Reviewing the Case:
A teenage girl who cries rape—and then dies from a head wound—turns out to be the troubled stepdaughter of a prominent judge in this initially interesting, but ultimately flat episode. Her death leads detectives to wonder first how the teen was connected to her rapist and killer, and then to figure out just what was making her act out so severely. Unfortunately, Cragen (a longtime friend of the judge) comes to learn that unhappiness starts at home.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
In “Sophomore Jinx” (season one, episode 6), Cragen indicates his alma mater was St. Raymond’s. In this episode, he says he and the judge attended St. John’s. This contradictory information was a canonical mistake. Keir Dullea burst onto the scene playing an unlucky astronaut in the legendary
2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968).
Episode 63: Greed
Original air date: April 26, 2002
Teleplay by Jonathan Greene and Robert F. Campbell, directed by Constantine Makris
Additional Cast:
Roy Thinnes (Curtis Johansen), Mary Beth Hurt (Jessica Blaine Todd), Henry Winkler (Edwin Todd), Rob Bartlett (Milton Schoenfeld), David Lipman (Judge Arthur Cohen), Sherri Parker Lee (Denise Johansen), Alex Feldman (Danny Ryan), Sarah Knowlton (Valerie Emerson), Michael Aronov (Andrei Gorsky), John Leone (Randy Taylor), Etya Dudko (Katarina Dinov), Nicolas Glaeser (Harold Karaka)
Reviewing the Case:
Two similar burglary-rapes in a high-income neighborhood turn out to have a surprising connection: A pair of con artists interested in bilking their respective spouses. But when the scammers admit their crimes, spousal privilege kicks in, which makes prosecuting them impossible. At least, until a foreign credit card receipt gives detectives a second chance at making their case in a final act of legal hoop-jumping handled deftly by the script.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
The episode pops with familiar faces, including Roy Thinnes, who played
L&O
’s original district attorney, Alfred Wentworth, in the 1990 pilot, “Everybody’s Favorite Bagman,” (which aired as the Mother Ship’s sixth episode).
Episode 64: Denial
Original air date: May 3, 2002
Teleplay by Judith McCreary, directed by Steve Shill
Additional Cast:
Martha Plimpton (Claire Rinato), Estelle Parsons (Rose Rinato), Mary Steenburgen (Grace Rinato), Michael Knowles (Arthur Felton), Sam Guncler (Gary Barbour), Danny Johnson (Sean Kramer), Andrew Polk (Dr. Phillip Devere)
Reviewing the Case:
The discovery of a raped drug addict, Claire Rinato, is only the catalyst to open the closet on her troubled family history. Detectives investigate and learn that she is carrying the mummified finger of her sister, who died as a toddler—and who Claire says was killed by their narcissistic mother, Grace. But Grace is quick to, well, point the finger at Claire, saying she killed the baby in a jealous rage. Still there’s even a third generation in Grandma Rose, who knows the rest of the story—and she’s the most unreliable of all.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
Martha Plimpton received an Emmy nomination for her role as Claire, which is amplified by Ice-T’s heartfelt stoic performance. Tutuola’s badge number is 43198.
Episode 65: Competence
Original air date: May 20, 2002
Teleplay by Jonathan Greene and Robert F. Campbell, story by Campbell, Greene, and Jeff Eckerle, directed by Jud Taylor
Additional Cast:
Ned Eisenberg (Roger Kressler), Peter Hermann (Trevor Langan), Harvey Atkin (Judge Alan Ridenour), Jason Pensky (Andy McCollum), Ezra Knight (Kevin Caldwell), Darren Pettie (Joe Parker), Ray Fitzgerald (Ray Dunstan), C.J. Wilson (Scott Lucas), Matt DeCaro (Abe Cheney), Lois Smith (Rebecca Tolliver), Andrea Fay Friedman (Katie Tolliver), Badge Dale (Danny Jordan)
Reviewing the Case:
A high-functioning young woman with Down syndrome is pregnant, and her overprotective mother cries rape. But trying to break through the layers of maternal “helicopter” and the young woman’s naiveté about what sex actually is hampers the case—as does a competency hearing once mom decides she wants her daughter to have an abortion. Cabot comes up with a clever way to make sure the perpetrator pays for his crime—even if he never goes to jail.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
Stabler’s twins are eight. Cabot is childless. In real life and in this episode, guest star Andrea Fay Friedman has Down syndrome and she’s an intriguing, unusual heroine.
Episode 66: Silence
Original air date: May 17, 2002
Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson, directed by Steve Shill
Additional Cast:
Eric Stoltz (Father Michael Sweeney), Jayne Houdyshell (Judge Linden), Ned Eisenberg (Roger Kressler), Kris Eivers (Gus Yoder), Nance Williamson (Lara Retafian), Hardy Rawls (Det. Jimmy Moresco), Edward O’Blenis (Darius Retafian), Davis Sweatt (Todd Ramsay), Jordan Charney (Rory O’Halloran), Patrick Collins (Bishop Mallinson), Sean Dugan (Bobby Douglas), Robert Harte (Ben Campion),
Reviewing the Case:
There’s no keeping a juicy secret hidden forever in
SVU
-land, so when a transvestite is found murdered next to a smoldering confessional by resident priest Father Michael, the killing is fairly easily solved: It was an accidental slaying by Bobby, a vindictive former victim (or so it seems) of Michael’s. But while he’s a pedophile whose crimes were covered up by the Church, Michael never actually touched Bobby—he just failed to protect him from a much higher authority. Despite the subject matter, this season-ender lacks a compelling center.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
Stabler is Catholic, and his son has recently become an altar boy.
SEASON FOUR
September 2002−May 2003
Regular Cast:
Christopher Meloni (Det. Elliot Stabler), Mariska Hargitay (Det. Olivia Benson), Richard Belzer (Det. John Munch), Ice-T (Det. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola), Dann Florek (Capt. Donald Cragen), Stephanie March (ADA Alexandra Cabot), Tamara Tunie (M.E. Warner), and B.D. Wong (Dr. George Huang)
Recurring Cast:
Judith Light (SVU Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly), Isabel Gillies (Kathy Stabler), Peter Hermann (Trevor Langan), Sheila Tousey (Judge Danielle Larson), Harvey Atkin (Judge Alan Ridenour), Tom O’Rourke (Judge Mark Seligman), Joanna Merlin (Judge Lena Petrovsky), Joel de la Fuente (TARU Tech Ruben Morales), Caren Browning (CSU Capt. Judith Siper), Daniel Sunjata (CSU Tech Burt Trevor), Lou Carbonneau (CSU Tech), Welly Yang (CSU Tech Georgie), Jordan Gelber (CSU Tech Layton)
SEASON FOUR OVERVIEW:
This season’s maturing
SVU
was a veritable guest stars-a-go-go. Apparently feeling comfortable in its own skin, the show invited more than twenty legendary, famous, or at least well-respected actors to appear in key roles over the course of two dozen episodes. From Jane Powell to Frank Langella to Illeana Douglas, the luminaries—playing victims or suspects or defense attorneys—added a distinct glow to some of the darkest topics imaginable. Meanwhile, the core cast did not change and this stability gave the series a safe harbor. In examining difficult subject matter, there’s some degree of comfort seeing the same faces from week to week. The cases make the stomach churn, with pornographers, pedophiles, psychopaths and prostitutes among the leading contenders, followed closely by corrupt cops and calculating corporations.
Ratings Recap for Season:
9.4 rating / 17 share / 13,772,000 viewers
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
Episode 67: Chameleon
Original Air Date: September 22, 2002
Teleplay by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters
,
directed by Jean de Segonzac
Additional Cast:
Dianne Wiest (DA Nora Lewin), Sharon Lawrence (Maggie Peterson), Charlayne Woodard (Sister Peg), Lonette McKee (Meredith Greer), Dwandra Nickole (Mrs. Kerber), Magaly Colimon (Dr. Erica Olsen), Jurian Hughes (Krista Bertram), James Biberi (de Ricco), Lair Torrent (Cabrera), Sara Ramirez (Lisa Perez), David Lipman (Judge Arthur Cohen), Kent Cassella (Det. Palmieri)
Reviewing the Case:
When prostitutes are sexually assaulted and murdered, the detectives pinpoint a known predator recently released from Attica. But a call girl who identifies herself as Deborah subsequently shoots him, supposedly in self-defense. Then she flees the hospital and her gun matches one used in a homicide committed six months earlier. Deborah is actually Maggie, either a traumatized victim or a conniving serial killer with a young son. Sharon Lawrence (from ABC’s
NYPD Blue
) plays a reptilian character, fun to watch on TV but dreadful to know in real life.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
This episode also features Sister Peg, a plainclothes nun who works to keep working girls safe. She seems to reappear on the series at least once a season.
Episode 68: Deception
Original Air Date: October 4, 2002
Teleplay by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, directed by Constantine Makris
Additional Cast:
Sherilyn Fenn (Gloria Stanfield), Jill Marie Lawrence (Cleo Conrad), Harvey Atkin (Judge Alan Ridenour), Frank Grillo (Frank Barbarosa), Jonathan Bennett (Kyle Fuller), Gerry Bamman (Schaeffer), Darcy Pulliam (Fullers’ Housekeeper), Jennifer Michelle Brown (Chloe Fuller), Tom Mason (Lawrence Fuller), Amy Bouril (Emily Savage), Melissa Murray (Vivianne Hendrix)
Reviewing the Case:
Gloria, a self-involved actress, is sleeping with her seventeen-year-old step-son Kyle. His little sister caught them in the act and a housekeeper witnessed an inappropriate kiss. But who beat Gloria’s husband to death? The startling revelations keep on coming: She’s pregnant, has been raped by her personal trainer/lover, and the baby is not Kyle’s! Yet another lethal chapter in the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
Sherilyn Fenn first gained national attention on ABC’s eerie
Twin Peaks
(1990).
Relevant Testimony:
“(Showrunner) Neal Baer is a big fan of (1940s and ’50s big-screen siren) actress Gloria Grahame. She was married to the director Nick Ray and he caught her in bed with his teenage son. Years later, she married the kid. Neal’s point was that if you marry a stepchild, that’s not illegal, so there’s nothing the law can do about it.”—Michele Fazekas
Episode 69: Vulnerable
Original Air Date
:
October 11, 2002
Teleplay by Lisa Marie Petersen and Dawn DeNoon
,
directed by Juan J. Campanella
Additional Cast:
Mary Kay Place (Hope Garrett), Jay Thomas (Joe Sherman), Jane Powell (Bess Sherman), Tom O’Rourke (Judge Mark Seligman), Andy Powers (Hal Shipley), Elaine Kussack (Lois), Leo Leyden (Leonard), Marilyn Raphael (Darlene), Arthur French (Jackson), Ryan Patrick Bachand (Andy Sherman), Patricia R. Floyd (Lori Helen Loy), Jason Weinberg (Attorney for Garrett)
Reviewing the Case:
A senor citizen with Alzheimer’s has been an unwitting cash cow for her son and grandson, but they may not be the perps who burned her with cigarettes. The detectives take a closer look at the assisted-living facility where she’s relegated. There, the self-aggrandizing manager and an arrogant aide join the ensemble of obnoxious suspects. “Vulnerable” presents a strong argument for never growing old.
Noteworthy Discoveries:
Septuagenarian Jane Powell, a charming star from Hollywood’s Golden Age, makes a rare television appearance. Ever the dispenser of obscure pathologies, Dr. Huang describes something known as “malignant hero syndrome.”
Episode 70: Lust
Original Air Date: October 18, 2002
Teleplay by Amanda Green
,
directed by Michael Fields
Additional Cast:
Michael Gross (Arthur Esterman), James Doerr (Vartan Dadian), Kate Levering (Kate), Brian Rogalski (Roger Pomerantz), Jamie Sorrentini (Vincenza Agosto), Barbara Dana (Veterinary Tech Carol), Eric Michael Gillett (Dr. Portugal), Mike Babel (Brad), Christine Toy Johnson (Health Commissioner Chung)
Reviewing the Case:
The Central Park rape-murder of a public-health physician might be related to her controversial research on the exposure patterns of people with HIV, work for which she was previously threatened. Her distraught husband seems eager to help the investigation, but tries to attack a big bruiser detained for questioning. A narcissistic AIDS patient who has willfully infected various partners is another suspect. Viewers are likely to guess the outcome, but enjoy all the shenanigans along the way.