Law and Order
"Flaw"
L&O, Episode 16.02
Production number: 16002
First aired (US): 28 September 2005
First aired (CAN): 28 September 2005
First aired (AUS): 22 May 2006
  {{{nNthProducedInSeries}}}th of 456 produced in L&O  
{{{nNthReleasedInSeries}}}th of 456 released in L&O
{{{nNthReleasedInAll}}}th of 1271 released in all  
Written By
Chris Levinson

Directed By
Jean de Segonzac

Plot[]

When a cell phone in the hand of a homicide victim shows a number that was entered on the screen, but never sent, the detectives call the number and Detective Olivia Benson answers. Benson shows up at the scene and cannot identify him as either a victim or perpetrator of a sex crime. The Special Victims Unit is brought in to help investigate, and it is soon discovered that the killers were a mother-daughter team of con artists who had previously eluded Benson.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Detective Green: [mocking David Glass] Well, alright then, MC Vanilla...

Alexandra Borgia: You're on a medication cocktail?
Arliss Driver: Eight pills a day. I shared a needle with a friend. Now he's dead, and my white-cell count is in the basement. My life went from April to crap.

Jack McCoy: [to Lorraine Dillon after April's performance on the stand] Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice ... no deal.

Borgia: Let's con the con.

April Troost: [to Olivia] I don't know...I can be pretty convincing.
Olivia Benson: I was hoping you'd say that. [door opens and Lorraine comes in]
Lorraine Dillon: I told them about how you confessed to me about killing the baby, April.
April Troost: No.
Lorraine Dillon: How you called me up that night so worried and guilty and needing me.
April Troost: What'd you get for telling them?
Lorraine Dillon: 20 years.
April Troost: I'll cop to the baby as long as I get less than she did.
Olivia Benson: No. You'll give me a statement, and then maybe we'll talk about a deal.
April Troost: [defeated] Where do I start?
Olivia Benson: The beginning.

Background information and notes[]

  • This episode is the conclusion of the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode, "Design", which aired September 27, 2005. In the episode, April Troost and Lorraine Dillon were running a scam involving stolen sperm. Detective Olivia Benson from SVU makes her third appearance on Law & Order and Detective Odafin Tutuola makes his first.
  • Milena Govich would later return to the series as Det. Nina Cassady.
  • Fontana says "begs the question", by which he means "raises the question". This is an incorrect (if increasingly common) use of the expression. To "beg the question" refers to a circular argument in logic, specifically, an argument where one of the premises presupposes the accuracy of the conclusion.
  • Considering Benson claims to never having any history with Patrick Sullivan, it is never explained why his very last action would be trying to call her.
  • It is suggested that Patrick Sullivan may have had a same-sex relationship with Eduardo, the male nurse at the care home, yet this was never clarified.
  • Green mocks David Glass by calling him "MC Vanilla". This is a combination of popular rap artists' names: MC Hammer, and Vanilla Ice.
  • Goof: It is obvious that Glass is not "hanging" by the way the rope is draped down on his neck.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

Apartment of
Patrick Sullivan
228 East 42nd Street
Wednesday, July 7

Walnut Ridge Nursing Home
Ridgewood, Queens
Wednesday, July 7

Office of D. Glass
Money Management
263 West 28th Street
Wednesday, July 7

4 5 6

Apartment of Lorraine
Dillon & April Troost
104 East 16th Street
Wednesday, July 7

Hotel Beaumont
755 10th Avenue
Friday, July 9

Chambers of
Judge Madeline Drake
Tuesday, July 13

7 8 9

Supreme Court
Trial Part 80
Tuesday, August 24

Supreme Court
Trial Part 80
Tuesday, August 26

Ashram
Glen Falls, New York
Friday, August 27

Previous episode:
"Red Ball"
"Flaw"
Law & Order
Season 16
Next episode:
"Ghosts"
Seasons 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425