| "Popular" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 3.16 | → |
| Production number: E2329 First aired: 1 March 2002 | ||
 | ||
| Teleplay By Stephen Belber Story By Stephen Belber & Kathy Ebel Directed By Jean de Segonzac | ||
The probe into a rape case leads to the upsetting discovery of a teenage network revolving around sex, drugs and booze, raising alarms for the Stablers about their own daughter.
Summary[]
Detective Stabler's wife tells him that her nurse friend at a local hospital treated a fourteen year-old rape victim, who refused to report the crime to the police or her family. Stabler decides to investigate her unofficially with the help of Detective Benson. They find out she and her classmates were involved with drugs and alcohol, a fact which troubles her family.
Plot[]
Stabler and and his wife Kathy are discussing their daughter Kathleen's troubles at school, when Kathy reveals that a friend of hers from work told her about a girl the same age as their daughter was raped, but is too scared to report it.
Stabler starts investigating the case, and convinces Benson to help him find the girl and convince her to report the rape. They find the name of the girl and convince Captain Cragen to let them open an investigation.
They go to the school to talk with the victim, Cynthia Wilmont, who is covered in bruises. she claims to have fallen down a flight of stairs, and refuses to say any more because she is afraid her parents will find out. Benson and Stabler talk to her parents, but don't tell them about the rape. Benson suspects that Cynthia made the rape story up to conceal her sexual activity from her parents.
They go talk to Cynthia's best friend Amy Bergen to find out how much she knows. Amy tells them that they have a "club" - Cynthia's boyfriend, Tommy, and his friends give the girls beer in exchange of sexual favors, like oral sex. She tells them that they fooled around, but never went “all the way". Benson asks why they do this; Amy replies that the boys are popular and whoever they date is popular too.
Fin and Munch go to talk to the boys and Tommy says that the last time they had a party he didn't have money for the beer so Cynthia offered to get the beer from an older man. They find out that Ross McKenzie, a 24-year-old substitute teacher, was present in a few of these parties, including the last one.
Benson and Stabler go talk to Cynthia's parents and try to make her report the rape. She finally says that McKenzie raped her, and the detectives arrest him. The DNA is negative, however. Ross admits that while high, he wanted to have sex with her, but she changed her mind at the last minute and he left her with her boyfriend.
When confronted with the evidence, Cynthia is reluctant to tell the truth but Cragen shows her Tommy's interrogation: Tommy is admitting to his father and the Detectives that he only dated Cynthia because she'll do whatever he wants. Distraught, Cynthia admits to her parents and Cragen that Tommy told her to have sex with his best friend Nick, since it was his birthday and he was still a virgin. Cynthia went with him to the bedroom, stating while he was sweet to her that she couldn't do it because she was Tommy's girl. Benson and Stabler question Nick, who confesses to raping Cynthia after she said no to him, and beating her up after finding out she had given him gonorrhea. Nick and Tommy are arrested, and Cynthia goes home with her family.
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[]
- Isabel Gillies as Kathy Stabler
- Allison Siko as Kathleen Stabler
- Craig Wroe as Defense Attorney James Woodrow
Guest cast[]
- Billy Kay as Tommy Kessler
- Christopher Orr as Ross McKenzie
- Brittany Slattery as Cynthia Wilmont
- Jason Fuchs as Nick Radsen
- Myra Lucretia Taylor as Principal
- Laura Stepp as Darlene Wilmont
- Ned Luke as Mr. Wilmont
- Sprague Grayden as Mia Kessler
- Elena Franklin as Amy Bergen
- Thaddeus Daniels as Registered Nurse James
- Laura Marie Duncan as Carol Porter
- Christy Baron as Mrs. Bergen
- Scott Geyer as Mr. Bergen
- Diane Cossa as Mrs. Radsen
- James DeMarse as David Kessler
- William Charlton as Principal Charest
- Ann Arvia as Secretary Sheila
References[]
- Tucker Junior High School
- St. Matthew's Hospital
- Benjamin Harrison High School
Quotes[]
- Elliot Stabler: You know, it is abundantly clear to me, you are a parent and I am a paycheck.
- Kathy Stabler: You're a good father, but you're overreacting.
- Kathy Stabler: We're lucky. We've never had any trouble with the kids.
- Elliot Stabler: Trouble is relative.
- Stabler: Olivia, I need a favor.
- Benson: Okay. Bear in mind I don't have any money. I'm an underpaid detective just like you.
- Benson: Well, it's got to be a forgery. Everyone does it. Well, everyone except for your kids. I'm sure you're very intimidating. [pauses] Well, what now?
- Stabler: I gotta make sure our ass is covered. If this goes wrong, I want to make sure you're fine.
- Benson: Bit late for that. If anyone traces this it goes straight back to me. I had to show my ID to get the log.
- Tutuola: I hate talking to kids this age.
- Munch: That's because you can't slap 'em if they give you lip.
- Tutuola: Who says I can't?
- Munch: Then what is your issue with the pubescent set?
- Tutuola: The stink of pimple cream turns my stomach.
- Munch: How old was he?
- Tommy Kessler: Well, not grandpa old, like you.
- Cragen: Since when is oral sex not sex?
- Benson: Since Bill Clinton said it wasn't.
- Ross McKenzie: I'm not leaving 'till I know what this is about.
- Stabler: Well I guess we could do this here. We need to talk about alcohol and drug distribution.
- Ross McKenzie: Okay, okay. I'm leaving.
- Ross McKenzie: Kids tend to lie when their backs are against the wall.
- Stabler: Adults too.
- Benson: It's important to be in the in-crowd?
- Cynthia Wilmont: It's everything.
- Benson: But it's not worth your health and your safety.
- Cynthia Wilmont: Look at my mom. She's beautiful. If I looked like her...
- Benson: There's nothing wrong with the way you look. You are beautiful, too.
- Cynthia Wilmont: Right. On the inside. Pretty girls always say that to make the ugly ones feel better.
- Benson: Everyone has doubts and problems. Even the ones in the so-called popular crowd.
- Stabler: Why lie about her teacher?
- Benson: Because she desperately wants to belong.
- Munch: Now that's taking peer pressure a little too far.
- Cragen: I am really getting sick of these kids, which is probably why I don't have any.
- Cynthia Wilmont: What's gonna happen now?
- Benson: Nothing. Even though I know what happened I can't do anything unless you talk.
- Cynthia Wilmont: So you know what happened?
- Benson: Yeah.
Background information and notes[]
- The episode title "Popular" is a reference to the desire of Cynthia Wilmont and her friends to be part of the 'in-crowd'. The girls were willing to provide sexual favors for the boys, in order to be part of the popular group.
- This is actress Allison Siko's first appearance as recurring character Kathleen Stabler. She takes over the role from Holiday Segal, who played the role in the first season of the series.
- Cragen states he doesn't have any children, creating an inconsistency because he made references to having a son in Law & Order.
- All of the officers are wearing a black band over their badges denoting the death of a fellow officer. Given the timing of the episode, it is likely that the black band was worn for the NYPD officers killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
St. Matthew's Hospital |
Tucker Junior High |
Bergen Apartment |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Kessler Apartment |
Benjamin Harrison |
Wilmont Apartment |
| Previous episode: "Execution" |
"Popular" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 3 |
Next episode: "Surveillance" |