meant to be an analogy to the case of Rihanna and Chris Brown, who Munch invokes by name and sarcastically suggests they double-date.
- "Not So Different" Remark: When Amaro busts Caleb on weed possession after a sketchy frisk Caleb tells him he's a good looking man, he must be a player, too, and his protective instincts are just a way of playing women like Caleb's.
- Ripped from the Headlines: This episode is based on the Chris Brown & Rihanna case in 2009, in which he severely beat her in the car when she saw a message on Chris Brown's phone.
- Scary Black Man: Caleb Bryant.
- Trailers Always Lie: When it appeared that Micha's abusive boyfriend Caleb was found dead, it was actually her producer/father figure who was killed by Caleb, and despite all the set-ups for a vigilante execution, Micha wound up getting killed by Caleb.
