Law & Order: Special Victims Unit:

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Influence

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An unstable woman stops taking medication and mows down 10 people with her car; a former rock star wages an anti-psychiatric drug campaign. Read full recap »

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Writers:: Ian Biederman

Director:: Norberto Barba

Stars:: Ice-T (Det. Odafin Tutuola (Seasons 2-)); Diane Neal (A.D.A. Casey Novak (Seasons 5-)); Richard Belzer (Det. John Munch); Mariska Hargitay (Det. Olivia Benson); Tamara Tunie (M.E. Melinda Warner (Seasons 7-)); Dann Florek (Capt. Donald Cragen); Christopher Meloni (Det. Elliot Stabler); B.D. Wong (Dr. George Huang (Seasons 4-))

Recurring Role:: Caren Browning (Judith Siper); Tom O'Rourke (Judge Mark Seligman); Jill Marie Lawrence (Cleo Conrad); Audrie Neenan (Judge Lois Preston)

Guest Star:: Marsha Dietlein Bennett (Mrs. Hoskins); Brittany Snow (Jamie Hoskins); Brandon Gill (Cameron Shaw); Norman Reedus (Derek Lord); William H. Burns (Officer Robbins); Brianna Shea Russo (Girl); Jeremy Chu (Boy #1); Brandon Kelley (Boy #2); Keisha Alfred (Reporter #1); Devyn Rush (Katherine); Thomas Hoyt Godfrey (Foreperson); Stephen Gregory (Dr. Kyle Beresford); Jeff McCarthy (Mr. Hoskins); Peter Riegert (Chauncey Zeirko); John Sutherland (Danny Morrison); Bus Howard (Janitor); Jackie Judd (Jackie Judd); Zachary Booth (Trevor Olsen); Stella Maeve (Leslie Sweeney); Teddy Ca�ez (Mr. Ramirez); Chris Lindsay-Abaire (Barbara Collins); Ron Scott (Malcolm Shaw); James Murtaugh (Dr. Porterman)

During the course of the investigation of Jamie's claim of rape, the detectives find more and more evidence both forensic (wax on the back of the boys shirts) and technical (the video of her willingly going into the bathroom) that support the boys claim of consensual sex and discredits Jamie's claim of rape. Yet Casey states that she will have to continue with the case, regardless of all this exculpatory evidence because Jamie is sticking to her story. Not only is this legally untrue and likely to end in an acquittal, it actually opens up the possibility of lawsuits against the DA's office for malicious prosecution and possible legal sanctions (such as what happened with the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case DA Mike Nifong.) edit »
At the end of the episode, Casey shows Olivia a picture of her and her ex-fiance, Charlie. The guy in the picture is Diane Neal's real-life husband, Marcus Fitzgerald. edit »
The play the students are rehearsing at the beginning of the episode is William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The scene taking place is between the characters Katharina and Petruchio in Scene II, when they meet for the first time. edit »

When Benson exits the her car when she arrives at the accident, you can clearly see that Mariska Hargitay is very pregnant; the light blue shirt and open coat failed to conceal the actress' unscripted pregnancy. edit »
Special billing was given to Norman Reedus (and) in this episode. edit »

John Munch: When I was a kid, girls who had sex were afraid of being called sluts. Now they're auditioning for the title. edit »
(Derek Lord is lecturing Casey on psychiatry.)
Derek Lord: No offense, Ms. Novak, but you're a lawyer.
Casey Novak: And you're a rock star. So you'll excuse me if I don't defer to your expertise on the subject. edit »
Casey Novak: It's easy to judge mental illness if you've never had to deal with it yourself. edit »
Olivia Benson: You're not crazy, Jamie. You have an illness, like diabetes or migraine headaches. You take medication and you get better. edit »

This episode also seems to be ripped from the Lizzie Grubman incident in which she too, while intoxicated, plowed down 16 pedestrians. edit »
This episode appears to be ripped from the headlines of the Tom Cruise comments regarding psychiatry. The television interview reflects his June 2005 interview with Matt Lauer on The Today Show, where Cruise angrily ranted against the use of psychiatry and psychiatric medication, even criticizing Brooke Shields for taking drugs to deal with post-partum depression. edit »

7.5
00
ourkissgoodbye
member since: Jan 6, 2007
Influence
The Bottom Line: "Well written"
Law and Order Special Victims Unit! ...Continue »
08/24/07 06:03am | report abuse
3.1
10
fransmith05
member since: Oct 7, 2006
Influence
The Bottom Line: "Bottom of the barrel"
Girl cries rape whose on pills. ...Continue »
02/10/07 11:05am | report abuse
10
01
marlajean
member since: Jul 31, 2006
Influence
The Bottom Line: "A very special episode"
A heart wrenching episode for those who have been there. ...Continue »
11/08/06 07:34am | report abuse
4
31
daley2
member since: Jun 15, 2005
Influence
The Bottom Line: "Not my favorite storyline"
Would of been good for just a middle of the season episode. but definitly not for a season Finalle ...Continue »
06/25/06 08:13pm | report abuse
2.1
06
zvyozdnayapyl
member since: Mar 22, 2006
Influence
The Bottom Line: "Bottom of the barrel"
WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME!!!
THIS IS SUCH A STUPID IDIOTIC EXCUSE FOR A SEASON FINALE.
THIS EPISODE REALLY SUCKED AND THE PLOT WAS EVEN MUCH WORSE ...Continue »
06/20/06 11:56pm | report abuse