L&O: It's a Columbian cartel bloodbath and Cerreta gets shot

Law & Order S3 E8 “Prince of Darkness”

“Tell Dick Wolf this show will be nothing without me.”

After the brazen murder of a travel agent, Mike Logan and Phil Cerreta are on the hunt for a Columbian hit man who's "sending a message." During the investigation, Cerreta is shot in an undercover sting gone wrong by a twitchy illegal gun dealer. By the end of the episode, virtually everyone is dead: the wife, the grandmother, the daughter, the gun dealer, the business partner, and even the hit man. 

We're talking about one of the great all-time episodes of Law & Order, season 3 episode 8 "Prince of Darkness." Our guest is Brady Carlson from the "Cool Weird Awesome" podcast.

This episode takes cues from the real life story of Jhon Jairo Velasquez. 

SVU: He kept her in a sex bunker. She cut off his penis.

SVU s5 e9 “Control”

“Sorry I didn’t believe you that you were kept in a sex dungeon. I promise, it’ll never happen again.”

A man in the subway gets his twig and berries cut off. The detectives learn he had been keeping women chained in a sex dungeon. One of the former captives reported the abduction years earlier, but Olivia didn't believe her story. When the kidnapper ends up dead, Stabler wonders if Benson is hiding something.

We're talking about SVU season 5 episode 9 "Control." Our pinch hitting guest is Lily Flynn from the These Are Their Stories podcast.

This episode takes cues from the real life case of John Jamelske.

SVU: The judge was running his own brothel!

SVU S20 E15 “Brothel”

Can partners from twenty years ago come together for true love? I’d be nice to find out.

The detectives' raids on pop-up brothels keep getting foiled because the judge who runs the operation is tipping them off. Meantime, Fin hopes to make a love connection with his old partner, Phoebe Baker.

Plus: a bonus discussion about the season finales of Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

We're talking about SVU season 20 episode 15 Brothel. Our guest is Melanie Joy from the Ewing Barbecue podcast.

This episode takes cues from the real-life story of former judge Tim Nolan. 

CI series finale! Did James Van Der Beek murder the Winklevoss twins?

Criminal Intent S10 E8 “To The Boy In The Blue Knit Cap”

“Do you think you could make that crying face like when Dawson told Joey to be with Pacey?”

The victims are the rich twins suing a woman for stealing their social network idea and making millions. Is it her, her hipster boyfriend, or the coke-snorting former pornographer (played by James Van Der Beek). Meantime, Goren learns if he will keep his job after completing mandatory therapy. 

This is how it ends. We're talking about the series finale of Criminal Intent, season 10 episode 8 "To The Boy In The Blue Knit Cap." Our guest is Juwan Holmes from LGBTQ Nation.

This story is inspired by the lawsuit between Mark Zuckerberg and the Winklevoss twins. 

SVU: The politician was sending pics of his junk

SVU S15 E6 “October Surprise”

“OMG! It’s the first penis I’ve seen in all my years of SVU!”

Mayoral candidate Alex Muñoz asks Barba to intervene in a case involving their childhood buddy, but Amaro suspects the politician actually is being extorted for trading nude photos with women. Barba refuses to believe his oldest friend would send dick pics...until Muñoz falls into Amanda's online honey trap. 

¡Dios mío! We're talking about SVU season 15 episode 6* October Surprise. Our guest is the winner of the These Are YOUR Stories contest Briley O'Connor.

This episode is inspired by the case of Anthony Weiner.

Note: Because of a two-part season 15 opener, some streaming services list this as episode 5.

L&O: Logan punches a homophobic politician and gets exiled

Law & Order S5 E23 “Pride”

“So you just punched a guy. If you weren’t a white cop in 1990s New York, I’d be worried.”

A gay city councilman is gunned down. McCoy and Kincaid go after the victim's homophobic political rival, but when it looks like Councilman Crossley will get away with it, Logan socks him in the face and ruins his career.

We're talking about Law & Order season 5 episode 23 "Pride." Our guest is Kate Dawson from the podcast "Tenfold More Wicked."

This episode is inspired by the assassination of Harvey Milk. 

Hello, World!

L&O: Two wives kill each other's husbands and Briscoe retires

Law & Order S14 E24 “C.O.D.”

Jerry Orbach says goodbye to his co-stars who, aware of his failing health, are heart broken.

“Now I have to carry eleven years worth personal items home on the subway. Wish me luck.”

Her philandering deliveryman husband is murdered, but the gun Mrs. Byrne purchased was used to kill Mrs. Gardner's husband. Did the wives make a deadly deal? Meantime, Lenny Briscoe puts in his papers and retires from the 2-7.

We're offering a tribute to Jerry Orbach while discussing Law & Order season 14 episode 24 C.O.D.. Our guest is Lisa Strawn from the "Don't Talk To Strangers" podcast.

Plot points are inspired by the Alfred Hitchcock film "Strangers On a Train." 

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SVU & OC: Stabler returns! Benson isn't thrilled!

SVU S22 E9 “Return of the Prodigal Son”/OC S1 E1 “What Happens in Puglia”

"Everyone’s going to be so excited to see me, my emotional unavailability, and my special brand of abusive policing.”

A car bomb kills Kathy Stabler while she and Elliot return from Italy to NYC. While SVU looks for who's behind the attack, Olivia works on her feelings about Elliot walking out of her life a decade ago.

Later, Stabler's organized crime task force zeroes in on a mob boss behind the bomb...but it's his son who's been pulling the strings all along.

We're doing a special episode covering the crossover event welcoming back Chris Meloni. We're talking about SVU season 22 episode 9 "Return of the Prodigal Son" and L&O: Organized Crime season 1 episode 1 "What Happens in Puglia." Our guest is Sonia Sells from the "Rewind the Love" podcast.

These episodes take plot points from the real life case of the ’Ndrangheta crime syndicate.

CI: Goren thinks the mysterious dying girl is fake

Criminal Intent S1 E21 “Faith”

The look Eames gives when Goren asks a teenaged girl about her period.

Goren and Eames learn a murdered man had been spending money on an inspirational teen dying of ALS. Though despite her rabid fanbase and her best-selling book, no one has ever seen the girl face-to-face. Would someone kill to keep up the charade? 

We're talking about Criminal Intent season 1 episode 21 "Faith." Our guest is comedienne and podcaster Brandi Brown.

This episode takes cues from the case of Debbie Swenson.  

SVU: Mischa Barton lets Benson decide whether her baby lives or dies

SVU S11 E14 “Savior”

“This looks really expensive. I’ll have to find a way to stick Benson with this medical bill.”

Benson and Stabler hunt a religious fanatic who's killing prostitutes. A pregnant call girl is their only witness, but before she can identify the suspect, her baby is born prematurely. As the severely disabled child clings to life, the mother gives power-of-attorney to Olivia who must decide her fate.

We're talking about SVU season 11 episode 14 "Savior." Our guest is Repy Hattersley from the "Hell and High Horror" podcast. 

A plot point for this episode is inspired by the sex scandal of former NY governor Eliot Spitzer. 

SVU: A.D.D. drugs turn Sarah Hyland into a killer

SVU S10 E12 “Hothouse”

“I’ve been taking pills and watching 26.2 hours of my favorite crime show…and I still have 22,149 hours to go!

Benson and Stabler think a teen plucked from the river is a Ukrainian sex slave, but learn she's actually a prep school mathematics champion with an abusive father. Attention turns to her class rival (played by Sarah Hyland) who's been awake for days on pills to help her study.  

We're talking about SVU season 10 episode 12 "Hothouse." Our special guest is TATS promotions director Lily Flynn.

Plot points for this episode come from the controversy around treatments for Attention Deficit Disorder in school children. 

L&O: Who'd kill to score a reality show? Jim Gaffigan or the Octomom?

Law & Order S20 E4 “Reality Bites”

I’m taking care of ten kids all by myself. Jail would be a vacation for me!

The mother of ten adopted children with special needs is murdered. Lupo and Bernard find she was reluctant to star in the reality show her husband (played by Jim Gaffigan) wanted to do...and next in line is another mom of ten - including septuplets - determined to get the show. Later, Rubirosa gets burned by reality TV.

We're talking about Law & Order season 20 episode 4 Reality Bites.

Our guest is Tara Ariano from the Extra Hot Great podcast.

This episode takes some inspiration from the story of the so-called "Octomom," Nadya Sulema.

SVU: The one with Joe Biden and the perp based on Steven Avery

SVU S16 E2 “Making a Rapist”

I’m announcing the appointment of Olivia Benson as Secretary of Kicking Ass and Taking Names, bitch.

Joe Biden visits the squad to praise SVU for their work - which includes exonerating a man Fin wrongfully arrested for rape 16 years ago. When he becomes the suspect in a new murder, is it possible all those years of hard time turned an innocent man into a killer? 

We're marking the peaceful transfer of power with SVU season 18 episode 2 "Making a Rapist." Our guest is actress and comedian Janet Varney of The JV Club podcast.

This episode is based on the real life case of Steven Avery.

L&O: Lorena Bobbitt, Son of Sam, a deadly burrito...and Michael Moriarty goes crazy

Law & Order S4 E17 “Mayhem”

Considering her crime, Logan’s lucky all that happened was getting hit with a frying pan.

In one day, the detectives investigate a murder on lover's lane, a deadly stick-up, a drug shooting, a cold case, and a woman who cuts off her husband's penis. Logan commits police brutality with a bagel and Briscoe just wants to get to the Knicks game. All of this because Michael Moriarty went crazy on the set. 

We're talking about the classic, format-breaking Law & Order season 4 episode 17 "Mayhem" with our guest Erin Fox.

One of the many ripped-from-the-headlines cases that inspired this episode is the story of Lorena Bobbitt. 

SVU: Cassidy goes undercover to nab cops raping drunk women

SVU S15 E4 “Internal Affairs”

“Just trying to work my way back in…to ‘Law & Order: SVU’! You dropped me from the show a decade ago for crying out loud!”

Tucker convinces SVU to help bust cops raping the drunk women they escort home. Cassidy goes undercover to expose the sexual misconduct...and has to do things during the sting that strain his new relationship with Olivia.

We're talking about SVU season 15 episode 4* "Internal Affairs." Our guest is Nettie Smith from the Get Wasted on South of Nowhere podcast.

This episode is inspired by the real life case of NYPD officers Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata.

*Note: Due to a two-part season opener, some streaming services list this as episode 3.

L&O: A divorce attorney kills to win the case!

Law & Order S8 E16 “Divorce”

“Murdering lawyers? Don’t tempt me, McCoy.”

Briscoe and Curtis learn a marriage counselor may have been killed in a dispute over an annulment. The Kilpatricks hate each other, but not as much as their divorce attorneys hate each other. McCoy and Ross think Mrs. Kilpatrick's lawyer set her own client up for murder just to win the case.

We're talking about L&O season 8 episode 16 "Divorce." Our guest is RTÉ 2fm host Chris Greene. 

This episode takes cues from the annulment case of Congressman Joseph Kennedy. 

SVU: Who threw the hair drier in the bathtub?:

SVU S22 E2 “Ballad of Dwight and Irena”

“I can’t wait to take this mask off right before I talk really close to someone who just took off theirs.”

We're doing a special quick-turnaround podcast on last week's episode of SVU! 

An abusive boyfriend is killed when a hair drier falls into his bathtub. Did his girlfriend or her son toss it in the water? Meantime, Fin deals with the legal fallout of last season's fatal shooting. Also, why is everyone wearing COVID masks, but taking them off to talk to people!!! 

We're talking about the super-spreader episode S22 E2 "Ballad of Dwight and Irena." Our returning guest is writer and podcaster Mary Phillips-Sandy.

This episode takes some cues from the issue of family violence during COVID lockdowns.

SVU: Fin and Olivia pose as a pimp and madam to find a sex slave

SVU S16 E15 “Undercover Mother”

Say what you want about this episode, Ice-T looks fucking good in a purple suit and a paisley shirt.

A madam caught in a prostitution sting is really a mom looking for her daughter sold into sexual slavery. The whole squad goes undercover at a brothel - with Olivia posing as a madam and Fin as a pimp - to rescue the girl from Johnny D, Noah's father.

We're discussing SVU season 16 episode 15 "Undercover Mother." Our guest is Jamilah Lemieux from the Mom and Dad are Fighting podcast.

This episode is based on the real life story of Argentine activist Susana Trimarco.

L&O: Benson helps Briscoe find kidnapped Ellen Pompeo

Law & Order S10 E15 “Fools for Love”

“You know, if this cross-over stunt works, we might keep our show on the air for another 21…22 years.”

With some help from SVU's Benson and Stabler, Briscoe and Green track a rape/murder suspect who may still be holding the victim's sister (Ellen Pompeo). But after McCoy offers her a deal to testify against the killer, he realizes she was a willing participant in his brutal crimes.

We're talking about the L&O/SVU crossover episode Law & Order season 10 episode 15 "Fools for Love." Our guest is Chris Klemmer from the "Quantum Week" podcast.

This episode is inspired by the case of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.

SVU: Speed-dating rapist Dean Cain wants to pull his wife's feeding tube

SVU S7 E8 “Starved”

“Faster than a speeding bullet? Oh, you KNOW I am.”

Benson & Stabler track a serial rapist to a speed-dating event. His new wife is the star witness against him, and when she slips into a coma after an overdose, he fights her mother for the power to remove her feeding tube. 

We're talking about SVU season 7 episode 8 "Starved." Our guest is Ronald Young Jr. from the Leaving the Theater podcast.

This episode is inspired by the case of Terri Schiavo.