| "Inheritance" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 3.08 | → |
| Production number: E2311 First aired: 16 November 2001 | ||
 | ||
| Teleplay By Kathy Ebel, Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas Story By Kathy Ebel Directed By Juan J. Campanella | ||
Plot
The detectives search for a rapist targeting Asian women. The case becomes particularly significant for Benson when the rapist's defense is that he inherited the "violence gene" from his father, also a rapist.
Cast
Main cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch
- Stephanie March as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
- Lance Reddick as M.E. Taylor
- Harvey Atkin as Judge Alan Ridenour
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
- Ron Leibman as Executive A.D.A. Stan Villani
- Brian Keane as Dr. Peters
- Fernando López as C.S.U. Technician Ramone Vargas
Guest cast
- Marcus Chong as Darrell Guan
- Diane Baker as Margo Nelson
- Nelson Lee as Johnny Chen
- Billy Chang as Detective Matt Tsu
- Wai Ching Ho as Susan Guan
- Sharrieff Pugh as Michael Tatum
- Kevin Louie as Dao Tran
- Saxon Palmer as Jogger
- Danny Maseng as Dr. Randall Coffey
- Ben Wang as Massage Parlor Owner
- Ron Nakahara as Sammy Sing
- Miou as Jiang Li
- La Donna Mabry as Martha Shelby
- David H. Kramer as Director of Halfway House
- Arthur French as Harold Starnes
- Mona Chiang as Sonja Yung
- Lynn Chen as Helen Chen
- Eliot Chang as Larry Tang
- Denise Burse as Pamela Tatum
- Young Kim as Hostess
References
- Bern, Switzerland
- Burn to Kill gang
- China
- Ghost Shadows gang
- INS
- Major Gang Intelligence
- Paris, France
- Daniel Shelby
- Vietnam War
- Washington, D.C.
- Lucy Zhang (victim)
Quotes
- Olivia Benson: It could take hours to track down a translator.
- Elliot Stabler: Doc, can you translate?
- George Huang: What, you just assume I speak Chinese?
- Elliot Stabler: No. I heard you order take-out once.
- Dr. George Huang: I know that if my sister had dated a black man, our parents would've... strongly objected.
- Olivia Benson: So he sets himself up to be rejected not only as a man but as a non-Asian. It's like he's looking for a reason to be mad.
- George Huang: You know, some geneticists theorise that violence is inherited.
- Olivia Benson: Oh, that's right. "It's not my fault. I was just born to kill."
- George Huang: It's a theory.
- Olivia Benson: Do you have any kids?
- Harold Starnes: Haven't had the pleasure. You offering?
| “ | Complex scientific evidence aside, this case is about the choices we make and the choices that are made for us. Did Darrell Guan choose for his father to rape his mother? To be brought in a community, in a family, that every single day berated, belittled and stigmatized him? Did he choose to have a genetic defect? No. And now we're supposed to tell him "Well, too bad. You should've known better." Darrell was born and lived in hell. His grandmother called him the Devil. Well, of course he was. He was engineered by nature and by nurture to be exactly what he turned out to be. And that is not his fault. | ” |
–Margo Nielson's closing statement | ||
| “ | Yes. Darrel Guan had a difficult life. He was raised knowing the only reason he exists because his mother was violently raped. One can understand. One can understand why he wouldn't grow up to be a well-adjusted adult. But that's not an excuse for murder. In a civilized society, we have to take responsibility for our actions. If we start to justify all antisocial behavior under the pretense 'it isn't our fault', then the entire structure of the law is meaningless. In the end, it comes down to what it is to be a human being. We're not just a product of our genetic programming. Nor are we solely molded and motivated by our childhood experiences. The defense would have you believe Darrell Guan's life was beyond his control. But the truth is, he was in complete control at the time he committed his crimes. He specifically chose his victims. Not because of some biological imperative but because of opportunity. He knew what he was doing was wrong and he did everything he could to get away with it. Darrell Guan chose the course of his life. Make him take responsibility for it. | ” |
–Alexandra Cabot's closing statement | ||
- Olivia Benson: Well... look at Darrell Guan. I keep trying to convince myself that... that he had a choice. You know, "be a rapist, don't be a rapist. Be violent, don't be violent". But if he had this... aggression inside him even violence, then... does he have a choice? Does anyone?
- George Huang: You don't hurt people, Olivia. You protect them. You're proof that we do have a choice.
- Olivia Benson: Or... or maybe I'm just lucky.
Background information and notes
- The episode title "Inheritance" is a reference to the debate on the impact of genetic predisposition versus environmental upbringing on the nature of violence. In the episode the Detectives learn that Harold Starnes raped Susan Guan, and that Susan got pregnant with Darrell Guan. Darrell followed in his father's footsteps and started raping women as well. This episode primarily focuses on the reactions of Detective Olivia Benson, because she is the child of her mother's rape.
- Actor Lance Reddick makes his last appearance as Medical Examiner Taylor. Reddick remains active throughout the Law & Order franchise with appearances in Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
- The possibility that violence could be inherited was brought up again in the season 5 episode "Hate".
Episode scene cards
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
Office of |
Home of Sonja Yung |
St. Teresa's Halfway House |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Office of Martha Shelby |
Home of Pamela Tatum |
Apartment of Susan Guan |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|
|
Sam Sing Drug Store |
Precinct Interview Room |
Trial Part 78 |
| Previous episode: "Sacrifice" |
"Inheritance" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 3 |
Next episode: "Care" |