| "Bullseye" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 12.02 | → |
| Production number: 12002 First aired: 22 September 2010 | ||
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| Written By Daniel Truly Directed By Peter Leto | ||
Bullseye is the second episode of season twelve of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and it aired alongside "Locum" as part of a season premiere two-parter.
Summary
Episode summary
Plot
A young girl arrives at a convenience store, bruised and bleeding. Elliot and Olivia are called to the hospital and the doctor tells them the girl is so traumatized, she won't speak to anybody. Elliot and Olivia try to talk to the girl, but she doesn't say anything. When a nurse comes into the exam room with a camera to document the girl's injuries, the girl freaks out in horror and tells the detectives her attacker took pictures of her.
At the precinct, Elliot and Olivia bring Captain Cragen up to date on the case. Nobody has reported the girl missing and the detectives canvas the houses in the area. Elliot and Olivia discover a pizza place who has delivered to the girl's home. They arrive at the apartment of Jeff and Amber Samonsky. When they hear a child crying for help, they break down the door to get into the apartment. However, they see a slobby, nerdy couple playing a video game, which was what the sound was coming from, completely oblivious to the detectives. Elliot and Olivia stop the game and take them down to the precinct.
When Jeff and Amber are interrogated, Jeff says the girl, Rose isn't his real child. She's Amber's child from a previous relationship. When Olivia accuses Jeff of raping Rose, he denies it and is upset that Rose escaped. Amber says that Rose is an imposter and not her daughter. Dr. Huang (who's called in to consult) says that Amber is suffering from Capgras delusion, where they think their loved ones have been replaced as duplicates (like in the movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers.") It was caused from a brain injury Amber suffered after she was hit by a bus. Huang thinks that Jeff is just a jerk. The detectives think if Amber hears Rose's voice, Amber would recognize her. They have Rose speak through the intercom, which works at first. However, things go awry when an estactic Rose rushed into the room, and Amber sees her and pushes her away, saying she was tricked and Rose is not her daughter.
Later on, Olivia tells Rose that her mom is mentally sick and Jeff will never hurt her again. Rose says that Jeff didn't hurt her, it was another man after she ran from the apartment. She says that the man wore something over his face the whole time and his voice was mean. Rose says the attack happened at the Laffy Time Kids Club. Munch tells the detectives there's a "perv" on the Laffy Time payroll where Elliot was yesterday interrogating the manager. Munch found something on the readers' section for Laffy Time, telling people not to go there because there's a guy who touches little kids there.
When Olivia and Elliot go back to Laffy Time to talk to the manager, Mrs. Linderby, who says there are no men on the payroll. They see a man with the kids and Mrs. Linderby says it's her son, Stuart. Stuart has Noonan Syndrome and he says that he's a registered sex offender after being spotted peeing in the bushes. Mrs. Linderby says that the same people who are making comments on the Laffy Time website are putting up flyers that say her son is a molester. The flyers are from COAP (Citizens Organized Against Predators) and Olivia says that they know one of the concerned citizens.
The detectives arrive at Erik Weber's studio where he's teaching kids self-defense. They show him the flier and Erik sees nothing wrong with it. The detectives tell Erik that some people may be on the registry by mistake. Olivia tells Erik if he wants to help the police legally, she tells him to show Rose's picture around and call them if anyone saw Rose with a man on Tuesday night. When Munch and Fin are at Laffy Time with a crime scene unit, a kid sneaks behind the yellow tape and pukes on Munch's feet.
Meanwhile, Elliot and Olivia are hounded by the press about the case and the reporter has Rose's picture. Olivia takes Rose's picture away, to protect her privacy, and the reporter tells her that she just violated the freedom of the press. Back at the precinct, Olivia says she's gonna kill Erik. Cragen announces that another girl has been attacked and raped.
Olivia talks to the victim, Mandy LeCompte while Elliot talks to her mother. Mandy says that the man had a mask on, it was dark in there, and he took her picture. Elliot notices Erik in the crowd. He pulls him aside and chews him out about the picture of Rose being released to the press. Erik says he gave Rose's picture to COAP members, and Elliot tells him that one of the COAP members gave it to a reporter. Erik shows Elliot a list of suspects from his "perv pointer" application on his phone. Elliot grabs Erik's phone, tells him not to shove things in his face, and throws the phone.
After Elliot storms off, Olivia talks to Erik. She tells him to let the police do their jobs, and his personal connection to the case is affecting him, but Erik doesn't think so. Olivia tells him to trust her and they'll get the guy the right way.
Later, Cragen tells Fin to round up the neighborhood sex offenders and later the SVU precinct is full of the offenders and their lawyers waiting to see their clients. The detectives question all of them, but their alibis are clear. After that, Cragen tells the detectives to go home. Elliot and Olivia think that Olivia should take up Erik's offer to meet up with her because he said he has some secret information. Olivia is worried about what it may look like later, but Elliot tells her it'll just be her having coffee with a guy she thinks is cute.
Olivia meets Erik at his house. Erik tells Olivia he's a graphic artist which is how he hooked up with COAP. They look at a painting of Erik's sister, Grace, to show it to her; she was raped by an unknown attacker and, later, found by his mother after having committed suicide. Erik says he went into a dark place after that time, but later he realized that he could make a difference. Erik keeps up with the sex offenders using his security system called "Drive Annihilator." He did it over the internet and the software contains a Trojan which allows Erik to see everything they've downloaded and traded. Olivia tells Erik she can't see it because the evidence was collected illegally. Erik cites a case in California where information obtained by a hacker was used against a judge. As Erik searches the database, Olivia notices Rose's picture and the picture of Mandy from yesterday. Erik says the computer was on the Upper East Side.
The detectives arrive at the house of Edwin Adelson as he's saying goodbye to his pregnant wife, Louise. The detectives arrest Edwin and CSU enters his home to get the computer. When Olivia and Elliot interrogate Edwin, he claims that he doesn't know who Rose or Mandy are. When Edwin's past sex crimes are brought up, Edwin says his wife doesn't know anything about his past and asks for his lawyer. Edwin's lawyer, Brenda Fairchild arrives at the SVU precinct and tells the detectives that they're making a mistake, and Edwin's a pillar of the community and a church deacon. However, she is taken aback when the detectives inform her that he is a registered sex offender, which not even she knew, apparently. Their conversation is interrupted when Edwin is being assaulted by a police officer in the holding cell. The detectives pull the officer off Edwin and Edwin is on the floor, pleading for help.
Cragen, Elliot, and Olivia talk to Officer McCutcheon, the officer who beat up Edwin Adelson. Officer McCutcheon lied in order to get into the cell and says his daughter was in the same class as Mandy LeCompte. Cragen tells him his career is over and Officer McCutcheon acknowledges this, saying he never should've signed up for "Creep Tweets," a group that watches predators in the area. At Edwin's court arrangement, Brenda Fairchild tells the judge that the "Creep Tweets" sparked the vigilante violence against Edwin. The prosecutor, Ms. West says it won't happen again and the judge asks Cragen how this could've happened. Cragen tells the judge not to release Edwin and that the neighborhood needs to be safe, but Edwin says he needs to be safe from the police. The judge grants Edwin bail and Edwin tells his lawyer that his wife cannot know about this. Unfortunately, it is far too late for that.
Outside, the COAP members along with Erik and the reporters are talking about Edwin. Elliot says that Edwin was assaulted because of COAP's "Creep Tweet." Olivia tells Erik to leave and let the police handle Edwin. The reporters see Edwin sneak away and follow him. Edwin sees his wife get out of the car, looking at him with a look of disgust on her face. That being the last straw, Edwin jumps into the driver's seat and drives off. He drives directly into a truck and as Olivia and Elliot follow the car, the car explodes, engulfing into flames. Everybody looks on, horrified.
Back at the precinct, Olivia and Elliot watch the news footage. Mandy asks if it's true that the man is dead, and Olivia tells her yes and that Edwin was so guilty about what he did, so he took his own life. She escorts Mandy and her mother into the interview room. Erik calls out to Elliot and as Elliot blows him off, Erik says that he has all the evidence from his hard drive and wanted to give it to the real cops. Meanwhile, Olivia talks to Mandy and her mother about counseling and suggests that Mandy takes karate. When Erik is called into the room, Mandy's facial expression changes in a recognization panic when she hears Erik speak, and Olivia picks up on it. When Erik leaves, Olivia asks Mandy if she's okay, and Mandy says she wants to go home. As Mandy and her mother leave, Olivia notices that Mandy urinated in the chair and tells Elliot that Mandy just told them who her real attacker is.
Olivia stops by Erik's apartment and Erik tells Olivia he doesn't want to see her, and she's not his type. Olivia says that everything Erik told her was a lie, especially about hating pedophiles and rooting out pedophiles. Erik becomes enraged and yells at Olivia not to call him a pedophile, but Olivia didn't and it's weird that she thought she did. Olivia tells Erik to tell the truth for once, saying that Erik just wanted to find out what the police knew and used his computer software to make sure they were looking for the wrong guy. Olivia realizes that Erik moved to New York on purpose and thus is the perfect cover up for his real intentions. Erik tells Olivia to get out, threatening to call the police. Olivia accuses Erik of setting Edwin Adelson up for a crime Erik committed; but Erik refuses claiming that it was Edwin who raped the girls. But Olivia explains that Edwin was a known offender; and he had no alibi and accuses Erik of hacking Edwin's computer and planting the pictures so Edwin would look guilty. Erik again claims Edwin did it and that's why he committed suicide. But, she says that only Erik drove Edwin to his suicide just like he did with his sister.
Erik repeats himself saying his sister hung herself in 1982, but a female voice says, "Then how can I be standing right here?" Elliot and a woman appear and Elliot says that Erik's sister, Grace was in the Delaware phone book; which shatters Erik's story. Olivia says that Erik needed Grace dead for his sob story so nobody could reveal who he really is. Grace accuses Erik of raping her when she was a child and believed him when he said it was just a misunderstanding and promised her it would never occur again, but he kept on doing it. She asks him how many other girls he attacked and Erik can't hold back his true nature, letting out in an outraged tone that he's sick and he can't help himself. Now, Erik, in his deranged state says that he tries to fight against his urges, but it always keeps winning; Olivia tells him that she's had enough of his sob story.
Erik in a darker tone calls Olivia a bitch for judging him and says that Olivia makes him sick, that, whenever he looks at her, he has to hold his breath in front of her. Olivia is surprised that Erik can tell the truth. Erik takes a swing at Olivia, but Olivia punches him and Erik lands on the floor out cold. While detectives try to take him into custody, Grace grabs a sharp object and seemingly tries to kill Erik, but ends up destroying the painting of herself from when she was young. Grace cries and collapses on the ground while Erik lays unconscious on the ground, showing how she still had a deep hatred for him of what he did, but couldn't bring herself to end his life while Olivia and Elliot just look on. Whatever became of Erik is unknown and it is likely he will serve a maximum life sentence in prison for the rapes and driving Edwin to suicide.
Cast
Main Cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Sergeant John Munch
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner (credit only)
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring Cast
- Henry Ian Cusick as Erik Weber
- Anita Gillette as Judge Sheila Tripler
- Francie Swift as A.D.A. Sherri West
- Stephen Gregory as Dr. Kyle Beresford
- Jamie Lynn Concepcion as Uni Delgado
- Elizabeth Flax as Nurse Carey Hutchins
Guest Cast
- Ruby Jerins as Rose Samonsky
- Melissa Rain Anderson as Amber Samonsky
- Daniel Stewart Sherman as Jeff Samonsky
- Adrian Martinez as Stuart Linderby
- Iris Little Thomas as Mrs. Linderby
- Angela Reed as June LeCompte
- Ali Ahn as Tess Chang
- Janet Carroll as Brenda Fairchild
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Edwin Adelson
- Charles Borland as Uni Al McCutcheon
- Emily Dorsch as Grace Weber
- Madeleine Rose Yen as Mandy LeCompte
- Amy Tribbey as Louise Adelson
- Isidra Vega as Gina Cassesse
- Richard D'Alessandro as Gino Cassesse
- Kristin Stewart Chase as Jessica
- Rock Kohli as Dennis
- Alexandra Metz as Tori
- Frank Blocker as Brownstone Man
- Sarah Hund as Apartment Mom
- Matthew Gumley as Boy
- Harlin C. Kearsley as Attorney
- Marlon Bedoya as Male Parent
- Tony Scheinman as Offender #1
- Dylan J. Sampson as Offender #2
- Jeremy Lawrence as Offender #3
- Bob Jaffe as Offender #4
- Seth Ruffer as Offender #5
References
Episode references
Quotes
- (After a mass questioning of registered sex offenders.)
John Munch: (listing them off) Clear, clear, clear. That's it, last alibi checks out.
Fin Tutuola: Now we just gotta have this joint fumigated.
Background information and notes
- Stephen Tobolowsky guest stars.
- The Samonskys were likely based on an actual couple in South Korea whose daughter starved to death while they spent a majority of their time at an internet cafe playing a game where they raised a virtual child.
Episode scene cards
| 1 | 2 |
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Apartment of |
Laffy Time Kids Club |
| 3 | 4 | 5 |
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Studio of |
600 Second Avenue |
Arraignment Court |
| Previous episode: "Locum" |
"Bullseye" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 12 |
Next episode: "Behave" |