Doubt
- Episode aired Nov 23, 2004
- TV-14
- 41m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
An art professor's alleged rape accusation devolves into confusing battle of "he said, she said".An art professor's alleged rape accusation devolves into confusing battle of "he said, she said".An art professor's alleged rape accusation devolves into confusing battle of "he said, she said".
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Richard Belzer
- Detective John Munch
- (credit only)
Ice-T
- Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
- (credit only)
BD Wong
- Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D.
- (as B.D. Wong)
- (credit only)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn the on-line vote most voters found in favor of the defendant.
- GoofsWhen detectives interview Jenny she's painting the left leg of a large structure. There's no paint on the right leg. At the end of the interview a large section of the right leg is painted and Jenny did not have time to paint it.
- Quotes
Olivia Benson: What happened between you and Kathy?
Elliot Stabler: [shrugs] Uhh, the job. Makes me kind of hard to live with.
Olivia Benson: She should try working with you.
Featured review
Ahead of it's Time
A lot of episodic content from tv shows - SVU included - follows a predictable if pleasant formula which means when an episode stands out it really stands out. This was one of those times for me. On the surface 'Doubt' is very much a "He said, she said" tale, but the deeper in we go the less that seems to be the case. I'll be blunt - I found it refreshing to see a story for once that featured a guilty female party who seems very much a liar and a male victim. It's a hot button topic, but the laws & penalties regarding people who make false rape allegations aren't severe enough.
Myra Denning (Shannyn Sossamon) a bit disheveled and possibly intoxicated tries to hail a cab in the middle of the night leading to a minor scene and the cops showing up. Immediately she blurts out she's been raped and Benson (Hagarty) & Stabler (Meloni) investigate the claim immediately. The accused attacker - a university professor Ron Polikoff (Billy Campbell) - shows up quickly on scene (his apartment nearby) and shockingly makes the claim he knew this was going to happen with his female student.
The dynamic of burden of proof is handled quite well here because the story (at least initially) plays to it's strengths having the main stars taking sides on the sides of the victim, suspect respectively in this not-so-clearcut case. Some episodes tell a very straightforward tale with no ambiguity while others keep you guessing to know where the truth lies. This episode could have been either one of those if only Myra didn't keep making suspect decisions that equally diminish likability & credibility.
Viola Davis is here as the defense attorney and does her part making this episode a strong outing. The two other central guest stars are solid without question too. No one's dismissing that rape is a real thing and should be treated seriously, but this tale was really ahead of it's time. It showcases brilliantly how much a man has to lose legally, financially, judgmentally when he makes a bad decision involving sex. Pity about that failed experiment of an ending though.
Myra Denning (Shannyn Sossamon) a bit disheveled and possibly intoxicated tries to hail a cab in the middle of the night leading to a minor scene and the cops showing up. Immediately she blurts out she's been raped and Benson (Hagarty) & Stabler (Meloni) investigate the claim immediately. The accused attacker - a university professor Ron Polikoff (Billy Campbell) - shows up quickly on scene (his apartment nearby) and shockingly makes the claim he knew this was going to happen with his female student.
The dynamic of burden of proof is handled quite well here because the story (at least initially) plays to it's strengths having the main stars taking sides on the sides of the victim, suspect respectively in this not-so-clearcut case. Some episodes tell a very straightforward tale with no ambiguity while others keep you guessing to know where the truth lies. This episode could have been either one of those if only Myra didn't keep making suspect decisions that equally diminish likability & credibility.
Viola Davis is here as the defense attorney and does her part making this episode a strong outing. The two other central guest stars are solid without question too. No one's dismissing that rape is a real thing and should be treated seriously, but this tale was really ahead of it's time. It showcases brilliantly how much a man has to lose legally, financially, judgmentally when he makes a bad decision involving sex. Pity about that failed experiment of an ending though.
helpful•30
- refinedsugar
- Feb 13, 2024
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