| "Monogamy" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 3.11 | → |
| Production number: E2323 First aired: 4 January 2002 | ||
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| Written By Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas Directed By Constantine Makris | ||
A pregnant woman is attacked and has her fetus ripped from her womb. Detectives Benson and Stabler quickly look for the baby hoping he's still alive.
Plot
The case involves the beating of a seven-months-pregnant woman, whose unborn child has been torn from her body via a primitive cesarean section. Among the many witnesses questioned is the woman's husband, a psychiatrist with several devastating secrets who knows more about his wife's beating than he's willing to admit.
Cast
Main cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch
- Stephanie March as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
- Erin Broderick as Maureen Stabler
- Audrie J. Neenan as Judge Marilyn Haynes
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
- Peter Hermann as Defense Attorney Trevor Langan
- Fernando López as CSU Ramone Vargas
Guest cast
- John Ritter as Dr. Richard Manning
- Marianne Hagan as Erin Sena
- Tricia Paoluccio as Nicole Manning
- Robert Funaro as Police Officer
- Bobby Cannavale as Kyle Novacek
- Erin Leigh Peck as Melanie
- John Plumpis as Wireless Technician
- Starla Benford as Carol Daley
- Michael Goldstrom as Kevin
- Herman Chavez as Parking Attendant
- Michael Collins as Attending Physician
- Tyler Alexander as EMT #1
- Derek Kelly as EMT #2
References
References
Quotes
"If that baby had been born in a hospital, it would've lived!"
"That argument could also be used to condemn legal abortion."
"That's different. Abortion is the mother's choice."
"I don't know, Elliot. You can't have it both ways. Either a fetus is a person, or it isn't."
- - Elliot Stabler, Alexandra Cabot and Olivia Benson
"One of us has to be able to sleep at night. She thinks I'm shutting her out."
"You are. That's exactly what you do. You keep this up, you're gonna ruin the best thing you've ever had."
- - Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson
"Nice place."
"I cleaned up especially for you."
"Your boyfriend doesn't mind the mess?"
"Who says I've got a boyfriend?"
"Come on... a girl like you? I'm sure you have a few."
"You coming on to me? I'm into that. Your friend can watch."
- - Olivia Benson, Erin Sena and Elliot Stabler
"Doc, I want you in on this search. You know how shrinks operate; time to give up your trade secrets."
- - Donald Cragen
"His dirty laundry is cleaner than my entire wardrobe. Look, he has them all labeled: whites, colored, drycleaning."
"Anything marked 'bloody clothes'?"
- - Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler
"Each case gets a little more horrific than the last. I go home to my wife, what am I supposed to do? Talk about my day? Honey, today, some man cut a baby out of his wife's stomach. Pass the gravy."
- - Elliot Stabler
"Hey, you know everyone in that room is on your side. But we're not mindreaders."
- - Olivia Benson
"This happens all the time in nature. Most species aren't naturally monogamous."
"That explains my marital history."
- - George Huang and John Munch
"So, what was "lacking" in your relationship? Dick?"
"Challenging my masculinity? A little amateurish, don't you think?"
"Actually, I think he's challenging your masculinity because it's such an obvious weakness. "
- - Elliot Stabler, Richard Manning and George Huang
"Did he cry? Did your son cry before you killed him?"
"He only cried a little. He only cried a little."
- - Alexandra Cabot and Richard Manning
Background information and notes
- The episode title "Monogamy" is a reference to the monogamous relationship Dr. Richard Manning demanded from his wife Nicole. After suspecting that his wife had cheated on him, and got pregnant with her lover's child, he decided to kill the baby.
- This is the last time actress Audrie J. Neenan appears as Judge Marilyn Haynes in the Law & Order franchise. In later episodes she returns as a recurring character named Judge Lois Preston.
- Actor Peter Hermann appears for the first time as recurring character Defense Attorney Trevor Langan. During the taping of this episode, Hermann meets his future wife, Mariska Hargitay. Hermann previously appeared as Al Goran in the Law & Order tenth season episode "Mega".
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
Construction Site |
Tenth Avenue |
Tri-State Atlantic Wireless |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Apartment of Dr. Manning |
Trial Part 74 |
Trial Part 74 |
| Previous episode: "Ridicule" |
"Monogamy" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 3 |
Next episode: "Protection" |