Having been in charge of compliance for the firm out of which your uncle perpetrated the largest Ponzi scheme in history inevitably leads to a fair amount of legal trouble. The Special Victims Unit could always rely on Dr. Huang to spout some psycho-babble when they were having a hard time analyzing a victim or a perpetrator. Benson goes undercover as a prisoner to investigate a culprit that the SVU suspects: a prison guard. She promptly became a pain in the ass to the crime lab, detaining relatives for marijuana possession, refusing to cooperate with the CSIs in their noble attempts to put away bad guys, and generally being a mean person. Lionel Granger is not a calming presence. But, since were a cynical bunch and we are talking about TVs worst lawyers, not the best, lets look at the other side of the coin and point out the incompetency of the Los Angeles District Attorney, Hamilton Burger. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action. The story was inspired by real-life events of the Gamergate controversy. The de facto comic relief alongside Munch, Tutuola can still bring the drama, including during a poignant arc involving his relationship with his gay son. In the season 5 episode "Loss," Cabot is targeted and ostensibly killed by a drug cartel, only to return in season 6 when she needs to testify against the man who "murdered" her. Maggie Dettweiler. Privacy Policy. What are your most hated defense attorneys on the show? It employs 101-250 people and has $25M-$50M of revenue. Mine is probably Buchanan! Seriously, it's the esteemed Judith Light sitting on the bench. Carisi, Rollins and Fin all have their opinions on whether or not she was justifiable in her crime. No one, thats who. The Year's 10 Most Infamous Lawyers. The lowest ranking in the 21 seasons of the show is the episode, "Intimidation Game" in season 16. Then he got West to confess to him while wearing a wire. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Plus, look at this guy. Usually, the SVU cops tended to hate defense attorneys. Behind the Scenes of L&O:SVU. Dec 15, 2009, 10:45 AM. After the detectives prove the case, ADA Paxton strolled in, and brushed off his defense that alcohol made him do it. Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March)Seasons 25. He seems to take a perverse pride in losing cases, bragging to people about how many criminals hes put away as their defense attorney. Police procedurals rely on the police as much as the crimes if either aren't interesting, the show simply doesn't work. That means that, on hundreds of occasions, this attorney accused the wrong guy of murder (and lesser crimes) and put him on trial. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Hey man you should stop investigating this further.. you could slip and fall or I could kill your fight now or you could go to Everest get your GED Keep in mind that this guy is a defense attorney that works in Los Angeles. The episode takes place largely in a dispatch room where Detective Benson tries to keep a girl on the phone who has been kidnapped and is being used in a child pornography ring. IMDB. Barba is easily the favorite. Part of that, of course, is due to BD Wong himself. His sendoff was poignant, largely on account of just how big of an impact the character has had. While she switched to private practice to make more money on account of her deadbeat ex, she is still always available when Novak needs her. Liv got it from them in the her flu episode as well.. Nick Amaro - An unfortunate product of bad character development and timing. Anthony Andersons detective character Kevins Bernard - Episode is called Fat. She's caring, compassionate, and, like so many others listed here, phenomenally competent. Here are a few of the best of the worst. After years of rumors about his somewhat ungentlemanly-like behavior, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach Samuel Kent, a federal judge from Texas, in June, because"he abused his power and lied to cover up sexual assaults on two women who worked for him in Galveston.". Reference. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Season 10, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Season 16, 13. In all seriousness, though, Tutuola is incredible. Merritt Rook was an audio engineer who coerced his victims into doing his bidding by putting them into real-life versions of the Milgram experiment. The episode "Part 33" had some mixed reactions to its main storyline. He's deeply distrustful and conspiratorial, though those elements are considerably neutered after the first few seasons (because, well, some of what he believed was a little out there). And yet selection portions of the legal process are fascinating to people, and they cant get enough of fake lawyers who ply their trade in fictional courtrooms all over primetime. In "Monogamy," Dr. Manning beats his wife to death and removes the unborn child from her body via a . Scared Western Union Agent - Lou Diamond Phillips episode. A lot of people love Elliot Stabler. ADA Cabot quite literally came back from the dead. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a spin-off of the crime drama Law & Order, follows the detectives who work in the "Special Victims Unit" of the 16th Precinct of the New York City Police Department, a . "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" airs at 9/8c and . A deeply cryptic yet effective detective, little is known about him during his appearance throughout 17 seasons of "SVU." Despite the show's immense success after so many years, not all episodes were the best. Well, what if the truth is that his client is guilty as sin? Though she started as an ADA, Donnelly became a judge in the show's 7th season, overseeing some of the squad's most sensitive cases. And although Stabler crossed numerous lines, never nearly beat a civilian to death. Enough said. In the episode "Alien," SVU fans were left scratching their head after Olivia and the gang chose to prosecute an 8-year-old girl for what seemed like an example of self-defense. These are their stories. Jacobson developed an incredibly insidious SVU character playing Bart, a man in charge of an escort service who ended up poisoning several women he employed. Yes, Alexandra Cabot comes close very close, on some occasions but it's Novak who remains the most impactful ADA the show has ever seen. Her impact on the SVU cannot be overstated, even if she's never given the credit she deserves. Shana graduated from Fordham Law. Although at first . Add in a few judges behaving badly, and all bases for lawyers behaving badly are covered. Keep your schedule under control and stay organized. From prosecuting dangerous offenders to investigating serious crimes, viewers have been on the edge of their seats while watching the characters of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for 20 seasons. Matlock is a bad lawyer because he has his job title confused. But that leads to a more disturbing question. Without Olivia Benson, there is no "SVU." He and two doctors were charged in March for felonies related to conspiring to furnish Smith drugs. The story was inspired by real-life events of the Gamergate controversy. But damn, the righteousness of this guy was so off putting. ADA Sonja Paxton (Law and Order: SVU) Law and Order has been on the air since the Senior Bush administration, and is still popular enough to be shown in syndication somewhere in the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Written by Ben Adelman Copyrighted www.weirdworm.com Image Sources, Contact Us - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy. Lewis' trial is nothing short of a circus, with his death only happening after he escapes custody, kidnaps Bensonagain,and plays a horrific game of Russian Roulette. RDK Killer and his copycat Henry Becker in Scavenger, Missy Kurtz in Damaged. Here, we'll be reviewing the best of the best, revisiting 15 of the greatest characters "SVU" has seen during its record-breaking (and still ongoing) run. This might seem like an odd entry, but the pivotal court scenes in "SVU" simply wouldn't be the same without Erica Bradshaw. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been a fan favorite for quite some time. It has featured some of television's greatest lawyers, such as Jack McCoy, whose incredulous expression and gravelly voice . Whether she's announcing the episode's defendant or using her distinct lilt to read a list of charges manslaughter, murder, and assault! How Procedural Fans Are Ruining Real Lives, The Best Movies and Shows About Law Enforcement, The Greatest Procedurals of the 2010s, Ranked, What It's Really Like to Train with the FBI, Movie Defense Attorneys You'd Definitely Hire, The Most Horrific 'Law & Order: SVU' Crimes. WatchLaw & Order: SVUonPeacockandNBC. She was found by police disoriented and bleeding from her assault. For more information, please see our While some fans prefer the earlier years of the show when Elliot Stabler was still around, you can't help but shriek with glee when it's on Tv. Barba has done it all, including choking himself out in court to compel a defendant to incriminate himself. Abbie Carmichael (Angie Harmon)Season 1, 4. She fights for women, children, and everyone in between. Lawyers are some of the most educated people in the world today, spending more time in a classroom looking at big books with lots of words and no pictures than anybody except perhaps doctors and literary critics. Louisiana federal judge Thomas J. Porteus listened to testimony in front of the House Judiciary in November that he routinely asked for cash and gifts from lawyers appearing before him, in part to pay for his $150,000 credit card debt. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. Bergrin's touch tactics are legendary. He's a funny over exaggerated Stabler who Cragen purposely paired with Stabler. Credit: Kevin Foley/NBC/Getty Images; Will Hart/NBC/Getty Images (2), Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC/Getty Images, Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank, Credit: Jessica Burstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images, Credit: Michael Parmelee/NBC/Getty Images, Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images, Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/NBC/Getty Images. A place to discuss one of the greatest TV Dramas, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. In addition, he raped his brother and beat up his dad. Early "Special Victims Unit" wouldn't be what it is without Dr. Huang's helping hand (and his limitless mind). In the entertainment industry, shows and movies about cops and lawyers are considered especially great. At the same time he seemed to at least be genuine with his moral code. Barba and yeah Carisi was much better as a cop imo. Howard K. Stern first entered the notorious category when he appeared with Anna Nicole Smith on her reality show, identified as her attorney. Give all the praise to Kelli Giddish's performance. Court Clerk (Erica Bradshaw . The defense objects, the judge yells, and Paxton is up Fudgesicle Creek without a Popsicle stick. Dauphin HumanDesign Group. Rollins was introduced in season 13, making her the longest-running new character in the series. While the episode created a tense situation for Benson, who has to make a tough decision on who to arrest without being seen as the villain, it only got a 5.5 rating from IMDb. The episode involved an Olympic pole vaulter who was living a double life. 3. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The cast of seasons 19-20 (2018-2019). A graduate of Fordham University with previous years experience interning for Clich Magazine. Here, we'll be reviewing the best of the best, revisiting 15 of the greatest characters "SVU" has seen during its record-breaking (and still ongoing) run. Sadly, some of these lawyers are, to put it politely, rather confused about how the whole legal process works as a whole and criminal law specifically. As the franchise continues to grow with the forthcoming series "Law & Order: Hate Crimes," we ranked all the spin-offs so far: 6. The one where EW follows up with the cast. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The series frequently comments on Cabot's high conviction rate and her commitment to justice. You'll most likely find her binge-watching a new television show or movies on Netflix into the early morning. Having just become a judge, Donnelly's office is bugged in the middle of a missing persons case (it's basically Natalie Holloway, done "SVU" style). Shes disbarred and sent to rehab, the killer is set free, and gets away with murder. In other words, he's an SVU legacy. They tore the place apart looking for proof, interrogated all the CSIs, exposed Natalia as a mole, and got nowhere. Even when she's bending the rules, it's for a good reason. Law & Order Cast List. To be fair though, hes totally rocking that suit. One of the most reviled Executive ADAs in the show's history, Sonya (Lahti)filled in for Cabot across a handful of season 11 episodes, immediately clashing with SVU, particularly Stabler, for being both cynical and ambitious. Privacy Policy. It's troubling stuff, indicative of how toxic fandom is rarely, if ever, limited to distinct media properties. Intimidation Game (3.3) The lowest ranking in the 21 seasons of the show is the episode, "Intimidation Game" in season 16. 14. Sexy and sassy, he brought a sense of humor to the show. On the other hand, while Nick had one, he could at times let his ego take over. I hated that woman with the curly hair who not only defended rapists but helped hide one or something because she thought he was cute, I forgot her name though. Though, one loss haunted her for years and clouded her judgment when the perpetrator finally resurfaced. Examples this year range from Pepperdine Law grad Rod Blagojevich's exit from the Illinois governorship to Florida lawyer Scott Rothstein's confiscated boats to Bernie Madoff's niece Shana, who was a little too close to the family business. He was the first federal judge to go to prison since 1991. At times, her role on "SVU" is to simply appear in the first act and recite some of the foulest dialogue you'll find on primetime TV. Dawn DeNoon (character) Depago (Attorney) Lorenzo Desappio. Light's Donnelly appeared intermittently between the show's 3rd and 12th seasons, always popping up when the SVU needed a little boost and morale. 2. level 2. gabiifrasseneii. Marlo Thomas could appear on any show, as any character, for any length of time, and arguably deserve a spot on a "best of" list. He was pretty much the Everest commercial guy in stalker form. ABA Model Rule 1.3 states "A lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client.". "No witness, no case," he reportedly said. What do you think of my list? It's also unwarranted since, for the most part, Kathy Stabler is an exceptional character. Law and Order has been on the air since the Senior Bush administration, and is still popular enough to be shown in syndication somewhere in the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It has featured some of televisions greatest lawyers, such as Jack McCoy, whose incredulous expression and gravelly voice has spelled doom for many a defendant. Lucy Lang, Executive Director, Institute For Innovation In Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, takes a look at courtroom scenes from a varie. Barba pursues manslaughter charges after a second fatal heart attack. While the original "Law & Order" has its fair share of memorable faces, it's "SVU" that has endured on account of just how stacked its rotating cast of characters is. If every single client represented by Perry Mason is innocent, and Mason always tells you who the real killer is anyway, why in the Sam Hill does this guy keep indicting people represented by Mason? Boy, its a good thing no real criminals went on trial in this show, or Los Angeles would be even more of a crime filled Hell hole than it is now. Better still, Fin is the longest-running cast member next to Olivia Benson herself. From the first season's start in 1999 to the 20th season's premiere in 2018, the cast aged right along with the officers, lawyers, and judges of the specialized unit. In her post, Gillies laments the fans' reaction, detailing how upset she was with how vicious fans could be about her character and the joy they took in her death. She eventually finds the girl, but not before she has to dig her out of a shallow grave. Overscheduled days and being disorganized can mean that you drop the ball. Lewis kidnaps Benson and forces her to watch as he sexually assaults numerous women, then he tortures her in an abandoned cabin in the woods. The New State Union Rep Tony Rodriguez- I hated this guy so much. When pornographic photos of a young girl go viral at her high school after a sex party, the team is called in to investigate. Alexandra Cabot (March) is a fighter, tackling everything from complex war crimes to dismantling the typically lecherous (and fictional) Hudson University. Later, he murders a young woman, and the SVU is able to finally gather enough evidence against himbut it's not without countless obstacles along the way. I'm talking contusions, bruises, bodily fluids, and that sort of thing, delivered with an austere clinical lilt that comes across as cold and desensitized. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. Gabriela Silva is a List writer for Screen Rant with experience in all things television, film and pop culture. Miller sexually assaults a defense attorney at a police charity ball, and through legal and illegal intimidation, he avoids charges.