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"Father's Shadow"
SVU, Episode 13.13
Production number: 13013
First aired (US): 8 February 2012
First aired (UK): 3 June 2012
First aired (CAN): 8 February 2012
First aired (AUS): 3 May 2012
  {{{nNthProducedInSeries}}}th of 502 produced in SVU  
{{{nNthReleasedInSeries}}}th of 502 released in SVU
  {{{nNthReleasedInAll}}}th of 1271 released in all  
Svu1313
Written By
Julie Martin & Warren Leight

Directed By
Jean de Segonzac

Summary[]

Detective Benson finds herself in danger when a rape investigation spirals into a hostage crisis.

Plot[]

Aspiring actress Mallory Jenner is found unconscious in Central Park, with drugs in her system and evidence of sexual trauma. Benson and Amaro pay a visit to Burt Sandow, the reality show producer for whom she had auditioned just before the attack, and they stop Burt from assaulting another actress, Lacey Ford, on the casting couch.

The detectives arrest Burt, who is represented by powerful attorney Dwight Stanitch. Problem is, Mallory can't remember what happened with her, and Lacey says nothing happened with her. Burt's distraught 19-year-old son Eddie, who idolizes Burt, threatens that if anything happens to Burt, the cops will be sorry.

The situation turns dangerous when Eddie takes drastic action to try to get Burt out of jail -- Eddie takes his girlfriend Jess Whitley and her young daughter Lily hostage in the apartment that Eddie shares with them. Eddie's demand is that Burt be released.

While Benson and Amaro are at the apartment building, Fin and Rollins talk to Burt at the jail, but Burt says that if they want his help, they pay his price -- all charges dropped, full immunity, and a public apology. And then Eddie learns some disturbing things about Burt that he was not aware of.

As that's going on, Benson and Executive ADA David Haden grow closer.


Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Susan Chung: Your Jane Doe had a rough night. Prelim tox screen shows alcohol, Benadryl and Quaaludes. That combo will knock anyone on their ass.
Amaro: Ludes. That's old school for someone her age.
Benson: Any sign of sexual assault?
Susan Chung: Gray pubic hairs and semen on her breasts.
Benson: Gray? The suspect's 20.
Amaro: And he claims he only worked her coat.
Susan Chung: Oh, just getting to that. I found semen there too. I did ABO typing on both samples. One's from a secretor. One's not.
Amaro: Sorry?
Benson: It's pre-DNA, Amaro. She's saying that there's two donors. The grinder was just an opportunist. So whoever gave her the Quaaludes assaulted her first.

Fred Sandow: Reality TV pushes the envelope. Audiences expect sexual titillation.
Rollins: By which you mean rape?
Dwight Stannich: My client was rehearsing. The other detective jumped to conclusions.
Tutuola: She was physically helpless.
Fred Sandow: She was acting helpless. She was in complete control of herself, of me.
Rollins: And how about Mallory Jenner? She couldn't even leave your place standing up.
Fred Sandow: That young woman was drunk when she arrived, Detective.
Tutuola: But you didn't stop the audition?
Fred Sandow: I'm a producer, not a sober coach.
Rollins: [sarcastically] Right, so why not offer more champagne?

Benson: Lacey... um, the counselor from the hospital said that... that you refused the rape kit?
Lacey Ford: I was not raped. Mr. Sandow did not do anything.
Amaro: When we came in, your dress was open. He was on top of you. You saying you wanted that to happen?
Benson: Lacey, Mr. Sandow assaulted you. He assaulted another woman last night. We need your help to stop him.
Lacey Ford: If he goes to prison, what happens to the show? I really want this part.
[Amaro and Olivia look at her in disbelief]

Benson: Eddie, I understand that you're upset, okay?
Eddie Sandow: God, these girls... you can't trust them. My dad says this is a shakedown. He's old. He shouldn't be in jail.
Benson: Eddie, your father can take care of himself. It's you that I'm worried about. Now, do you have somebody to talk to? Because this is a lot...
Eddie Sandow: This is all your fault!
Amaro: Hey, all right, that's enough. Come on, let's take a walk.
Eddie Sandow: [as Amaro escorts him out of the squad room] If anything happens to my dad, I swear to God you'll be sorry.

Sergeant Mullen: The father's at Rikers. It's bad precedent.
Benson: That kid is 19 years old, going on 10. He has no impulse control. His father is his whole world.
Sergeant Mullen: And you want to drop him into this?
Amaro: You got a better idea?
Benson: Eddie already feels that his girlfriend betrayed him. If we jerk him around, he's going to turn on me too.

Fred Sandow: You want me to talk Eddie off the ledge? What are you going to do for me?
Rollins: Are you serious?
Fred Sandow: At the end of the day, honey, everything has a price.
Tutuola: You're in a bad situation. You don't want to lose that little girl. This is your son we're talking about.
Fred Sandow: His blood is on your hands, not mine.
Rollins: When we searched your place, we found plenty of hardware. So I'm betting that the gun that he's using is yours.
Fred Sandow: I don't know about any guns. You want my help, you pay my price. All charges dropped, full immunity and a public apology.
Tutuola: We couldn't do that if we wanted to.
Fred Sandow: You made these charges up. You can make them disappear.
Rollins: Okay, one step at a time. You come with us, you talk your son and we'll talk to the D.A.
Fred Sandow: Other way around. When my lawyer signs off, then I'll help you. Oh, and about Eddie, I wouldn't wait too long. Poor kid. He's got blood sugar problems. His moods can really swing.

Benson: What's going on?
Amaro: The father's not coming.
Benson: [to Sergeant Mullen] No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. Let me talk to your boss.
Amaro: It's not him. Sandow won't cooperate unless we drop the charges.
Benson: He doesn't care about his son?
Sergeant Mullen: Do we know who else is in Eddie's life?
Amaro: Yeah, Fin and Rollins are trying to get in contact with the mother and sister in Canada.
Benson: The mother's not going to be any help. He hates her. So now I have to go in there and tell him that his father's not showing?
Sergeant Mullen: Tell him we're working on it. You tell him the truth, he could lose it.
Benson: And if he senses that I'm lying, it's over.
Sergeant Mullen: Detective...
Benson: If he asks me, I'm telling him the truth.

Haden: [to Olivia] Look, I know you think you have a connection this kid, but the chief doesn't see Eddie as a special victim.
Benson: You too?
Haden: What?
Benson: Eddie is a scared boy and these guys, they'd be happy to carry him out in a body bag. [storms off]
Haden: Better him than you.

Eddie Sandow: I can't believe that my mom came here. You know, she used to be a beauty queen. I bet she heard there were cameras here.
Benson: Well, I think that she cares about you.
Eddie Sandow: She left me. What kind of mother does that?
Benson: I know that she didn't want to.
Eddie Sandow: Don't mother me, okay? I had a mother.

Eddie Sandow: [about his father] Do you really believe that he could do these things, that... that he's a bad person?
Benson: I've seen that people have two sides.
Eddie Sandow: Is something wrong with him?
Benson: I think so. Yeah.
Eddie Sandow: But... but, I'm his son.
Benson: But that doesn't mean that you're anything like him.
Eddie Sandow: No! No, I shot Jess. I held a gun to Lily's head. There's something wrong with me too.

Eddie Sandow: Why do you care?
Benson: Because I know what you're feeling.
Eddie Sandow: No, you don't.
Benson: Yes, Eddie, I do. My father did terrible things to women. To my own mother.
Eddie Sandow: You're making this up.
Benson: Eddie, you have a choice. I'm nothing like my father. You don't have to be like yours.

Background information and notes[]

  • Benson tells David Haden she's never been to Paris and wanted to go someday. She does go after the events of "Heartfelt Passages" with Ed Tucker.
  • This episode features the last appearance of Linus Roache as Michael Cutter.
  • While searching Sandow's office Amaro finds a few prescription pill bottles, he says one of them is labeled "Quaalude". However methaqualone (Quaalude) was taken off the market in the US in 1982, and made a Schedule I controlled substance in 1984. It is also illegal in pretty much every country in the world and is not manufactured anymore, the only source of Quaaludes is from illegal drug labs. Ergo the Sandow's Quualude has would not have come from any pharmacy.
  • Goof: Halfway through the hostage siege, it is nighttime. However, when the hostage siege ends and Benson emerges from the apartment block, it is daytime again.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3 4

Mercy Hospital
365 West 32nd Street
Friday, January 20

Sandow Films
604 West 57th Street
Friday, January 20

Arraignment Court
Part 31
Monday, January 23

Rikers Island
Interview Room
Tuesday, January 24

Previous episode:
"Official Story"
"Father's Shadow"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 13
Next episode:
"Home Invasions"
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