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"Unstable"
SVU, Episode 11.01
Production number:
First aired (US): 23 September 2009
First aired (UK): 16 October 2009
First aired (CAN): 25 September 2009
First aired (AUS): 11 February 2010
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Nate Kendall Unstable
Written By
Judith McCreary

Directed By
Arthur W. Forney

Plot[]

A victim who bonds with the officer who rescues her forces Benson and Stabler to work with the volatile officer to close the case. Unfortunately, the case becomes more complicated, and extends the unhappy team, when the Executive ADA brings evidence that their case may have been committed by a serial rapist and Elliot may have put an innocent man in prison for ten years.

Summary[]

Episode summary

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Paxton: The suspect asked for his lawyer and you kept questioning him for 93 seconds. That's a violation of his right to counsel.
Benson: We'll leave you to your client, counselor.
Paxton: No, no, no, no. I may be wearing couture, but I don't represent scumbags.
Stabler: So who exactly do you represent?
Paxton: The people. Sonya Paxton, your new ADA. How's it going?

Stabler: (about the suspect) What we're saying is he's no first-timer. He's got his rape routine down pat.
Paxton: Wait, wait. I thought there were no open rape cases matching this M.O.
Stabler: There aren't, maybe the victims didn't report it. My gut is telling me that he's done it before.
Paxton: (under her breath) Or maybe it's your acid reflux.

Benson: Where's Alex Cabot?
Paxton: Training in Albany. When she's finished, she'll take my spot in appeals.
Stabler: Appeals? Well, no disrespect, but we do things a little differently down here in New York City.
Paxton: Oh, really? I was trying homicides when you were fresh out of the academy, walking a beat and trying not to piss yourself.

Benson: [to Mark Foster]: You got a short fuse.
Mark Foster: (scoffs) My fuse is plenty long. You should see it.
Benson: What for? You couldn't keep your wife happy with it.

[When the suspect flees, Nate Kendall hits him with his car]
Stabler: What the hell was that? You trying to kill him?
Nate Kendall: I hate to run.

Nate Kendall: I don't like victims. They cling.
Benson: Not after you bag the trash that assaulted 'em.

Background information and notes[]

  • This is the first season since season 1 where the opening credits do not feature an ADA serving as a series regular.
  • This episode marked the new day and time which was forced on the program by The Jay Leno Show taking up all the weekday 10:00 pm timeslots. The Wednesday, 9:00 pm slot would be the first time original broadcasts had aired pre-safe harbor (10:00 pm E/P, 9:00 pm Central) since the first nine episodes of season one aired in the original Monday, 9:00 pm slot.
  • Crew Transitions: Story editor Mick Betancourt becomes a full-fledged member of the writing team and a co-producer, Daniel Truly moves from supervising producer to co-executive producer, and Michael Ciliento moves from script coordinator to part of the writing team as an associate producer.
  • Goof: When Spencer shows the picture of Benson from April 12, 2007 outside a convenience store on security cam, it can be made clear that is not a picture of Benson from the year 2007 as Benson had a different hairstyle in April 2007 as well as her facial features looking different from 2007.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3 4

120 East 115th Street
Tuesday, June 23

Domingo Deli & Grocery
429 West 43rd Street
Tuesday, June 23

London Meats
857 Washington Street
Wednesday, June 24

Residence of
Layla Foster
232 West 41st Street
Wednesday, June 24

5 6 7

Residence of
Katie Harris
560 West 45th Street
Thursday, June 25

772 Washington Street
Thursday, June 25

Residence of
Malcolm Foster
1716 Popham Avenue
Bronx, New York
Friday, June 26

Previous episode:
"Zebras"
"Unstable"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 11
Next episode:
"Sugar"
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