Ridicule
- Episode aired Dec 14, 2001
- TV-14
- 43m
Detectives Benson and Stabler investigate the death of a young wife who was recently accused of assaulting a male stripper with a group of her girlfriends.Detectives Benson and Stabler investigate the death of a young wife who was recently accused of assaulting a male stripper with a group of her girlfriends.Detectives Benson and Stabler investigate the death of a young wife who was recently accused of assaulting a male stripper with a group of her girlfriends.
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- Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D.
- (as B.D. Wong)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode marks Diane Neal's first appearance on SVU, before she later returned to play ADA Casey Novak.
- GoofsThe judge cites the First Amendment's gender equality protections in dismissing a challenge to the rape statute. Gender equality jurisprudence arises under the Fourteenth Amendment, not the First.
- Quotes
Olivia Benson: Pam Adler was in that bedroom.
John Munch: Which means Amelia Chase is probably the third member of this rape troika.
Elliot Stabler: I'm not so sure he's being entirely candid.
Olivia Benson: He was raped, Elliot.
Elliot Stabler: He's an actor. He's trained to make us believe.
Odafin Tutuola: Three women at the same time, most guys would call that lucky.
Olivia Benson: So we're saying that men are sex hounds and only women can feel violated? That's gender bias.
- ConnectionsReferences Law & Order (1990)
In all honesty, while really admiring that this particular subject was explored (one of Season 3's most relevant today and controversial), part of me was not expecting to love "Ridicule" as much as it transpired to be. Was expecting to highly appreciate what it set out to do, but "Ridicule" ended up being towards one of the better episodes of Season 3. Powerful and thought-provoking while making an important point. It is an unusual episode in a way and does stand out among the rest of not just 'Special Victims Unit's' episodes but of the franchise in general, in its approach to the subject of rape but in gender reversal. For the franchise and of the show up to this point, the case here is a unique one, having never been before in the previous episodes. Was worried as to how the story would be executed, but it turned out that the worry was for nothing.
"Ridicule" is well made, not having too much of a filmed play feel while not being gimmicky. The music is haunting yet not overwrought. The direction is accomodating but is alert enough to the production too. Cannot fault the acting too, with one seeing a completely different side to Diane Neal before she became Casey Novak and doing it in so scary a way. This was not expected. The script is clever and well balanced that treated the subject respectfully, had a mix of entertainment value and unsettlement and had insight in the problems discovered when dealing with the case.
What set "Ridicule" apart was the story, was worried that the execution would be sleazy and bigoted but actually it was dealt with remarkably tactfully and with taste and compassion. Did have reservations with one character's attitude towards the case, but this was not handled distastefully or done with too much judgement. While the scenario is not seen or heard of a lot, it's not unrealistic or extinct. If anybody doesn't find "Ridicule" an easy watch, good. It should be uncompromising, the "all sunshine and daisies" approach is not appropriate in this case and would have trivialised a subject that is not easy to face but very important to address to stop any generalisation.
It is very important to remember that there are male rape victims too and that "Ridicule" explored it is deserving of a lot of credit and even more that it did so without falling into any of the worrisome traps. The plot is very intricate without being confusing, with any reveals being clever and not predictably done. Was also very interested in the portrayal of the responsible, instead of the cold-blooded serial perpetrators seen a lot we see the not so commonly seen "very smart and think they are invincible" type which makes the episode just as chilling.
Sadly, it is really sad that Stabler's attitude towards the case and especially the victim is a big turn off here. Here he is a jerk and he is not usually this unsympathetic or biased, when he is known for want justice for the victims in a tough as nails way (most episodes) or trying to help ones that become perpetrators as a result (Season 1's "Nocturne").
All in all, it's a great episode and a very admirable one. 9/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 23, 2020