| "Doubt" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 6.08 | → |
| Production number: E5209 First aired: 23 November 2004 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Marjorie David & Paul Kolsby Directed By Ted Kotcheff | ||
Plot
A young college student claims that she was raped by her professor. The professor, in turn, claims that the two of them were in a relationship and that he had broken it off. Lines are drawn within SVU with Benson believing the student and Stabler believing the professor, who is divorced and has limited custody of his daughter. The reason for this is revealed when Elliot admits that his wife left him due to his devotion to his job. As the episode progresses, both the student and the professor's actions cause their respective supporters to begin doubting them: the student setting up a suicide attempt to gain further sympathy from Olivia and the professor's seeming pressure on his daughter to give a statement to the police that casts doubt on his accuser. Both Olivia and Elliot later admit that they jumped the gun on the case.
This episode was ended abruptly before the verdict was read thus forcing viewers to render their own conclusions as to the guilt or innocence of the professor. When it aired, NBC conducted an online poll so viewers could determine the verdict. Most of them (60%) sided with the professor, 20% sided with the student, and 20% were unsure.
Cast
Main cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch (credit only)
- Diane Neal as A.D.A. Casey Novak
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola (credit only)
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang (credit only)
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
Guest cast
- Bill Campbell as Ron Polikoff
- Shannyn Sossamon as Myra Denning
- Viola Davis as Donna Emmett
- Patricia Kalember as Judge Taten
- Mariette Hartley as Lorna Scarry
- Wynter Kullman as Jenny West
- Jeffrey Carlson as Justin Wexler
- Carolyn Miller as Sophie Polikoff
- Triney Sandoval as TARU Technician Echevarria
- Maureen Flannigan as Louise
- Aalok Mehta as Cabbie
- Lou Sones as Ned
- Jerry D. O'Donnell as Uniform Officer #1
- Kaleo Griffth as Uniform Officer #2
- Rosie Berrido as Detective
- Jamie C. Ward as Jury Foreman
- Tina Johnson as unknown
References
References
Quotes
Quotes
Background information and notes
Background information and notes
| Previous episode: "Charisma" |
"Doubt" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 6 |
Next episode: "Weak" |