| "Turn Me On Take Me Private" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 22.05 | → |
| Production number: 22005 First aired (US): 14 January 2021 First aired (UK): 2 July 2021 First aired (CAN): 13 January 2021 First aired (AUS): 25 February 2021 | ||
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| Teleplay By Monet Hurst-Mendoza & Victoria Pollack & Julie Martin & Warren Leight Story By Victoria Pollack & Monet Hurst-Mendoza Directed By Juan José Campanella | ||
Summary[]
The Special Victims Unit investigates a role-play session on a camgirl website turned violent when one user decides to meet his idol in person.
Plot[]
Zoey Carrera contacts her viewers who mostly reveal their innocence. Eventually, she reaches Gabe Miller who reveals he was the attacker. Having Zoey distract him so they could track him, the Special Victims Unit arrests him. Fin also discovered that Gabe Miller has been stalking Zoey for a while with pictures of her on the wall.
Miller is brought into interrogation being interviewed by Fin and Tamin but he denies raping her and states it was consensual but is not believed. After Gabe refuses to answer more questions, he states that as a certified Paralegal that he is invoking his rights to defend himself.
Carisi soon states with Gabe's defense that it was consensual might work, because of Zoey's occupation. However, Carisi says that he will get Gabe to plead to a deal since Zoey does not want to testify against him.
Gabe and his lawyer are reluctant to a deal because of the belief. Gabe initially makes plea deal for sexual misconduct.
However, in court he takes his decision back and promptly fires his surprised lawyer to represent himself in a trial. Benson notes that Gabe wants attention especially from Zoey.
It is also discovered that Gabe had been stalking Zoey for a while because he was the one who recommended the nursing home for her father revealing how he was able to locate where she lived.
Meanwhile, Carisi and Kat discuss the case with Gabe and Zoey. Carisi soon gets to the heart of the issue why Kat does not like him, to which she explains it is because of his lawyer attitude.
Before trial, Gabe started harassing Zoey for his own pleasure but is arrested for violating the restraining order by visiting her father. When things looked bleak, Kat speaks to Carisi and reveals she does not blame him for the case.
Very soon, Carisi makes a plan and brings in some of Zoey's other viewers, who all revealed that Zoey adores them too because they pay her to say so and they never tried to find out where she lived. These displays silently trigger Gabe after he questioned them and they say what Zoey does is fiction. Gabe then subpoenas Zoey as a surprise witness. Carisi protests this while Gabe says he has a new line of questions and Gabe's lawyer says he is within in his rights. Judge Catano soon tells him to remain in appropriate parameters. Carisi tells an outraged Tamin that Zoey must not give Gabe what he wants by answering his questions.
Zoey is brought in court, with Gabe apologizing for bringing her in but he has to know something. Gabe has Zoey confirm that she meant a comment for another viewer. After she does, he tries to get Zoey to say one of his comments that he told her on one video but she refuses to do so. Gabe reads it for her, saying she loves him. Carisi asks the judge what the relevance of this is and Catano agrees while Gabe says he is trying to get to the bigger issue. He looks to Zoey to say his comment again but Carisi silently tells Zoey not to answer and she again refuses. Gabe protests this issue to the Judge who only tells him to move on. Gradually getting frustrated with Zoey, Gabe tells her that the usual routine is her doing what he asks, while calling Zoey by her stage name “Kendra“. He then has an outburst, requiring the judge to order him to be taken away while he frantically professed his love to Zoey, once again calling her Kendra. However, Zoey firmly says her real name and that he raped her and she did not want that. Infuriated at being led on, Gabe flies into a psychotic rage and breaks free from the guards to attack Zoey but is grabbed and dragged out by court guards. Gabe screaming for Zoey echoes in the courthouse halls, begging the bailiffs to release him and let him go back, which shocks and disturbs Zoey, Carisi, Tamin, Judge Catano and the jury.
In the end, it is revealed that Gabe's lawyer stepped in on his behalf and Gabe was sentenced to seven years in prison for his crimes. Carisi reveals that he tried to inform Zoey but she became traumatized by the case and promptly went off the grid to get away from Miller. Hearing this, Tamin is livid about the outcome of the case, especially because Gabe basically stole Zoey's right to make a living while the squad failed to protect her. Benson tries to console her by offering days off, but Tamin is in no mood to be patronized and Fin offers to walk her out. Carisi and Benson note that Tamin has every right to be frustrated.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson
- Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins (credit only)
- Ice-T as Sergeant Odafin Tutuola
- Peter Scanavino as A.D.A. Dominick Carisi, Jr.
- Jamie Gray Hyder as Officer Katriona Tamin
- Demore Barnes as Deputy Chief Christian Garland (credit only)
Recurring cast[]
- Aida Turturro as Judge Felicia Catano
- Marisa Brau-Reyes as Attorney Edwina Myerson
- Michael Mastro as Judge D. Serani
- John Waters as Floyd Cougat
Guest cast[]
- Alex Brightman as Gabe Miller
- Eva Noblezada as Zoey Carrera
- Emilio Delgado as Aaron Carrera
- Tony Torn as Larry Hughes
- Evan Bass as John Lawrence
- Brian Sears as Rob Hampton
- Linden Tailor as James Fuentes
- Jean-Patrick Simeon as Brother Peter
References[]
references
Quotes[]
- [about Zoey Carrera]
- Carisi: She got on camera and told her fans that she wanted somebody to sneak in, hold her down and assault her. Now we know she didn't mean that literally, that she didn't consent to it, but it could get complicated for a jury.
- Benson: Well, lucky that they have you to explain the difference between fantasy and reality, Counselor
- Tamin: And the reality is that he's a stalker.
- Carisi: Yeah, and she cams, mostly undressed for hundreds of fans for hours...
- Benson: Carisi, how quickly we switch.
- Carisi: I'm just showing you how the defense is going to play this, so make sure Zoey is prepared for that.
- Tamin: Carisi, you're really just gonna let this happen?
- Carisi: Good morning to you too, Kat. How are you doing?
- Tamin: Not great. It's bad enough Gabe is allowed to represent himself in court, but now, he gets to go to her apartment?
- Carisi: Well, it is the crime scene and as of last January, the defense and the defendant are allowed to examine it.
- Tamin: Just so you know, Zoey is completely freaked out.
- Carisi: I understand that. I don't blame her.
- Tamin: She's insisting on being there.
- Carisi: That's not a good idea, but that's really up to her.
- Tamin: Well, is anything up to us? I mean, is there anything that you can do?
- Carisi: Do you mean I am able to change a state law in the next hour?
- Tamin: Aren't you supposed to protect the victim?
- Carisi: Actually, my job is to uphold the law. Is there a reason that you don't like me?
- Tamin: I just can't believe that you were ever a cop.
- Zoey Carrera: [about Gabe Miller] Discovery? That's bull. He's getting off on this. He can't wait to cross-examine me, make me say whatever he wants. I can't do this.
- Tamin: Zoey, his defense is that it was consensual. If you don't testify, then he gets away with rape.
- Carisi: Yeah, the judge will make sure that he doesn't get out of line. If he tries anything, he'll be held in immediate contempt.
- Tamin: The whole point of camming is that the woman controls the narrative. No physical contact, no STDs, no violence. It's supposed to be empowering.
- Benson: But it doesn't make it safe.
- Tamin: When you say that, it sounds like you're victim blaming.
- Benson: Kat, it's not victim blaming. It's just...
- Tutuola: Listen, from what Captain and I have seen, sex work is far more dangerous than people wanna believe.
- Carisi: This is all an act, claiming him and Zoey are in love, pretending he doesn't know the difference between what's real and what's not.
- Tutuola: He's not faking, Carisi. You stay on those screens long enough, you'll convince yourself that that's reality, and this... this right here is a simulation.
- Carisi: Oh, come on. I don't buy it.
- Tutuola: The longer you've been a D.A., the less you remember being a cop. You gotta get out of your head and into his.
- Zoey Carrera: There is no Kendra! I'm Zoey and you raped me! That's the last thing that I wanted!
- Gabe Miller: [suffering a breakdown as he is taken away]No, don't... don't say that, Kendra, don't say that. I love you. Kendra. I love you, Kendra. Please! Kendra, I love you! Please! Kendra, I love you. Please tell them you love me. Kendra, please! Tell them you love me! Kendra. Kendra! Please! Please! Get your hands off me! Let me go back in there! Please! Kendra, please! I love you! Tell them, Kendra! Kendra, please!
Background Information and Notes[]
- Rollins and Garland do not appear in this episode.
- Warren Leight stated on Twitter he was extremely proud of this episode and praised Brightman and Noblezada's performances, saying they were some of the best performances he's ever seen.
- Tamin reveals her hostility to Carisi is because she cannot believe Carisi was ever a cop.
- The defendant was being charged with attempted rape in the first degree, a class C felony with a minimum sentence of 3.5 years in prison. Carisi tells him he would take a plea to aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree, which makes no sense because it is a class B felony, which is a more severe crime and has a minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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SugarFap Headquarters |
LaGuardia Home for Seniors |
Supreme Court |
Supreme Court |
Supreme Court |
| Previous episode: "Sightless in a Savage Land" |
"Turn Me On Take Me Private" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 22 |
Next episode: "The Long Arm Of The Witness" |