Episodes
See also: List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes| No. in season |
No. in series |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | "Repression" | Henry J. Bronchtein | Marilyn Osborn | September 28, 2001 (2001-09-28) | E2310 | 15.80 |
| When a therapist (Shirley Knight) helps eighteen-year-old Megan Ramsey (Kelly Hutchinson) recall her childhood molestation by her father (Brian Kerwin), she reports the incest to detectives Benson and Stabler hoping it would spare her younger sisters from suffering the same fate. At first her mother (Amy Irving) does not believe her, but eventually her entire family turns on the father ignoring his protests that are assisted by the discovery of tainted evidence. The whole fragile family later becomes a suspect when the father is murdered. Eventually it is proven Megan is a virgin and the rape was a false memory planted by her therapist. Megan's sister (Blythe Auffarth) confesses to accidentally killing her father and the police arrest the therapist and charge her with reckless endangerment. | |||||||
| 2 | 45 | "Wrath" | Jean de Segonzac | Judith McCreary | October 5, 2001 (2001-10-05) | E2314 | 15.04 |
| Three unrelated people, who are connected to Detective Benson's past cases, are found ritualistically murdered. It turns out that the murderer (Justin Kirk) is bent on revenge because he was arrested by Benson and spent years in prison for a crime he did not commit. When this is revealed, Benson is distraught with grief and feels that she has failed her most important duty. Despite the threat to her life, she obsesses over the case and sets out to make things right. | |||||||
| 3 | 46 | "Stolen" | James Quinn | Robert F. Campbell & Jonathan Greene | October 12, 2001 (2001-10-12) | E2315 | 17.20 |
| When a baby is abducted from her mother (Kerri Green) in a grocery store, Detectives Benson and Stabler are led to Mark Sanford (Bruce Altman), a private adoption lawyer with dubious business practices. The investigation of the adoption service opens up a twelve-year old case originally handled by Sgt. Max Greevey and Don Cragen involving the missing chíld (Ian Cronin) of a murdered woman. Captain Cragen teams up with Munch to solve the case. | |||||||
| 4 | 47 | "Rooftop" | Steve Shill | Teleplay: Robert F. Campbell & Jonathan Greene Story: Neal Baer, Robert F. Campbell, & Jonathan Greene |
October 19, 2001 (2001-10-19) | E2318 | 15.44 |
| A series of rapes, each more violent than the previous, takes place in a community of African-Americans. Detectives Benson and Stabler promptly suspect a known sex offender (Dorian Missick) who was recently released from jail, however he dies of an overdose and is found on a rooftop. The attacks continue and Detective Tutuola's childhood friends' daughter is killed. As they find nothing, her brother Rodney Thompson (Todd Williams) accuses the police of limiting the budget put on the case. Only when a fifth victim is killed, do her final moments alongside Thompson's persistence give them what they need to find the killer. | |||||||
| 5 | 48 | "Tangled" | Jean de Segonzac | Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen | October 26, 2001 (2001-10-26) | E2312 | 16.50 |
| A known doctor is killed and his wife (Lisa Eichhorn) is raped. Detectives Benson and Stabler question the doctor's estranged and troubled son (Geoffrey Wigdor) from the doctor's previous marriage. They also locate a former patient (John-Lule Montias) who holds a grudge against the doctor. When the rapist then attacks the doctor's former mistress (Liza Weil), the squad realizes that both the wife and the mistress know more than they let on. | |||||||
| 6 | 49 | "Redemption" | Ted Kotcheff | Jeff Eckerle | November 2, 2001 (2001-11-02) | E2319 | 14.58 |
| Detective Stabler is paired with John "Hawk" Hawkins (David Keith), an unstable, "cowboy" cop, much to Benson's chagrin. They try to catch a serial rapist and murderer. Their suspect is a recently released prisoner (Kevin Chamberlin), who was put in jail years ago due to Hawk. Alas, they come to deduce that not only is the predator someone else, but that the former prisoner is innocent of the previous murders, which means that Hawk was responsible for putting an innocent man behind bars. | |||||||
| 7 | 50 | "Sacrifice" | Lesli Linka Glatter | Teleplay: Samantha Howard Corbin & Javier Grillo-Marxuach Story: Javier Grillo-Marxuach |
November 9, 2001 (2001-11-09) | E2309 | 16.20 |
| An unidentified man (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) is found shot and sexually assaulted in an alley outside of a gay bar. Detectives Benson and Stabler learn that the victim and his wife (Elizabeth Banks) have a daughter with cystic fibrosis and that they worked in the porn industry to pay for her medical bills. The lead witness (Kevin Geer), who is a recovering drug addict, angers Fin causing him to re-think his police role. | |||||||
| 8 | 51 | "Inheritance" | Juan J. Campanella | Teleplay: Tara Butters, Kathy Ebel, & Michele Fazekas Story: Kathy Ebel |
November 16, 2001 (2001-11-16) | E2311 | 14.50 |
| A young Asian woman is severely beaten and raped at a burglary site. Benson and Stabler initially suspect rival Asian gang members, who are in dispute over the victim's loyalty. This theory is disproven when they find another Asian victim and track down serial rapist Darrell Guan (Marcus Chong). Guan was ostracised throughout his childhood and feels that even his own mother (Wai Ching Ho) did not love him. The case hits close to home for Benson because Guan is also the product of a rape. The trial focuses on the impact of genetic predisposition versus environmental upbringing on the nature of violence. | |||||||
| 9 | 52 | "Care" | Gloria Muzio | Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen | November 23, 2001 (2001-11-23) | E2317 | 14.86 |
| A five-year-old girl is found viciously beaten to death in foster care. Detectives Benson and Stabler investigate her complicated family ties. They learn the girl's birth mother (Erika LaVonn) always tried to get back her daughter from the foster mother (Kathleen Wilhoite) and foster grandmother (Piper Laurie). They then investigate her introverted foster brother (Colin Fickes). Captain Cragen manages to reach out to him with the help of a video game. | |||||||
| 10 | 53 | "Ridicule" | Constantine Makris | Judith McCreary | December 14, 2001 (2001-12-14) | E2316 | 15.33 |
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A young wife's body is found after what seems to be an erotic asphyxiation accident. Detectives Benson and Stabler follow her link to a male stripper (Pete Starrett). He reveals their link was that he was recently gang raped by her and her two female lawyer friends, Amelia Chase (Diane Neal) and Pam Adler (Paige Turco) after the three women handcuffed him to a bed during a bachelorette party. ADA Cabot follows People v. Liberta (1984) and sues the women for this non statutory female on male rape. The investigation of one of the women, Pam Adler, then reveals the suicide was in fact a murder, as the victim planned to come clean and expose her fellow rapists.
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| 11 | 54 | "Monogamy" | Constantine Makris | Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas | January 4, 2002 (2002-01-04) | E2323 | 17.71 |
| A pregnant woman (Tricia Paoluccio) is attacked and has her fetus ripped from her womb. Detectives Benson and Stabler quickly look for the baby hoping he's still alive. The woman's husband (John Ritter) seems shocked, but it is soon discovered she may have had an affair with a construction worker (Bobby Cannavale). The resulting trial has ADA Alex Cabot trying to argue that the fetus had a right to live without treading into the controversial territory of reproductive rights. | |||||||
| 12 | 55 | "Protection" | Alex Zakrzewski | Robert F. Campbell & Jonathan Greene | January 11, 2002 (2002-01-11) | E2327 | 17.00 |
| A six-year-old boy is abandoned by his mother (Elpidia Carrillo) in an emergency room after having been shot. Detectives Benson and Stabler look for his missing family members in order to find his shooter (Louie Leonardo), while Munch attempts to get through to the boy's ten-year-old brother (Jean-Luke Figueroa). Eventually, it becomes clear that the whole family is in danger. | |||||||
| 13 | 56 | "Prodigy" | Steve Shill | Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen | January 18, 2002 (2002-01-18) | E2326 | 16.03 |
| A man and a woman are stabbed during a supposedly romantic park encounter. The woman's head as well as her hands are missing, which makes it difficult for detectives Benson and Stabler to identify the victims. They soon learn that the crime scene was staged and that the woman was an officer of the Manhattan Federation for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This leads them to various people from her organization, as well as its opposers, and a young sociopath (Michael Pitt) who had a troubled relationship with the woman. | |||||||
| 14 | 57 | "Counterfeit" | Arthur W. Forney | Amanda Green | January 25, 2002 (2002-01-25) | E2313 | 16.76 |
| A woman's body is found near her car after she was raped. With Munch on crutches, Tutuola is paired with Benson to investigate what the motive was, as well as why was her car's trunk was full of forged drugs. When another woman, Francesca Jesner (Khrystyne Haje), is raped, she claims the rapist was a cop (Michael O'Keefe) who captured her by using a routine traffic stop. Their need to catch the cop escalates when Jesner is captured again. | |||||||
| 15 | 58 | "Execution" | Alex Zakrzewski | Judith McCreary | February 1, 2002 (2002-02-01) | E2325 | 17.05 |
| In three days, serial killer Matthew Brodus (Nick Chinlund) is to be executed at the New Jersey State Prison. Detective Stabler and Dr. Huang race against time to figure out if he also killed and raped another woman, the confirmation of which will provide closure for her father (William Hill) and mother (Laura Hughes). | |||||||
| 16 | 59 | "Popular" | Jean de Segonzac | Teleplay:Stephen Belber Story: Stephen Belber & Kathy Ebel |
March 1, 2002 (2002-03-01) | E2329 | 15.80 |
| Detective Stabler's wife (Isabel Gillies) tells him that her nurse friend (Laura Duncan) at a local hospital treated a fourteen-year-old rape victim (Brittany Slattery), who refused to report the crime to the police or her family. Stabler decides to investigate her unofficially with the help of Detective Benson. They find out she and her classmates were involved with drugs and alcohol, a fact which troubles her family. | |||||||
| 17 | 60 | "Surveillance" | Steve Shill | Jeff Eckerle | March 8, 2002 (2002-03-08) | E2328 | 16.40 |
| A young cellist, Cassie Germaine (Emily Deschanel) is attacked in her apartment. Detectives Benson and Stabler investigate her orchestra conductor, Robert Prescott (Michael Nader). They learn he was involved with amateur erotic filmmaking, and that her apartment is surrounded with hidden cameras installed by a stalker. | |||||||
| 18 | 61 | "Guilt" | David Platt | Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas | March 29, 2002 (2002-03-29) | E2332 | 14.40 |
| ADA Cabot works with a reluctant witness (Bret Harrison) and his mother (Kay Lenz) in a case of child molestation. She goes far beyond the line of duty to find evidence against the abuser (Beau Gravitte). She even sends detectives Benson and Stabler to illegally search the boy's home and almost ruins the case and all of their careers. | |||||||
| 19 | 62 | "Justice" | Juan J. Campanella | Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen | April 5, 2002 (2002-04-05) | E2331 | 16.60 |
| The stepdaughter of a judge (Keir Dullea) is raped and killed. The judge is known for throwing hard sentences on sex offenders. However, family secrets are revealed when the detectives learn that the girl was a pen-pal with many of the inmates put away by her father. | |||||||
| 20 | 63 | "Greed" | Constantine Makris | Robert F. Campbell & Jonathan Greene | April 26, 2002 (2002-04-26) | E2330 | 14.22 |
| The wife (Mary Beth Hurt) of a business man (Henry Winkler) is found raped and bludgeoned on their kitchen floor. With Munch on jury duty, Fin is paired with Cragen while Benson and Stabler head the investigation. Uncovering similarities with a previous attack, the detectives first suspect a serial rapist. Soon, however, the evidence leads to an elaborate and sinister plot. | |||||||
| 21 | 64 | "Denial" | Steve Shill | Judith McCreary | May 3, 2002 (2002-05-03) | E2334 | 16.70 |
| A drug addict (Martha Plimpton) is sexually assaulted. In her purse, detectives Benson and Stabler find a decomposing baby's finger. When looking for both her attacker and the baby, they suspect she might be withholding information to protect her mother (Mary Steenburgen) or grandmother (Estelle Parsons). Tutuola tries to help by getting her clean. | |||||||
| 22 | 65 | "Competence" | Jud Taylor | Teleplay: Robert F. Campbell & Jonathan Greene Story: Jeff Eckerle, Robert F. Campbell, & Jonathan Greene |
May 10, 2002 (2002-05-10) | E2335 | 17.30 |
| A woman (Lois Smith) reports her twenty two-year-old daughter with Down Syndrome (Andrea Fay Friedman) is pregnant because a rapist (Matt DeCaro) took advantage of her innocence about sex. Detectives Benson and Stabler have to make sure it's not just her mother being overprotective and in denial of her daughter's sex life. The girl's boyfriend (James Badge Dale) who also has Down Syndrome offer to help raise her baby. ADA Cabot then has to interfere and take on her superior, to settle the mother–daughter dispute on whether the daughter should have an abortion or not. | |||||||
| 23 | 66 | "Silence" | Steve Shill | Patrick Harbinson | May 17, 2002 (2002-05-17) | E3103 | 14.27 |
| A murder takes place in a church. Detectives Benson and Stabler learn that the murderer (Sean Dugan) had been paid off by the church to stop him from reporting how he was sexually abused by a priest as a child. He blames the church for taking away his innocence and accuses a priest from his youth, Father Michael (Eric Stoltz) of molesting him. |
Read more about this topic: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 3)
Famous quotes containing the word episodes:
“Twenty or thirty years ago, in the army, we had a lot of obscure adventures, and years later we tell them at parties, and suddenly we realize that those two very difficult years of our lives have become lumped together into a few episodes that have lodged in our memory in a standardized form, and are always told in a standardized way, in the same words. But in fact that lump of memories has nothing whatsoever to do with our experience of those two years in the army and what it has made of us.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)
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—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924)