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"Responsible"
SVU, Episode 8.18
Production number: 08014
First aired: 3 April 2007
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Novak Responsible
Written By
Allison Intrieri

Directed By
Yelena Lanskaya & David Platt

Plot[]

When teenager Melanie Tamkin is found dead in the apartment of a vacationing couple, Benson and Stabler are led into the world of underage drinking and high school binge parties. The case takes a twist when one of the teenagers' mothers is responsible for providing the alcohol for her daughter's parties and also responsible for sleeping with her daughter's classmate.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Stabler: Lady, that dog had no food or water. Now unless you want the ASPCA and PETA staked out on your front lawn, you'll start telling us the truth.

Kathleen: Relax, dad. I don't even like beer.
Elliot: If you did, would you tell me?
Kathleen: No.
Elliot: Guess I'll just have to look at your diary.
Kathleen: Nobody keeps diaries anymore. If you want to find out what kids are up to, you just read their web pages.

[reading a post from Reagan Michaels' blog]
Elliot: The 'rents got me on a tight leash after court today.
Kathleen: That means "parents".
Elliot: I know what 'rents means.

[Lillian is drinking wine and Detective Stabler enters her home. She walks up very close to him]
Lillian: Hello, Detective. Would you like a drink?
Stabler: I'm working.

Luke Young: I know the judge said we shouldn't drink, but you don't get into the Ivy league every day.
Benson: Well, guess what, you're underage and the law doesn't make exception for special occasions.

Stabler: [to Judge Donnelly] We arrested Reagan, Mark, Luke and Jordan last night.
Judge Donnelly: I know. I released them this morning.
Novak: Why? Those kids disobeyed your order not to drink?
Judge Donnelly: They were very remorseful. They even volunteered to enter alcohol awareness classes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a decision to write.
Stabler: Classes are not gonna change those kids.
Judge Donnelly: I am not going to ruin the futures of four promising young students by throwing them in with gang-bangers and kiddie murderers. The punishment needs to fit the crime and I think jail, in this case, is excessively punitive.
Stabler: Bad decision.
Judge Donnelly: What did you say?
Stabler: I said it's a bad decision and you know it.
Judge Donnelly: So jail is okay for these kids, but not for your own daughter? When she got caught drunk driving, you made those charges disappear.

Matt Schroeffel: [on video, intoxicated] That old witch!
Jordan Owens: Where's her broom?
Reagan Michaels: Up her butt!
Judge Donnelly: [turns video off] Up my butt? Haul their asses in here.

[after Jordan and Lillian are discovered in bed together by Stabler, Benson and Becca]

Becca: What are you doing?!
Lilian: Don't come in here!
Becca: [to Jordan] She's my mom!
Jordan: And she's hot!

[Olivia throws Lilian's clothes to her and declares that Jordan and Lilian are going to the station downtown]
Jordan: Why? We didn't do anything wrong.
Stabler: Looks pretty wrong to me. Get dressed.

Benson: You're sleeping with a teenage boy.
Lillian Rice: Jordan's a man. He's 17, it's not a crime.
Benson: Oh, it oughta be. You're old enough to be his mother.
Lillian Rice: Barely. When I was his age, I was pregnant with Becca.
Benson: So you're reliving your lost childhood? Is that it?
Lillian Rice: You don't get it. When was the last time a man your age asked you out?
Benson: Oh, we're not talking about me. I'm not the one who's sleeping with a teenager.
Lillian Rice: It's been awhile since you had a date, hasn't it? Your partner's cute. Bet he likes 'em younger. My ex sure did. I wasted ten good years on Wally before I found out he was schtupping his secretary. When he ran out on us, I was angry at first. But then I realized, if he could have a younger woman, I could have a younger man.
Benson: Your husband leaving you hardly justifies you sleeping with a high school student.
Lillian Rice: Why are you so bitter? Did someone leave you? Or maybe you had a chance once. Someone wanted to marry you, you thought you wanted something more?
Benson: And your "something more" is a teenage boy?

Benson: So do you sleep with all of Becca's friends or just Jordan?
Lillian: Go to hell.
Benson: Just calling it like I see them. Got an eye full tonight. So did Becca.
Lillian: Leave my daughter out of this.
Benson: Oh, you're the one who put her in the middle when you started screwing her friend.
Lillian: I told him we had to be careful.
Benson: So hold on, let me just get this straight. Out of all the men out there, you picked the one boy that your daughter has a crush on. You know, that looks like you're competing with her.
Lillian: No, no. It just happened. I never meant for Becca to find out. I wouldn't hurt her in a million years.
Benson: Well, then you shouldn't have banged her friend!

Lillian: I want my lawyer now.
Benson: Of course you do. Okay. Well, while you're waiting for him, I'm gonna go talk to Becca.
Lillian: She a minor, you can't talk to her without my permission.
Benson: Oh, really? See, that would be true if she was a suspect, but she's not. She's a witness. I can talk to her all I want.

Munch: You could start a bonfire with all the alcohol this one drank. ['to Reagan] What's your poison, honey?
Reagan: Shut up, you dirty old man.
Munch: Who you calling old?
Matt Schroeffel: You can't keep us in here!
Tutuola: I'm sure your daddy will bail your ass out.
Munch: I called him two hours ago. Looks like daddy thinks he could use a night in jail.
Tutuola: [to Munch about Reagan] You finish processing the princess, and I'll take them all down to central booking.
Luke Young: You can't do this! I want my parents!
Munch: Yeah, and I want the troops home, the Kyoto protocol signed, and a Tijuana oil job from Miss February.

Benson: You have every right to be upset, Becca. I can't imagine how devastating it is to see what you saw.
Becca Rice: If you had just left us alone, none of this would have happened.
Benson: Becca, you know that's not true. They've been sleeping together for months. You would've found out sooner or later.
Becca Rice: Just leave me alone. [heads towards the elevator]
Benson: Honey, what your mother did was wrong. She hurt you.
Becca Rice: You don't understand her.
Benson: She slept with the boy you like.
Becca Rice: She didn't mean for it to happen. Jordan, he took advantage of her and she she was just trying to help me make friends.
Benson: Becca, why are you defending her?
Becca Rice: She's my best friend and you're trying to put her in jail. You're ruining our lives.

Stabler: With your record, Judge Donnelly's going a lot harder on you than the other kids.
Jordan: So I gotta be a rat?
Stabler: That, or go to jail.

[during the memorial service for Jordan Owens and Reagan Michaels]
Stabler: Jordan Owens was drunk when he killed himself and Reagan Michaels. He was an alcoholic. And we all knew it and didn't do anything about it.

[as Trevor and Lillian are walking into Casey's office]
Novak: No deal.
Trevor Langan: Face it. Your case is going down in flames.
Novak: Don't be so proud of yourself, Trevor. You attacked a vulnerable young girl.
Lillian: Becca's a very troubled girl. She's always had difficulty telling the truth. She's exaggerated her drinking problem to gain sympathy.
Novak: So, your daughter's not an alcoholic.
Lillian: Absolutely not. I live with her, I would know.
Novak: What planet are you on? She's in rehab!
Lillian: Those places say everyone's an addict. I love chocolate. Maybe I should check in.
Novak: That's a great idea, you might get some insight into your own problems.
Trevor Langan: [partially inaudible] That's it.
Novak: [as Trevor and Lillian turn around and leave] Like why you have sex with teenage boys or why you're so desperate to be liked or buy your kid's friendship with alcohol. It's pathetic!

Background information and notes[]

  • Lillian Rice's attorney says Becca having a .06 blood alcohol level is within the legal limits. In reality, it is illegal for minors to have a blood alcohol level past .02.
  • This episode marks the first time that a narrated flashback has ever been used on the show.
  • The airdate for this episode has changed numerous times. Originally slated to air in January or February, the episode was pushed to March 20, and then to March 27, but then rescheduled again.
  • Donnelly mentions Kathleen Stabler's DUI and how Elliot got her out of trouble which happened in the episode "Blood". Elliot and Kathleen then have a talk about it over dinner and he decides to formally punish her by burning up her drivers license.
  • This is one of two episodes of SVU to end with a message that isn't "to be continued" or a dedication to someone, the other being "Chat Room". In this case, a message about teen drinking appears on the screen.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3 4

Rice Residence
278 East 85th Street
Tuesday, January 9

Arraignment
Part 29
Wednesday, January 10

New York State
Courthouse
Conference Room
Thursday, January 11

Arraignment
Part 29
Thursday, January 11

5 6 7

Stoneycroft
Recovery Center
173 West 74th Street
Saturday, January 13

Trial Part 29
Monday, March 5

Trial Part 29
Tuesday, March 6

Previous episode:
"Sin"
"Responsible"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 8
Next episode:
"Florida"
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