Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 11)
Encyclopedia
The 11th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET. On January 22, 2010, in the wake of the conflict
between Jay Leno
and Conan O'Brien
, NBC announced that they would order two additional episodes to fill in the gaps of the departing The Jay Leno Show
. The Region 1 DVD was released on September 21, 2010 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment
.
and Mariska Hargitay
's contracts expired when they were reportedly making $375K–385K-per episode. During negotiations for a new contract the duo attempted to go after back-end profits. NBC threatened to replace Hargitay and Meloni if "they persist in their demands for more money". After two months of negotiations Meloni and Hargitay opted to renew their contracts for two more seasons. Christine Lahti
played the new executive assistant district attorney, Sonya Paxton, for five episodes, starting with the first episode and left after the fifth episode. She returned briefly in the eighth episode, where she clashed with Cabot. Neal Baer
said "She's from Appeals
and she's tired of having rape cases overturned because of misidentifications. She's coming to clean things up". Stephanie March
returned temporally for ten episodes starting with the fifth episode playing ADA Alexandra Cabot, while SVU attempted to find a permanent ADA. Sharon Stone
joined the cast in the twenty-first episode ("Torch") on April 28. She played Jo Marlowe, the new assistant district attorney for a four-episode arch. SVU executive producer Baer described her character as "a funny adrenaline junkie who loves to be in the middle of everything and shares a past with Stabler. She's been married before and has a lot of secrets." She began filming her scenes in March. Her performances were not well received by television critics. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly
concluded her first episode as, "an episode filled with such clunky dialogue and improbable details that by the end, she seemed like a "special victim" herself".
guest starred in the first episode as a police officer named Nate Kendall, who saves a rape victim in the beginning of the episode and helps SVU solve the case. In the second episode Eric McCormack
played the CEO of a "sugar daddy" dating website named Vance Shepard. In the tenth episode, John Larroquette
played Randall Carver, an attorney defending a man accused of murdering children of illegal aliens
. In the episode, the character was asked by Ice-T
's character, Detective Fin
, why he was defending a man accused of killing children of illegal aliens, for which he replied "It's a symptom, not the disease.", and went on to say "Garrison, Limbaugh
, Beck
, O'Reilly
, all of them. They're like a cancer spreading ignorance and hate. I mean, they have convinced folks that immigrants are the problem, not corporations that fail to pay a living wage or a broken health care system
." Bill O'Reilly took offense and stated on his show
that he was outraged by Dick Wolf
using his name in such a "defamatory manner" and called it "outrageous". He went on to say that "Dick Wolf is a coward for putting it out there."
Comedian Kathy Griffin
guest starred in the episode "P.C.", playing a lesbian
activist named Babs Duffy. She was originally going to share an onscreen kiss with Benson. She said "Yes, we have a lesbian kiss". Despite the kiss between the characters being shown in a "behind the scenes" video, it was not shown in the final edit.
Jill Scott
, Lisa Arrindell Anderson and Quinton Aaron
guest starred in "Disabled" that aired March 24. Scott played the sister and caretaker of a former singer (Lisa Arrindell Anderson) who has severe multiple sclerosis
and is raped. Aaron played Scott's son. Ann-Margret
and Jaclyn Smith
guest starred in the episode "Bedtime" that aired March 31. Ann-Margret played "a star of commercials that were made in the '70s" and Smith a "retired cop who works with Benson and Stabler to solve an old crime". They were joined by Morgan Fairchild
, Susan Anton
, William Atherton
and Renee Taylor
, with Helen Shaver
directing again. On August 21, 2010, Ann-Margret won the Emmy Award
for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in the episode. It was the first win of her career, after being nominated 5 times prior. Lynn Cohen
guest-starred in the April 21 episode titled "Beef" playing a "matriach
of an Italian Beef Company".
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
premiered on September 23, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010. It was moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for the NBC broadcast. On March 3, 2010 SVU returned to its previous time slot of 10 p.m. ET. On January 22, 2010, in the wake of the conflict
2010 Tonight Show conflict
In early 2010, American television network NBC and two of its late-night talk show hosts, Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno, engaged in a media and public relations conflict over the host and airtime of The Tonight Show, the network's long-running late night program...
between Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
and Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
, NBC announced that they would order two additional episodes to fill in the gaps of the departing The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show is an American comedy show created by and starring Jay Leno, that aired from September 14, 2009 to February 9, 2010 on NBC following the May 29, 2009 conclusion of Leno's first tenure as host of The Tonight Show...
. The Region 1 DVD was released on September 21, 2010 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment is the home video division of Universal Pictures...
.
Development and cast changes
NBC ordered production on Season 11 in April 2009. In May 2009, Christopher MeloniChristopher Meloni
Christopher Peter Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz.-Early life:Meloni was born the youngest of three children in...
and Mariska Hargitay
Mariska Hargitay
Mariska Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.The daughter of actress...
's contracts expired when they were reportedly making $375K–385K-per episode. During negotiations for a new contract the duo attempted to go after back-end profits. NBC threatened to replace Hargitay and Meloni if "they persist in their demands for more money". After two months of negotiations Meloni and Hargitay opted to renew their contracts for two more seasons. Christine Lahti
Christine Lahti
Christine Lahti is an American actress and film director. Lahti has had a successful career in television and film. Throughout her career she has garnered 2 Golden Globe Awards from 8 Nominations, An Emmy Award from 6 Nominations and 2 Academy Award nominations...
played the new executive assistant district attorney, Sonya Paxton, for five episodes, starting with the first episode and left after the fifth episode. She returned briefly in the eighth episode, where she clashed with Cabot. Neal Baer
Neal Baer
Neal Baer, MD is an American pediatrician and television writer and producer. He is best known for his work on the television shows ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Education:...
said "She's from Appeals
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals...
and she's tired of having rape cases overturned because of misidentifications. She's coming to clean things up". Stephanie March
Stephanie March
Stephanie Caroline March is an American actress, best known for her current portrayal of Alexandra Cabot on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Early life:...
returned temporally for ten episodes starting with the fifth episode playing ADA Alexandra Cabot, while SVU attempted to find a permanent ADA. Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
joined the cast in the twenty-first episode ("Torch") on April 28. She played Jo Marlowe, the new assistant district attorney for a four-episode arch. SVU executive producer Baer described her character as "a funny adrenaline junkie who loves to be in the middle of everything and shares a past with Stabler. She's been married before and has a lot of secrets." She began filming her scenes in March. Her performances were not well received by television critics. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
concluded her first episode as, "an episode filled with such clunky dialogue and improbable details that by the end, she seemed like a "special victim" herself".
Principal cast
- Christopher MeloniChristopher MeloniChristopher Peter Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz.-Early life:Meloni was born the youngest of three children in...
as Det. Elliot StablerElliot StablerDet. Elliot "El" Stabler is a fictional character on the TV crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Christopher Meloni. He was the partner of Olivia Benson before retiring, following a shooting.-Character overview:... - Mariska HargitayMariska HargitayMariska Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.The daughter of actress...
as Det. Olivia BensonOlivia BensonDet. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro... - Richard BelzerRichard BelzerRichard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
as Sgt. John MunchJohn MunchSergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise... - Ice-TICE-T* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
as Det. Fin TutuolaFin TutuolaDet. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola is a fictional character and protagonist on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Ice-T.The character's name is taken from the book The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola, a member of the Yoruba people of Nigeria... - Stephanie MarchStephanie MarchStephanie Caroline March is an American actress, best known for her current portrayal of Alexandra Cabot on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Early life:...
as ADA Alexandra Cabot - B. D. Wong as Dr. George HuangGeorge Huang (Law & Order)Special Agent George Huang, M.D. is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He is portrayed by B. D. Wong.-Character overview:...
- Tamara TunieTamara TunieTamara Renee Tunie is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit...
as Dr. Melinda WarnerMelinda WarnerDr. Melinda Warner is a fictional character on the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Tamara Tunie. Tunie was originally a recurring cast member until she was added to the main credits in season 7. She became a recurring cast member again in season 13.-Character overview:As the... - Dann FlorekDann FlorekEzekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated...
as Capt. Don CragenDonald CragenDonald "Don" Cragen is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Dann Florek.-Character appearances:...
Recurring
- Christine LahtiChristine LahtiChristine Lahti is an American actress and film director. Lahti has had a successful career in television and film. Throughout her career she has garnered 2 Golden Globe Awards from 8 Nominations, An Emmy Award from 6 Nominations and 2 Academy Award nominations...
as Executive ADA Sonya Paxton - Isabel GilliesIsabel GilliesIsabel Gillies is an actress and author. She has played Elliot Stabler's wife, Kathy, in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999...
as Kathy Stabler - Jeffrey ScaperrottaJeffrey ScaperrottaJeffrey Scaperrotta is an American actor notable for his recurring role as Richard "Dickie" Stabler on the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.-Filmography:- External links :*...
as Dickie Stabler - Vincent SpanoVincent SpanoVincent M. Spano is an American stage, film and television actor, and film director and producer. He received a Cable Ace Award nomination in 1988 for his role as Mark Ciuni in Il cugino americano.-Backround:...
as FBI Special Agent Dean Porter - Robert John Burke as IAB Lt. Tucker
- John SchuckJohn SchuckConrad John Schuck Jr. is an American actor, primarily in stage, movies and television. He is best-known for his roles as police commissioner Rock Hudson's mildly slow-witted assistant, Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama McMillan & Wife, and as Lee Meriwether's husband, Herman Munster...
as Chief of Detectives - Judith LightJudith LightJudith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light...
as Judge Elizabeth DonnellyElizabeth DonnellyElizabeth Donnelly is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Judith Light since 2002.-Character overview:... - Ernest WaddellErnest WaddellErnest Waddell is a New York City-based actor. He is perhaps best known for his recurring roles on two television series : Fin Tutuola's son Ken Randall on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Omar Little's boyfriend Dante on The Wire...
as Ken Randall - Sharon StoneSharon StoneSharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
as ADA Jo Marlowe - Sam WaterstonSam WaterstonSamuel Atkinson "Sam" Waterston is an American actor and occasional producer and director. Among other roles, he is noted for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sydney Schanberg in 1984's The Killing Fields, and his Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal of Jack McCoy...
as DA Jack McCoyJack McCoyJohn James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
Guest stars
Wentworth MillerWentworth Miller
Wentworth Earl Miller III is an English-born American actor; model and screenwriter who rose to stardom following his role as Michael Scofield in the Fox Network television series Prison Break.-Early life:...
guest starred in the first episode as a police officer named Nate Kendall, who saves a rape victim in the beginning of the episode and helps SVU solve the case. In the second episode Eric McCormack
Eric McCormack
Eric James McCormack is a Canadian American actor, musician, writer and producer. Born in Toronto, he began his acting career performing in school plays at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute High School...
played the CEO of a "sugar daddy" dating website named Vance Shepard. In the tenth episode, John Larroquette
John Larroquette
John Edgar Bernard Larroquette, Jr. is an American film, television and Broadway actor. His roles include Dan Fielding on the series Night Court, Mike McBride in the Hallmark Channel series McBride, John Hemingway on The John Larroquette Show, and Carl Sack in Boston Legal.-Personal...
played Randall Carver, an attorney defending a man accused of murdering children of illegal aliens
Alien (law)
In law, an alien is a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country.-Categorization:Types of "alien" persons are:*An alien who is legally permitted to remain in a country which is foreign to him or her. On specified terms, this kind of alien may be called a legal alien of that country...
. In the episode, the character was asked by Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
's character, Detective Fin
Fin Tutuola
Det. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola is a fictional character and protagonist on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Ice-T.The character's name is taken from the book The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola, a member of the Yoruba people of Nigeria...
, why he was defending a man accused of killing children of illegal aliens, for which he replied "It's a symptom, not the disease.", and went on to say "Garrison, Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
, all of them. They're like a cancer spreading ignorance and hate. I mean, they have convinced folks that immigrants are the problem, not corporations that fail to pay a living wage or a broken health care system
Health care in the United States
Health care in the United States is provided by many separate legal entities. Health care facilities are largely owned and operated by the private sector...
." Bill O'Reilly took offense and stated on his show
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
that he was outraged by Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
using his name in such a "defamatory manner" and called it "outrageous". He went on to say that "Dick Wolf is a coward for putting it out there."
Comedian Kathy Griffin
Kathy Griffin
Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
guest starred in the episode "P.C.", playing a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
activist named Babs Duffy. She was originally going to share an onscreen kiss with Benson. She said "Yes, we have a lesbian kiss". Despite the kiss between the characters being shown in a "behind the scenes" video, it was not shown in the final edit.
Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on...
, Lisa Arrindell Anderson and Quinton Aaron
Quinton Aaron
Quinton Aaron, born August 15, 1984, is an American actor whose first lead role was as Michael Oher in the 2009 film The Blind Side.-Early Life:...
guest starred in "Disabled" that aired March 24. Scott played the sister and caretaker of a former singer (Lisa Arrindell Anderson) who has severe multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and is raped. Aaron played Scott's son. Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
and Jaclyn Smith
Jaclyn Smith
Jacquelyn Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith is an American actress and businesswoman. She is best-known for the role of Kelly Garrett in the television series Charlie's Angels, and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run...
guest starred in the episode "Bedtime" that aired March 31. Ann-Margret played "a star of commercials that were made in the '70s" and Smith a "retired cop who works with Benson and Stabler to solve an old crime". They were joined by Morgan Fairchild
Morgan Fairchild
Morgan Fairchild is an American actress. She achieved prominence during the late 1970s and early 1980s with continuing roles in several television series, in which she usually conveyed a glamorous image. Fairchild has also performed in live theater and played guest roles in television comedies...
, Susan Anton
Susan Anton
-Youth:Anton attended Yucaipa High School in Yucaipa, California, and graduated in 1968. After high school, Anton attended San Bernardino Valley College...
, William Atherton
William Atherton
William Atherton , born William Atherton Knight II, is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son of Roby and Robert Atherton Knight...
and Renee Taylor
Renee Taylor
Renée Taylor is an American actress, Academy Award nominated writer and one-time director, best-known for having played Fran Drescher's outspoken mother, Sylvia Fine, on the TV series The Nanny.- Career :...
, with Helen Shaver
Helen Shaver
Helen Shaver is a Canadian actress and film and television director.-Early life:Shaver was born and raised in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, a small city located near London, Ontario, with five sisters...
directing again. On August 21, 2010, Ann-Margret won the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in the episode. It was the first win of her career, after being nominated 5 times prior. Lynn Cohen
Lynn Cohen
Lynn Cohen is an American actress. She is probably best known for playing Magda in the HBO series Sex and the City and the 2008 film of the same name. She has also played Judge Elizabeth Mizener several times on Law & Order, and has appeared in the movies Munich, Vanya on 42nd Street, Synecdoche,...
guest-starred in the April 21 episode titled "Beef" playing a "matriach
Matriarchy
A matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority. It is also sometimes called a gynocratic or gynocentric society....
of an Italian Beef Company".
Episodes
| Season no. |
Series no. |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. Viewers (millions) |
|---|
External links
- Official episode guide
- Season 11 episodes at TVGuide.com
- Season 11 episodes at MSN.com
- Season 11 episodes at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Season 11 episodes at IMDb.com
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 11 on the Law & Order wiki