Sweeps

"Sweeps"
←	L&O, Episode 4.01	→
Production number: 69009 First aired: 15 September 1993
	th of 456 produced in L&O
←	th of 456 released in L&O	→
	th of 1271 released in all
Written By Robert Nathan & Craig McNeer Directed By James Frawley

Detectives Briscoe and Logan investigate the murder of a convicted child molester who was shot by the victim's father on a controversial talk show.

Plot

Plot

Cast

Main cast

• Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe
• Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan
• S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
• Michael Moriarty as Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone
• Jill Hennessy as A.D.A. Claire Kincaid
• Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff
• Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet

Recurring cast

• Susan Blommaert as Judge Rebecca Steinman
• John Ramsey as Judge Walter Schreiber

Guest cast

• Robert Klein as Richard "Rick" Mason
• David Krumholtz as Scott "Scotty" Fisher
• Alexandra Gersten as Sarah Fisher
• Steve Ryan as Sid Fisher
• David Little as Hudson
• Margaret Gibson as Debby Courio
• Melissa Leo as Defense Attorney Alice Sutton
• Paul Geier as Barry Talbott
• William Bogert as Reardon
• Charles E. Gerber as Jack Horland
• Stewart Steinberg as Dr. Joseph Vinton
• Jim Beaudin as Tommy Turner
• Jim Boyd as Howard Turner
• Mark Bailey as Joey
• Jim Fromewick as Stage Manager
• Jeremy Gold as Perkins
• Yvette Thor as Bonnie
• Frank Anderson as Court Clerk
• Sharon Watroba as Jury Forewoman

References

• People v. Zackowitz
• Benjamin N. Cardozo
• John Henry Wigmore

Quotes

"Who said all cases are won by prepping the witness?"
"You did. About 400 times."
"Oh."

- Adam Schiff and Ben Stone

"I just hope we don't look ridiculous."
"I'd wear clown makeup if I thought it would help us get a conviction."

- Adam Schiff and Ben Stone

(Briscoe agrees to investigate what seemed like a simple case)
"I thought you said we had four open homicides?"
"Those bodies are frozen. They're not going to thaw."

- Mike Logan and Lennie Briscoe

"Who knows why she did anything? Who knows why she put her kid on TV -- 'Hello America, here's my molested son, watch him suffer'."

- Lennie Briscoe

"Secret location, lots of security. How did Fisher get here?"
"He shot the guy who molested his kid. I don't care if an avenging angel sent him. I might've done the same thing if it was my kid."

- Mike Logan and Lennie Briscoe

"We look like carnival hucksters. Want a deal? Take a number. You too can have a piece of the movie rights."

- Adam Schiff

"I'm a Catholic -- I can feel guilty about anything. But I bet my conscience is still easier to live with than yours."

- Ben Stone

Background information and notes

• The title "Sweeps" is slang in the TV industry for the period of time when networks try to get highest audience in order to get the best rates from advertisers.
• First appearances of S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren and Jill Hennessy as Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid. They were both added to the cast after the network had insisted that women characters be added to the show in order to attract more female viewers.
• This episode is based on a 1988 episode of Geraldo. During a show on Nazi skinheads, a brawl broke out between two of the guests, resulting in host Geraldo Riviera's nose being broken. This episode also seems like tragic forshadowing for future events related to talk shows, including the deaths of Scott Amedure (Jenny Jones), Charlene Burkey (Forgive or Forget, hosted by Robin Givens) and Nancy Campbell-Panitz (Jerry Springer) shortly after they all appeared on the shows. It is worth noting that the death of Charlene Burkey, unlike the other two, was not at all related to the show.
• The episode also appears to have been based on the Gary Plauche case. In March 1984, Plauche shot the man who had sexually assaulted his son, Jeff Doucet, in front of television cameras. It was eventually revealed that a TV employee had told Gary where and when Doucet would be arriving.
• Starting with this episode, the opening sequence becomes shorter and has more bass than the first three seasons.

Episode scene cards

1	2	3
Brookside Memorial Hospital 6 East 75th Street Wednesday, May 5	The Hamstead Hotel 446 East 83rd Street Friday, May 7	United Telesystems 504 West 31st Street Wednesday, May 12

4	5	6
Executive Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Stone Tuesday, May 25	Supreme Court Arraignment Part 1 Wednesday, June 2	Chambers of Judge Rebecca Steinman Monday, June 7

7	8
Supreme Court Trial Part 64 Tuesday, August 24	Supreme Court Trial Part 64 Friday, August 27

Previous episode: "Benevolence"

"Sweeps" Law & Order Season 4

Next episode: "Volunteers"