"Doubt"
←	SVU, Episode 6.08	→
Production number: E5209 First aired: 23 November 2004
	th of 295 produced in SVU
←	th of 295 released in SVU	→
	th of 1021 released in all
Written By Marjorie David & Paul Kolsby Directed By Ted Kotcheff

Plot Edit

A graduate school student claims that she was raped by her professor. The professor, in turn, claims the sex was consensual until she wanted him to get rough with her, at which point he just wanted it to be finished. Lines are drawn within SVU with Benson believing the student and Stabler believing the professor, who is in the process of divorce and has limited custody of his daughter. The reason for this is revealed when Elliot admits that his wife left him due to his devotion to his job. As the episode progresses, both the student and the professor's actions cause their respective supporters to begin doubting them: the student setting up a suicide attempt to gain further sympathy from Olivia and the professor's seeming pressure on his daughter to give a statement to the police that casts doubt on his accuser. Both Olivia and Elliot later admit that they jumped the gun on the case.

The "Doubt" episode is unique in that it ended abrubtly right after the jury foreman read "We find the defendant..." as it cuts to the credits, leaving the verdict unknown, making the viewers to come to their own conclusions. When it aired, NBC conducted an online poll so viewers could determine the verdict. Most of them (60%) sided with the professor, 20% sided with the student, and the rest wanting more information.

Cast Edit

Main cast Edit

• Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
• Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
• Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch (credit only)
• Diane Neal as A.D.A. Casey Novak
• Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola (credit only)
• B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang (credit only)
• Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen

Recurring cast Edit

• Viola Davis as Attorney Donna Emmett
• Patricia Kalember as Judge Karen Taten
• Mariette Hartley as Attorney Lorna Scarry
• Tamara Tunie as Dr. Melinda Warner
• Judith Light as Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly

Guest cast Edit

• Bill Campbell as Ron Polikoff
• Shannyn Sossamon as Myra Denning
• Maureen Flannigan as Louise
• Wynter Kullman as Jenny West
• Jeffrey Carlson as Justin Wexler
• Carolyn Miller as Sophie Polikoff
• Triney Sandoval as TARU Technician Echevarria
• Aalok Mehta as Cabbie
• Tina Johnson as Darcy
• Lou Sones as Ned
• Jerry D. O'Donnell as Uniform Officer #1
• Kaleo Griffth as Uniform Officer #2
• Rosie Berrido as Detective
• Jamie C. Ward as Jury Foreman

References Edit

Quotes Edit

Olivia: What's going on?

Elliot: Kathy left me.

Background information and notes Edit

NBC used a poll to determine an ending in another L&O episode: the Criminal Intent episode Great Barrier.

Episode scene cards Edit