Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Birthright (2004) User Reviews

Great. That's all there is to say.

[crscountrykid · 9/10 · 7 January 2011]

I have been a fan of SVU for a long time now. I haven't necessarily seen all the episodes due to other conflicts but I'm working on it. I chose to watch this one last night because the summary on IMDb seemed pretty intense. Boy, was it right.

A potential kidnapping turns into a private investigation which leads to a con man doctor which then leads to a real snatching of a kid which then leads to a custody fight. I think that sums it up pretty nicely.

But, the real stars of the show are the guest stars. We all know about the abilities of Meloni, Hargitay, Florek, etc. But, the people who really stole the spotlight were Lea Thompson, who plays Michelle Osborne and Abigail Breslin, who plays little Patty Branson. Both are very convincing, especially Breslin and the freaked-out-of-her-mind character she is portraying. Thompson is also very hard-nosed as the 'mother' of Breslin's character. This is evident during a jail house meeting scene in about the middle of the episode.

Watch. This. Episode.

The DNA confirms it

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 4 June 2014]

The villain in this episode of SVU is an unseen one. This episode also entertains the proposition that a mother knows her own kid no matter what.

Someone has been trying to snatch young Abigail Breslin for a few weeks now, it's obvious whoever this is fixated on this child. In a nicely pulled off sting operation the squad nails the two perpetrators. They turn out to be private detectives.

But who has hired them? Turns out to be Lea Thompson who spotted her and knew it was a daughter. And guess what, the DNA confirms it.

In vitro fertilization is the answer some fertility clinic implanted Thompson's egg with husband Beau Gravitte's sperm doing its thing inside his wife Camilla Scott's womb.

What a lovely custodial dilemma. And what a tough case for Diane Neal to win in court. Some interesting issues about fertility clinics and their practices are raised here. We never even see who the people are who caused this tragic mess.

A good, but sad story all around.

Maternal rights

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 14 January 2021]

Despite really liking Season 5 on the whole, it did end disappointingly with its odd final episode. So there was the hope that "Birthright" would be back to the outstanding quality that 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' at its best showed frequently. And the potential for that to be the case was big, as "Birthright" centres around a great concept and a theme that sparks much debate and still relevant and important today. A kind of story and theme that is vintage 'Special Victims Unit' and what it does well in.

"Birthright" didn't disappoint in a brilliant Season 6 premiere, that sees 'Special Victims Unit' return to form. One of the better season openers of the early seasons, and one of the most thought-provoking and poignant. This is a subject that is not easy to tackle, the hard-hitting and controversial ones never are (but 'Special Victims Unit' was extremely good at tackling difficult issues in a way that resonates and disturbs), and "Birthright" explores it wonderfully and with full impact.

Everything works here. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction is sympathetic but also alert. The script is tightly structured and intelligent, conveying a wide range of emotions, especially in the latter stages when the complexity comes in.

The King Solomon story sums up the case and its moral dilemmas so well. The story is very compelling and powerful, with a heart-wrenching ending and intelligent and uncompromising approach to the moral dilemmas that come with such a difficult subject. The character interaction and writing is very well rounded and is not one dimensional in a case where one feels for both mothers and where one sees both points of view.

Novak has really come into her own and has really grown on me compared to when she was first introduced early on in Season 5. She has a real command and emotional connection when summing up the moral dilemma in court. The episode is beautifully acted by all, especially by Diane Neal, a heartfelt Abigail Breslin and Lea Thompson.

Brilliant episode all in all. 10/10