| "Strain" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 7.05 | → |
| Production number: 07005 First aired: 18 October 2005 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Robert Nathan Directed By Constantine Makris | ||
Two gay men are murdered, and happen to be infected with AIDS. Benson and Tutuola investigate the gay circuit parties to find suspects.
Plot
The discovery of the bodies of two young gay men who were both meth addicts as well as victims of a new strain of AIDS that can kill its victims in less than a year leads to an investigation. Tutuola learns that his son, Ken, is gay, and has difficulty accepting it, even though he and Benson end up going to Ken for help with infiltrating an anti-meth group.
The group's leader, Gabriel, soon becomes their top suspect when the squad realises that the two men died because they passed the disease on. The two man had been having indiscriminate sex while high on meth, and spreading the killer disease to others who would do the same. Gabriel believed that since the two wouldn't stop themselves that killing them was the only way to control the spread.
In the end , to the shock of Tutuola Robin's father gives a testimony asking him to be lenient on Gabriel, as while he does not approve of the man killing his son he knows that he did it with the intention of of saving lives from the killer strain. Gabriel gets the minimum for murder which is 15 years. Tutuola is seen at the end calling a number on a phone, presumably his son's.
Summary
Episode summary
Cast
Main cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler (credit only)
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch
- Diane Neal as A.D.A. Casey Novak
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
- Ernest Waddell as Ken Randall
- Paula Garcés as C.S.U. Technician Millie Vizcarrondo
- Mike Doyle as Forensics Technician Ryan O'Halloran
- Joanna Merlin as Judge Lena Petrovsky
- Adam Kulbersh as T.A.R.U. Technician Ben Suarato
- CCH Pounder as Attorney Carolyn Maddox
- Albert Insinnia as Lt. Pizelli
Guest cast
- Brian Bloom as Gabriel Thomason
- Betsy Aidem as Dr. Sloane
- Danny Rutigliano as Health Official
- Bill Smitrovich as Liam Weller
- James O'Toole as Henry Fanello
- Jason Manuel Olazabal as Sascha Hart
- Brendan Griffin as Jason Haig
- Justin Schaefers as Donny
- Amber McDonald as Candace
- Philip LeStrange as Henry the Super
- Steven Goldsmith as Man Entering Club
- Vince Cupone as Stunt Victim
- Mike Mortaruolo as Gang Member #1
- Shane Geraghty as Gang Member #2
- Barry Newell as Rainbow Warrior #1
- Stephen Graybill as Rainbow Warrior #2
- William DeMeritt as Rainbow Warrior #3
- Brandon Snider as Rainbow Warrior #4
References
- Osama bin Laden
- CDC
- Florida
- Rainbow Army
Quotes
| “ | Early bird catches the perp. | ” |
–Cragen | ||
| “ | Hey sweetheart...you lonely tonight?...Twelve o'clock, there's a skinny kid, black shirt, blue jeans, hustling a guy in a gray sweater. He could be MKS. | ” |
–Benson to Cragen undercover | ||
Background information and notes
- Goof: At the first murder scene, the CSI officers are shown photographing the storefront with flash photography. Since it is dark outside, the resulting photographs will consist of a reflection of the light from the flash rather than the crime scene inside the store display.
Episode scene cards
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Green Ballroom Club |
Loft of Lydon Grant |
Narcotics Task Force |
New York City |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rainbow Army |
Technical Assistance |
Trial Part 46 |
Sentencing Hearing |
| Previous episode: "Ripped" |
"Strain" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 7 |
Next episode: "Raw" |