Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 1) - Episodes

Episodes

No. in
season		 No. in
series		 Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production
code		 U.S. viewers
(millions)
1 1 "Payback" Jean de Segonzac Dick Wolf September 20, 1999 (1999-09-20) E0901

Benson and Stabler investigate the stabbing and castration of a cab driver, only to learn that the victim had purchased a phony hack license from an inmate 'Victor Spicer' (Matt Skollar) at Rikers Island. Further investigation reveals that the dead man was a Serbian soldier named Stefan Tanzic, who had been indicted on charges of ethnic cleansing. Herself a child of rape, Benson has trouble separating herself from the case after realizing that the victim was a rapist. Stabler tries to keep her from crossing the line in her attempts to protect suspects whom she feels were justified in their actions.

  • Special appearance by Angie Harmon as ADA Abbie Carmichael.
2 2 "A Single Life" Lesli Linka Glatter Miriam Kazdin September 27, 1999 (1999-09-27) E0903

When the body of Gretchen Quinn is found wearing only a red slip after having been thrown out of a window, Benson and Stabler soon find out that "Gretchen Quinn" was just an alias. While trying to piece together her life, the detectives are led to the victim's psychiatrist (Dennis Boutsikaris) and a well-known television newscaster (Michael Gaston), both of whom were sleeping with her. It soon comes to light she was a young woman who changed her name and identity after graduating high school, to get away from her sexually abusive father (Paul Hecht).

  • Special appearance by Angie Harmon as ADA Abbie Carmichael.
3 3 "...Or Just Look Like One" Rick Rosenthal Michael R. Perry October 4, 1999 (1999-10-04) E0907

After teen model Jazmin Burgess is beaten, raped, and dumped in front of Roosevelt Hospital, Benson and Stabler investigate to find out why a sixteen-year-old girl was out alone after midnight. High levels of drugs in Jazmin's system lead them to take a look at not only the modelling agency with which Jazmin was signed, but also the photographer (Ritchie Coster) who was supervising her last shoot (and had booted her out because she was "too heavy"). Stabler's disgust with the whole issue is aggravated by his concern that his daughter Maureen, who has been refusing to eat, may be anorexic.

  • Special appearances by Jerry Orbach as Det. Lennie Briscoe and Jesse L. Martin as Det. Ed Green.
4 4 "Hysteria" Richard Dobbs Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen October 11, 1999 (1999-10-11) E0908

When a young woman is found dead, she is initially believed to be a prostitute and the latest victim of a serial killer. As they look into her home life, however, Benson and Stabler realize that the victim does not fit the pattern, and may not be connected to the other deaths after all. After Munch's instincts lead the team to believe their suspect is a cop (Joe Lisi), Cragen consults his old friend Det. Lennie Briscoe for help.

  • Special appearance by Jerry Orbach as Det. Lennie Briscoe.
5 5 "Wanderlust" David Hugh Jones Wendy West October 18, 1999 (1999-10-18) E0905
After a travel writer (Bruce Barney) is found nude, strangled, and beaten to death with lingerie stuffed down his throat and duct tape over his mouth, Benson and Stabler initially suspect his landlady's (Patricia Richardson's) boyfriend (John Dossett), a convicted child molester. But suspicion soon turns to the landlady and her daughter (Lynn Collins), who seemed far too interested in what their tenant was doing with his time. After learning the daughter had a sexual relationship with the tenant, things take an even stranger turn.
6 6 "Sophomore Jinx" Clark Johnson John Chambers October 25, 1999 (1999-10-25) E0904

After a female student is found raped and murdered at a local college, Benson and Stabler turn their attention to two star players on the school's basketball team. However, the college, unwilling to risk the negative publicity that the investigation could bring to the school and the upcoming championship, blocks their investigation at every turn.

  • Special appearance by Angie Harmon as ADA Abbie Carmichael.
  • Special appearance by Reverend Al Sharpton as himself.
7 7 "Uncivilized" Michael Fields Teleplay: Robert Palm & Wendy West
Story: Robert Palm		 November 15, 1999 (1999-11-15) E0912
When a young boy is found murdered, suspicion leads Benson and Stabler to a recently paroled child molester (Stephen Bogardus), who soon becomes a test case for a new and broader application of civil commitment. Although they both hate what the man has done in the past, it is soon obvious to the detectives that the teenagers who initially steered them in the man's direction (Jerry Careccio and Dominick Charles Carbone) are hiding secrets of their own.
8 8 "Stalked" Peter Medak Roger Garrett November 22, 1999 (1999-11-22) E0911
When the body of an assistant district attorney is found raped and beaten in Central Park, Benson lets her emotions get the best of her as she takes it upon herself to bring the suspected rapist, a local realtor (Bruce Kirkpatrick), to justice. Stabler tries to get the man's business partner to help in the investigation, but Benson may be the one who ends up needing help.
9 9 "Stocks & Bondage" Constantine Makris Michael R. Perry November 29, 1999 (1999-11-29) E0914
When a financial analyst and devotee of BDSM is found strangled to death in a leather harness in her bedroom, Benson and Stabler at first suspect either suicide or accidental death from autoerotic asphyxiation. However, the discovery of a large quantity of hidden diamonds leads the detectives into a shadowy world of money laundering and securities fraud.
10 10 "Closure (Part I)" Steve Wertimer Wendy West January 7, 2000 (2000-01-07) E0915

Benson does her best to help a rape victim (Tracy Pollan), who is able to describe her attack (but not the attacker (Neil Maffin)) in perfect detail. When the detectives revisit the case a few months later, they find the woman even less willing to talk about what happened, as she claims she has moved on. Things turn uncomfortable within the squad when Benson and Cassidy, who spent a night together, argue over whether the relationship should be continued.

  • Special appearance by Angie Harmon as ADA Abbie Carmichael.
11 11 "Bad Blood" Michael Fields Lisa Marie Petersen & Dawn DeNoon January 14, 2000 (2000-01-14) E0916

The death of a young gay man initially leads Benson and Stabler to investigate his father, but once they start looking into the young man's living arrangements, they realize the person they're looking for may be closer than they think. Munch tries to help Benson find the man who raped her mother.

  • Special appearance by Angie Harmon as ADA Abbie Carmichael.
12 12 "Russian Love Poem" Rick Rosenthal Eva Nagorski January 21, 2000 (2000-01-21) E0913 14.30
When Andrew Harlin, a bisexual multi-millionaire, is found murdered in his home, Benson and Stabler turn their suspicion to Harlin's long list of lovers. Evidence at the crime scene leads detectives to a pair of Russian escorts, but before they can get the truth from them, one turns up dead, and the boyfriend (Olek Krupa) of the other confesses to murder.
13 13 "Disrobed" David Platt Janet Tamaro February 4, 2000 (2000-02-04) E0910
After a judge is found murdered in his car, the detectives begin looking into his background and learn that he often delivered special verdicts for women in return for sexual favors. The team soon turns its eye to a battered wife (Kathryn Meisle) with a secret. Detective Brian Cassidy transfers to Narcotics feeling unable to cope with the SVU cases.
14 14 "Limitations" Constantine Makris Michael R. Perry February 11, 2000 (2000-02-11) E0919
At the request of a victim, the police commissioner comes to Cragen with a special request: close the case of the man who raped three women (Jenny Bacon, Judith Hawkins and Seana Kofoed) nearly five years ago before the statute of limitations expires. The detectives finally get a lead when they realize one of the victims knows the rapist, but she's not willing to talk.
15 15 "Entitled" Ed Sherin Teleplay: Robert Palm & Wendy West
Story: Dick Wolf, Robert Palm, & René Balcer		 February 18, 2000 (2000-02-18) E0918

After a sales man is murdered, the detectives turn their attention to Stephanie Mulroney (Noelle Beck), the youngest daughter of a well-known family with some deep connections (Jane Alexander). But as they join forces with the officers from the 27th Precinct, they realize that their case is connected with a long-unsolved case that Briscoe once handled years ago with his former partner, Detective Mike Logan.

  • This episode is a continuation of the Season 4 Law & Order episode "Mayhem". The story is concluded in the 14th episode of Season 10 of Law & Order, which has the same title, Entitled.
  • Special appearances by Jerry Orbach as Det. Lennie Briscoe, Jesse L. Martin as Det. Ed Green, Sam Waterston as EADA Jack McCoy, Steven Hill as DA Adam Schiff, and Angie Harmon as ADA Abbie Carmichael.
16 16 "The Third Guy" Jud Taylor Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen February 25, 2000 (2000-02-25) E0920
An elderly woman is found tied up and sexually assaulted in her apartment, and suspicion is initially on the young men that had broken into her home and robbed her. Once the detectives catch the young men, they learn that there was someone else in the apartment. The offered plea bargain initially doesn't go over well, but they finally reach a deal which leaves the detectives with a new case - whether or not the person who sexually assaulted the woman (Denis O'Hare) was mentally handicapped.
17 17 "Misleader" Richard Dobbs Teleplay: Nick Kendrick
Story: Nick Harding & Nick Kendrick		 March 31, 2000 (2000-03-31) E0912
After the pregnant daughter-in-law of a prominent Christian right leader (Robert Foxworth) is found murdered in her hotel room, the detectives investigate a rash of hotel burglaries, only to discover that her adultery – and the probable father of her child – was what led to her death.
18 18 "Chat Room" Richard Dobbs Roger Garrett April 14, 2000 (2000-04-14) E0923
When a teenage girl (Paz de la Huerta) comes into the squad room to tell the detectives that she was raped by a man she met on the Internet, the detectives set up a special sting operation. They end up stepping on some highly-placed toes as Munch plays the kid to net the big fish.
19 19 "Contact" Michael Zinberg Robert Palm & Wendy West April 28, 2000 (2000-04-28) E0921 12.84
After seven young women in a six-month time span are raped by a flash-and-dash assailant (Sal Viscuso) on the city subways, the brass calls in a psychiatrist to help the team get into the head of the perpetrator. When he is caught, all seven victims identify him in a police lineup, but the IDs are suppressed. However, the detectives find that he possesses the driver's license of a new victim who could put him away.
20 20 "Remorse" Alexander Cassini Michael R. Perry May 6, 2000 (2000-05-06) E0924
Television reporter Sarah Logan (Jennifer Esposito) refuses to let her recent rape get her down, and talks about her experiences on the air, leading to the arrest of a young man that the team feels is responsible. Over the course of the investigation, Munch and Jefferies become unusually affected by the case, albeit in different ways.
21 21 "Nocturne" Jean de Segonzac Wendy West May 12, 2000 (2000-05-12) E0922 13.70
After a pharmacy turns over some disturbing photos of a young boy, Benson and Stabler arrest a piano teacher (Kent Broadhurst) for child molestation. After the boy claims to have seen other pictures of young boys at the teacher's house, the detectives get a warrant and discover a series of videos that document the life of a young boy named Evan (Wilson Jermaine Heredia). Believing he can make or break their case, the team searches for him, only to realize that his testimony may not help at all because Evan is scarred far more deeply than they realized.
22 22 "Slaves" Ted Kotcheff Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen May 19, 2000 (2000-05-19) E0926

After a shopkeeper brings a note for help to the squad, the detectives begin trying to locate a young Hungarian woman named Ilena (Layla Alexander), who hasn't been seen in months. The squad eventually find her working as a nanny at the home of the Morrows (Andrew McCarthy and Susan Floyd), a successful yuppie couple who harbor a terrible secret. A forensic psychologist analyzes the team, and presents disturbing findings to Cragen, suggesting that one of the detectives be removed from the team.

  • Robert Palm leaves the show as executive producer.


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