Law & Order Special Victims Unit s21e00 Episode Script
The Paley Center Salutes Law and Order SVU
1 Let's get started.
For 21 years, one legendary series has delivered unforgettable - You're a cop? - Who's the bitch now? dramatic One move, lights out.
and heartbreaking moments I just want to be with my family.
and has brought justice to victims of sexually-based crimes.
We're not pleading down rape one Not after what he's done.
Tonight, we pay tribute to the longest-running prime-time drama and character of all time I see you spared no expense.
It's not like we throw a lot of parties.
with a special look back Me and Mariska have been robbing the bank for 21 years.
What drew me was Dick Wolf's pilot.
I knew that the show from a television point of view would be amazing, but I didn't know the cultural impact that it had.
and stories from some of the incredible guest stars.
Mariska is a friend of mine, and she said, "I'm really wanting you to play this part".
I think we're drawn to "Law & Order" because it's just cool.
Let's print that and move on 'cause that was some good stuff.
I mean, that was good stuff.
Oh, look at you, trying to get it all.
Welcome to "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'.
" The show is about survivors' stories.
I want to thank you for helping my daughter, Detective Benson.
You know, in the end, it served a greater purpose, and that resonates with people.
And they watch our show as a form of therapy.
I saw you.
I believe you.
It's very exciting and a profound gift to be sitting in this chair and talking to you about that 21 years later.
I think that "Law & Order" is such a well-oiled machine, and, you know, it's really captured its audience.
This show has some of the elements of that show, and yet it's going in a whole-new area.
Really deals much more with the characters and how these crimes affect them.
I hate him for what he did to you.
This show could go on for another 20 years.
You're joking.
No, we're not.
Love what's happened this year, you know, with adding the new characters, with the ADA and Fin.
Fin Tutuola.
I've been reassigned.
I think Dick Wolf knew.
He was like, "Put Ice in here because it's important that these bad guys have an opponent, somebody who will get as grimy as them".
Most of our stories are, indeed, ripped from the headlines.
It's, uh astounding what people are capable of doing to each other.
The difference between you and all the victims is, you can walk away.
No, I can't.
Christina buys him breakfast.
He rapes her for lunch.
The show gets better every year.
The writing has been incredible.
We're more energized now than we've ever been.
These episodes are somebody's life.
There is such a responsibility to tell the truth.
Nobody would invent the nightmare that she has been through.
Why are you trying to poke holes in her story rather than trying to find her? Eight years in this unit tells me that I don't need to be married to know when an abusive man is escalating.
The writers have a very clear idea about where we're going, but I like the subtlety of how they're doing it.
I like that, you know, they're not looking to wrap it up quickly.
It's nice.
People always say, "10 years.
Are you done? Are you bored?" And I'm not at all.
- Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Hey! I get a little clumsy around scumbag pedophiles.
I do kind of have to pinch myself once in a while because I also went back I started on the original "Law & Order".
All I ever wanted to do was be a working actor in New York City.
I kind of, sort of, almost reached that goal.
I'm the new guy coming in.
I'm moving onto a moving train.
So excited to be joining the cast of "SVU".
13's my lucky number, so here we go.
Never expect anything to run 14 years.
I suppose the aim is to see if we can keep pushing this one uphill and see if it could actually beat "Law & Order".
I'm an NYPD detective.
My partner, my squad the entire department will hunt you down.
You think that you've put people through hell? It will rain back down on you.
When you're 16 seasons in, we got to give it all to the writers.
They write these amazing scripts for us.
You know, I'm always looking to make sure Fin didn't get shot.
And if I get shot, I turn the pages real quick.
"Okay, I'm breathing.
I'm breathing".
It's a big thrill to be back for season 17.
Biggest thing in season 17 is, well, Olivia decided to become a lieutenant.
Lieutenant? So I passed.
I really believe that the reason that the show is on the air still is because I hate it when I get emotional.
But I have to say, it's because of the level of investment and because everybody cares so deeply.
So for that, I thank you.
It's iconic television.
They don't do this anymore.
Shows don't last this long.
When we first started working together, - was it five years ago? - Six.
You kind of get a sense that how far-reaching the show has been, how it's spanned generations and decades.
I am so deeply humbled to tell such important stories, part of our culture that needs to be dealt with.
That's the accomplishment.
That's the power.
That's the legacy.
Thank you for believing me.
Of course.
I sit here, and I just can't believe, like, what we've done together, what we've accomplished.
So many people, this beautiful, 21-year collaboration.
There's a sense of reverence now because which I think there should be because your show, that served a greater purpose than just being entertainment.
Nothing will have this kind of absolute international reach for 21 years.
That will never happen again.
Not everybody can say that, you know, "I've been a part of a show that has been extremely popular for 21 years and continues to be".
I'm part of something that's going down in history, and I never expected it, and what a dream.
I'm proud of my time here.
And I'm honored and grateful to have worked with the finest unit of detectives I've ever known.
I'm just so grateful to be on a show where the longest-running female character on TV is somebody who fights relentlessly and advocates for victims so compassionately, and, um with everything that they have.
And I'm grateful for that, and I'm grateful to be that person.
Coming up I'm taking you behind the scenes.
Right now, we're in the squad room.
I've been so lucky to work with all these incredible actors.
Sit down! Now who controls who? When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" continues.
Okay.
Ice-T here.
Welcome to "SVU".
I'm taking you behind the scenes.
Right now, we're in the squad room.
Mission accomplished.
And this year, we came back with these curved desks.
This little chipmunk changes during the seasons.
If you wanted a little "SVU" spoiler, look really close.
Right now, he's dressed for Thanksgiving.
Now, we shoot at a location that's not a sound station.
If you look up, it's pretty scary.
That's why I don't look up that much.
Special Victims.
I am gonna show you what I think is one of the most intense parts of the squad room.
That would be over here, in the interrogation room.
He will not think twice about throwing you under the bus and then backing up off of you.
This is all you got bare bones.
It's pretty much as intimidating as it can get for any of our perps who come in here.
Do you want to rot in prison for the rest of your life?! You got it.
You can't put me back in prison! No! These things aren't mine! From here, we can see in there.
This is a one-sided window.
So anytime you see any of the really intense interrogations where you have one of the victims out here who's trying to maybe ID a perp, this is where we are, on the outside, and we can observe without them knowing that we are here.
Now, people always want to know, do I have anything particular on my desk, special.
This is a picture of Malcolm X.
So, since Belzer was my G, he left it for me.
And then over here, this is a bulldog.
Now, everybody knows I have bulldogs, but this isn't actually one of my bulldogs.
But I think it's to represent Ice has an affection for bulldogs.
You guys are still here? Mariska is back here.
This is her office.
So, here I am.
It's Icey and three women imagine that.
Everything okay? A lot of changes.
Can we speak in private? Absolutely.
Step into my office.
This is the boss's office.
Why don't you come with me? Olivia.
Do something with the place, will you? There's a lot of Ruth Bader Ginsburg stuff here.
And in this one, she has an Axe.
I don't know what the Axe is for, but she's a pretty strong lady, so she knows what to do with it.
Prop books "Becoming Yourself Again", "Trust Again".
Now, these are on the coffee table for every scene.
I've been staring at these books for the past six years.
Um Maybe I should try to read them one day.
So that was a little, short tour of the "SVU" squad room the new "SVU" squad room, with the new curvy desk configuration.
Alright? Enjoy.
Thanks for watching this, season 21.
We're in full effect.
I'll see you guys on Monday.
- Alright.
- See ya.
I had come off "ER" at NBC, and when I finished "ER", I thought, "Oh, gosh, what am I gonna do now?" And then I got this incredible opportunity to audition for "SVU".
Got a call to audition for Dick Wolf himself.
So I go in with him, and I knew I'd done a great job, and that's really rare.
I was like, you know, "I got this character.
I feel this guy".
Stand up.
Sit down.
Sit down! Now who controls who? I don't hear from these guys for a month.
So I said, "The hell with this.
I'm going to Hawaii for a vacation with my wife".
The tires are still smoking from the landing in Hawaii when I get a call from my agent to tell me to take the next flight back to New York to screen test for the role of Elliot Stabler.
What? So Dick Wolf owes me a vacation to Hawaii.
You see dozens of actors, looking through the people who have what you hope is magic.
I had instant chemistry with Chris at the network, and as soon as they paired us up, Chris and I, we both knew that we were gonna get cast, 'cause I knew that he was the guy, and he said that he knew that I was the girl.
I always carry at least a pair of earrings in my purse.
Yeah, like you carry a purse.
That's 'cause you carry it for me.
Ohh.
She and I hit it off right from the get-go.
Instantaneous ease, chemistry, trust, comfort, and all good.
It's always been a huge part of our relationship, and I think part of the success of the show.
I'd give you a kidney.
Not if I gave you mine first.
I got the call to do this show.
Dick Wolf was like, "You don't like the cops, do you?" I said, "Well, Dick, you know, I was a criminal.
I looked at the cops as the opponent".
He says, "Yeah, but you're admitting we need them".
I'm like, "Yeah.
Yeah, we need them".
He goes, "Okay, I want you to play the cop we need".
So that's who Fin became.
An East Side socialite disappears, we got 50 cops on it.
Black girls start getting executed, we got four cops.
That sounds equal to you? It's kind of like if Ice- magically became a policeman, who would he arrest? I want a deal.
You want a deal? How about right before we execute you for killing those girls I bring you your last meal? How's that? "Law & Order" is a six-person ensemble, and over the 20 years, there were 29 regulars on the show.
So, the only original cast member of "SVU" is Mariska.
I've been so lucky to work with all these incredible actors.
- Captain Cragen? - Not now.
Captain Cragen.
- Ms.
Cabot.
- Alex.
Yeah, right, of course.
Oh, Captain.
Captain Cragen.
- Excuse me? - I'm Detective Amanda Rollins.
You interviewed me last month.
Well, you picked a hell of a first day.
- I'll fill you in later.
- You can fill me in now.
I like playing Rollins because, you know, through the years, she's had some real stumbles, and it's always good to play a comeback kid.
This is Dr.
George Huang, psychiatrist on loan from the FBI setting up ViCAP.
This is Detective Olivia Benson.
- Nice to meet you.
- How do you do? This is Detective Second Grade Nick Amaro.
- He just transferred in.
- Second-grader already, huh? You must have caught some big fish.
Nah, just kissed a lot of ass.
I'm Dr.
Warner.
You the SVU detectives? Yeah, Stabler.
This is Benson.
What happened? I was a science kid myself.
When young people approach me about, you know, being an actor, I encourage them to do well in school because you just never know, you know, when what you learn in ninth-grade biology is going to come into play on the set of "Law & Order: SVU".
Detectives Benson and Rollins.
Rafael Barba.
I lied and told them you know your way around a courtroom.
- You must be my new detective.
- Dominick Carisi Jr.
Call me Sonny.
I brought zeppole.
Carisi comes in with zeppole, and there's one scene in my first episode I'm, like, licking my fingers, then I'm trying to shake Fin's hand.
- Who are you? - Katriona Tamin.
- Call me Kat.
It's faster.
- Okay.
Is it cool to talk here? It is a huge challenge to jump into this machine, but I don't think anyone could've made it any easier than the group of people here, and they kind of had open arms and said, "Welcome to the family".
It's like we're all baking the cake together.
And there's no, like, "Mine, mine, mine".
It's just a big team.
I make sure everybody understands we're all working together for a common goal.
In 48 hours, you solved 21 bank jobs, a murder, and a kidnap? What, you trying to make us look bad? I used to rob banks in real life.
To rob a bank, we don't need to like each other.
I just need to know you know how to drive, you know how to listen to the radio, you know how to control the room, and you know how to go in the safe.
I may not be on the screen.
Chris may be on the screen, BD may be on the screen, Danny Pino could be on the screen.
But technically, he's helping me get my check.
And what happens is, you start to appreciate every person in that clip.
So me and Mariska have been robbing the bank for 21 years.
Coming up We were literally shining a light on this subject matter.
"I wish when I was five years old, I'd had an Elliot Stabler".
Do you really think anyone cares about her? I do.
And trust me, that's enough.
When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" continues.
When I started the show, I knew that the material set a standard.
It was a new level.
Let's print that and move on 'cause that was some good stuff.
- I mean, that was good stuff.
- And this was about if our culture was ready to look at these issues.
He raped me every night for 23 days.
Sometimes he was too drunk, so he did it with whatever was there a wrench a pistol a broom handle.
Talking about this kind of material is something that had been traditionally swept under the carpet, and we were literally shining a light, shining cameras on this subject matter, which I thought was incredible.
There weren't people doing stories about the MeToo Movement, and we've been doing them since we went on the air.
I've known many rape victims who've regretted not going to court.
And I've never met one who's regretted it.
Win or lose? Yeah.
Even if you do lose, you've already faced your attacker and named him for what he is.
"Special Victims Unit" deals with a very particular kind of crime, which is a crime where the victim feels like they are to blame.
You're dealing with a justice system that is already going to be problematic, already gonna be flawed.
The concept of what is fair or right or wrong really ultimately has nothing to do with justice.
Justice is painful.
Justice sure isn't pretty some days.
Damn ugly this time.
The fact that these stories are true, the fact that the statistics are so tragic, and the fact that sexual assault and domestic violence are an epidemic, that we know that now, it's such an important show.
Nothing that we have done a show about, you know, hasn't really happened in one capacity or another.
He nearly killed you with that bottle.
Next time, he will.
I'm scared.
That's why I need you to talk to me.
It really affects me personally, and it gets it's hard not to take it home with you.
Mariska, she has actually become almost embodied Olivia Benson with her Joyful Heart Foundation.
Do you really think anyone cares about her? I do.
And so does she.
And trust me, that's enough.
I refer to her as the mother of the MeToo Movement.
I don't think a lot of things would've happened that have happened without "SVU" and without her.
The foundation, I started it in 2004.
Now we're focusing on eradicating the backlog of untested rape kits.
And they have a backlog of 4,000 rape kits.
He says he'll get me the results when he has them.
Birmingham, more than 2,000 rape kits.
Phoenix has 4,100 untested rape kits.
- Any yesses? - Detroit, Chicago, LA all say that they have victims that match Harris's M.
O.
And that's not enough until they track down those rape kits.
I'm gonna go give them a hand.
There's a backlog of rape kits that's in the hundreds of thousands in our country.
Some people just aren't aware of that, and they can't understand it.
They say, "What do you mean? But that's the whole reason they collect this DNA, is to put it in the system, right?" And we all have this idealized version of what happens when somebody is attacked or assaulted in this way, and, unfortunately, the resources aren't always there.
The rape kit backlog sends two terrible messages.
To victims, it says, "You don't matter.
What happened to you doesn't matter".
And to criminals, it says, "What you did doesn't matter".
Testing the kits reverses those two messages.
I think it says a lot that almost every person who has been on this show has become involved in philanthropies that address this issue to some degree.
It's not a job you can really, um You can't leave it at work.
In beginning to clear the national rape-kit backlog, we have taken rapists off the streets, we have prevented future crimes, we have given victims closure.
In my whole acting career the most important and touching moments have been when survivors of abuse have come to me or met me, hugged me, thanked me.
One guy said to me, "I wish when I was five years old, I'd had an Elliot Stabler".
Mr.
Banks, the doctor has proof.
My son's not a liar, Detective.
He told you he wasn't molested, so I think it's time you two left.
You know what I think? I'm gonna park myself across the street for the night, just in case Cory needs me.
I have had, on more than one occasion, someone approach me and will say, "I have a friend who was sexually assaulted, and she knew what to do because of your show".
And I think that is the most amazing "thank you" that we could receive.
I have so many times encountered people that have said, because of this show, they knew what to do after their assault.
Because of this show, they had a rape kit done.
Because of this show, they reported and had faith in that.
And because of this show, most of all, they didn't feel alone anymore.
And to me When I started hearing those stories is when I knew that it wasn't just a TV show anymore.
It was so much more.
- Coming up - We had the best guest stars.
You have someone new to play with.
The whole time, I'm like, "I know exactly who you are.
I've seen everything you've done.
I can barely even talk right now".
What can I do for the NYPD? When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" returns.
We had the best guest stars.
Detective Stabler.
My partner, Detective Benson.
What can I do for the NYPD? The cops, they came to my apartment.
My mom's freaking out.
I haven't come across talent like this in a minute.
It's like some Biggie-style talent.
I think we're drawn to "Law & Order" because it's just cool.
No one wants him more than me.
Lady, you're not gonna find a killer by yourself.
This guy is either dead or in prison.
No, he's not.
He's stalking me.
Great writing is like catnip for an actor.
You still don't get it.
Alicia, somebody is after you.
They're getting real meat to chew, and there have been a lot of those roles for a lot of very famous actors over the years.
- Merritt Rook.
- How can I help you? That Robin Williams would say yes to being on "SVU", I think that's remarkable.
When is it a crime to play hooky, Detective? Cuff me now.
Guilty.
We'll get to that soon enough.
May we come in? There's a history of all the greats being on here.
You want to judge me? You wouldn't last an hour in my world.
I got involved with "SVU" because a friend of mine, Eriq La Salle, he was directing the episode.
To have an opportunity to work with Eriq directing, I jumped at the chance.
I love my kid, okay? And I don't want to lose her.
If she moves away, when am I gonna see her again? Thanksgiving? Then I got to the content.
And I said, "What is it? Good guy, bad guy? What am I doing?" He said, "Well, you know, it's this guy, he gets pissed off at his wife, and he he throws gasoline on her and he lights her on fire".
I was like, "Wow.
Okay.
That's how you think of me? That's how you see me?" You're dealing with an element of society and an element of our humanity that just draws actors in.
Is this some kind of a shakedown? Because if it is, it's not gonna work out too well for you.
Like, Ian McShane.
I remember watching "Deadwood", like, straight through, and being like, "This guy is incredible".
And then you're doing a scene with him and trying to act, like, cool, like, "Hey, what's up? Oh, Ian? Nice to meet you", you know? And the whole time, you're like, "I know exactly who you are.
I've seen everything you've done.
I can barely even talk right now".
- You find this amusing? - I do, actually.
There's nothing as funny as watching a beautiful woman make the biggest mistake of her life.
Every week, some new person comes on, and you get to meet them, you get to hang out with them for a week.
That's what makes it a blast.
Looks like I got your attention.
Are you deaf? You heard my partner ask you a question.
Yeah, if you had told me 20 years ago I would have ever been arrested by Ice-T on camera, I would not have believed you.
It's crazy.
They all come and play in my backyard.
Jimmy Mac didn't become famous by sharing his sources with the cops.
You can read about it like everybody else in the city - in tomorrow's paper.
- And the ones that were babies when they were here.
Why is everybody mad at my daddy? We came to take you back to your mommy and your daddy.
They still want me? After all these years? I was just a freaking kid.
I also think they come on here to play a role that they may have never gotten in their career.
You know, people that are known to be nice get to come on here and play bad guys.
And all of a sudden, you'd see Martin Short, and you're like, "What the?" This is what I get for associating with a filthy slut! Henry Winkler.
"Ah!" Stupid bitch.
You think this is the last time I'm gonna take care of you.
You're just like, "Ah, yeah".
You have someone new to play with.
- You were a dancer also? - I'm just a computer nerd.
They deemed it a good idea to have me be this this "good" villain.
Why would you implant an RFID chip in your wife's shoulder? - I was keeping tabs on her.
- Keeping tabs on her? She's a human being.
You're aware of that, huh? - Not a pet? - She was cheating on me.
That doesn't give you the right to tag her.
Every week, you're like, "Ah! You're here?!" Your UCs can't unzip, so your case gonna go south.
I know that actors are really drawn to the show because it gives us a chance to kind of step outside what we're known for doing and get into something darker.
I swear, he was funny and charming when I first met him.
You don't think of Carol Burnett as someone who is going to be on a very dark, serious show, and she came in and was exquisite.
Do you really think a little old lady would know which cable to cut under Walter's car? Or could it have been a young man who would do anything in the world his aunt asked him to? It's just great to, like, be able to observe people that that you find are great actors, and just get to sit and watch how they work.
- I gave her advice.
- Bad advice.
She didn't think so.
- She was in pain.
- And suicide was the cure? What kind of doctor are you? I've always wanted to stop playing deaf victims, that's for sure.
And I wanted to play somebody bad somebody who had intentions that were questionable, but at the same time, think to myself somebody who also helps people.
You don't seem too upset about Christina's death.
I'm not.
She's happy now.
And before I knew it, we had this character in "Law & Order", and the rest is history.
I help people who don't want to suffer anymore! Well, the truth is, you don't know who they are, do you? They're just names on a computer screen.
Stop! They're in pain! I know what pain is! I live with it every day.
You don't! How can you judge me? Or how can judge them? Even though if something is clearly black-and-white, whether it's right or wrong, there is always another side that one might not have thought of.
You're a good mother.
I just want Noah to know how much I love him.
Mariska said, "Hey, I'm really wanting you to play this part".
Nobody is accusing you.
Just stop.
I should've just held his hand.
And she goes, "Oh, yeah! And, by the way, it's gonna be great because you get to play the grandmother".
And I said, "I'm sorry.
What? Excuse me? What? I didn't I didn't hear you there for a second.
I could've sworn I thought you said grandmother.
That's so funny".
And she's like, "Mm-hmm, yeah".
I'm Sheila Porter, Noah's grandmother.
I was like, "Uh, what?" - Grandma? - Yes? When will my mommy be here? Oh, she's at work, Noah.
But she'll be here as soon as she can.
And we came to this last scene, and we both looked at each other and said, "I'm terrified".
It was so fraught and and terrifying and dark.
He is my baby boy! You can't have him! You can't have him! He's all I have left! He's all I have left! He's He's all - I love him.
- I know.
- I love him.
I love him.
- I know you do.
I just knew that it would be an important story, and it would bring up a lot for both of us.
And then Snoop just recently came on and got everybody on the set high.
Man, my ass is gonna fry if this gets out.
Well, it's up to you.
Snoop was awesome professional, great.
He was really good.
I can't use my bitch as an alibi because I wasn't with my bitch.
I was super dorky around him, going "Double" "Double-O-G in the One PP".
You know, doing stuff like that.
It's so embarrassing.
But I'm okay with it.
Coming up 'Cause I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen.
Literally, he's one of the wisest men I've ever met.
The best compliment I ever got was Dick Wolf said, "Ice-T is the least pain in my ass".
You are now all my bitches! When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" returns.
'Cause I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen.
Fact You are now all my bitches! Don't look at me.
I just know stuff.
From the very first day, I wish I'd done this, just written down one thing a day that Ice has told me.
Literally, he's one of the wisest men I've ever met.
Somebody who has this completely different lens out of which he sees the world, and his perspective and his wisdom.
You're really bent on being a dumbass, huh? Ponytails and barrettes still get you hot, fat boy? Okay, we talked to the DA.
Thinking somebody's dead is not a defense for rape.
There's one scene where they bring in cannolis.
I take a bite in the wide shot, and I look over, and Ice is just going "You know how many of those you're gonna have to eat?" Carisi sent us cannolis from his favorite bakery in Staten Island.
Huh.
I'll make an exception.
And so every time we did a take, I would take a bite, and I'd look over, and he's just looking at me holding back laughter and just going I came on as Carisi in season 16.
Detective Tutuola, meet Sonny Carisi.
Remember that sensitive, experienced detective that I put in for? I remember Ice kind of sat me down and, you know, he's like, "How many episodes do you have?" And I said I had three.
And he said, "I started with two, and here I am 21 years later".
So he was like, "Just keep your head down and don't become a problem for anybody".
I think that's really good advice.
You know what I mean? I think the best compliment I ever got was Dick Wolf said, "Ice-T is the least pain in my ass".
What's up, boss? I don't want to be a pain in your ass.
I just want to do my job and stay out the way.
I love telling stories, and I love getting it right.
When I started the show, beside the normal sort of ride-alongs and interviewing detectives and hanging out with cops as much as I could and reading stories, I decided to educate myself, and I wanted to become a rape crisis counselor because these were different kinds of crimes.
So, I think that it took, obviously, a different kind of training.
It really helped me a lot with the character because these women are so professional and competent, and yet completely empathetic and present and professional.
And it was really You know, I really did sort of base my character on that.
If we don't stop him, he's gonna keep on hurting your mother and lots of other women at Sealview.
You think locking him up is gonna make a difference? Yes, I do.
You don't know what she goes through! Ashley, come here.
Tell me.
Tell me.
We use a lot of technical advisors.
We take great, great care in talking to SVU detectives, talking to ADAs, talking to professionals in the field.
We really try and be as accurate as possible.
I was standing on the platform at Columbus Circle, and this older couple approached me, and they said, "We teach forensic science at Columbia University".
And I was like, "Uh-oh".
"Here it comes".
And they said, "And we just want to tell you, you make us proud".
And they felt it was authentic, and that was the most important part.
Right-handers generally slip the knot over their right side, lefties over the left.
This knot's right at the base of Risa's skull.
Risa was strangled, then the murderer strung her up to make it look like a suicide.
I research how victims and that's what they used they didn't use "survivors" victims of sexually-based offenses how they were handled, what were the theories, the dynamics, the interviewing process.
I wish I could tell you one of them's him.
- I'm sorry.
- No, it's alright.
It's alright.
It's alright.
It's alright.
Okay.
Come on.
This year, we're thinking, like, "How do we take it to the next level? How are we gonna tell more relevant, more important stories?" And one of the things this year that's been so incredibly exciting is staying up on, like, the new interviewing techniques.
And so we're doing this year trauma-informed therapy as opposed to linear questioning.
If you guys really want to make me happy, sign up for your trauma-informed interview training.
It's actually quite helpful.
For decades in police departments, when victims couldn't answer who, what, when, where, why in a linear way, it was assumed they were making things up.
They're not lying.
They can't remember because the brain shut off so they could survive.
What, if anything, can you tell me about what you what you heard or what you saw? It sounded like water.
So tell me about water.
You're not saying, "Now what? Now what?" You're saying, "You said it was cold.
Tell me about cold".
And you allow the person to relax back into the moment.
We tried it on each other in the writers' room, and I started remembering details about things that had happened to me from years ago that I had not had access to.
So it works.
This will change everything.
It's more effective understanding these things.
And these are ways that, again, the show is more than a show.
I can remember him holding me down.
Holding you down? What did your body feel like? My arms were above my head.
He had me pinned down.
He He had a He had a tattoo on his arm.
That is very helpful.
I wanted to bring those tools that I was taught and bring, you know, the education that I was getting from law enforcement and sort of marry the two with a heavy dose of compassion.
And that was how all survivors should be met, right? Coming up Our cast had a lot of funny people on it.
I didn't want them to go.
I'm your partner, for better or worse.
To family.
To family.
When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'" continues.
Congratulations to all of the producers and the writers, everybody who's come through "Law & Order" all these years, to Mariska holding it down as the longest-running character on prime-time television.
Happy anniversary! 21 years.
My God! Okay, are we going for 30? Congratulations.
I mean, I think it's an incredible feat.
There's a reason a show lasts 21 years great writing and great storytelling.
21st season, "Law & Order" Wyclef love you Thank you for making me feel so comfortable Oh, good, you're all here.
I've been so lucky to work with all these incredible actors.
I'm your partner, for better or worse.
The friendships that I have made on the show, people that are like family to me, it's been one of the greatest gifts.
Don't throw up a gang sign.
Ice.
Out of this whole 20 years, I've never not gotten along with somebody.
You see them every day, very long hours, for 10 months out of the year, sometimes more than you see your own family, and you become really close.
We spend so much time together.
So thank God we have a great group of people.
Before you know it, you're fast friends, and then it's all like family.
Surprise! I just knew our cast really had a lot of funny people on it.
Dann Florek, our captain, was hilarious.
Ha-ho! Richard Belzer was a professional comedian.
- Backgrounds! - Oh, hold on.
Okay, holding.
No, don't hold on.
I'm kidding.
Go.
Mariska's a crack-up.
And I did my thing.
- Don't make me draw my weapon.
- Oh, come on, people! Ha! The vibe on the set was just very familial.
You know, when you spend the better part of your waking hours with the same people every day, and you're all working toward a common goal, it forms a family it really does.
It's a pleasure to have so many people that I've been seeing for so many years.
The fact that these people keep recirculating in my life is a gift.
You're the longest relationship that I've ever had with a man.
Who else would put up with me? It was really hard.
You know, it's been really difficult over the years to see people leave, and painful and scary, and I didn't want them to go.
Elliot put his papers in.
There was nothing I could do.
He's earned it.
And then some.
I'm sorry.
It's life, right? One door closes, another one opens, and people come into our lives, and then they leave our lives.
I've got to move on.
You know, you feel all of that, and it's a lot to feel, and we keep on going.
We keep on going.
Give me five, and we'll roll.
It's incredibly emotional to look back at myself 21 years ago with hope and vulnerability and commitment and not knowing what the future brings, and it's just so beautiful to see how it all turned out.
I'm still trying to take that in.
And, uh this is a pretty good gig.
To family.
To family.
For 21 years, one legendary series has delivered unforgettable - You're a cop? - Who's the bitch now? dramatic One move, lights out.
and heartbreaking moments I just want to be with my family.
and has brought justice to victims of sexually-based crimes.
We're not pleading down rape one Not after what he's done.
Tonight, we pay tribute to the longest-running prime-time drama and character of all time I see you spared no expense.
It's not like we throw a lot of parties.
with a special look back Me and Mariska have been robbing the bank for 21 years.
What drew me was Dick Wolf's pilot.
I knew that the show from a television point of view would be amazing, but I didn't know the cultural impact that it had.
and stories from some of the incredible guest stars.
Mariska is a friend of mine, and she said, "I'm really wanting you to play this part".
I think we're drawn to "Law & Order" because it's just cool.
Let's print that and move on 'cause that was some good stuff.
I mean, that was good stuff.
Oh, look at you, trying to get it all.
Welcome to "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'.
" The show is about survivors' stories.
I want to thank you for helping my daughter, Detective Benson.
You know, in the end, it served a greater purpose, and that resonates with people.
And they watch our show as a form of therapy.
I saw you.
I believe you.
It's very exciting and a profound gift to be sitting in this chair and talking to you about that 21 years later.
I think that "Law & Order" is such a well-oiled machine, and, you know, it's really captured its audience.
This show has some of the elements of that show, and yet it's going in a whole-new area.
Really deals much more with the characters and how these crimes affect them.
I hate him for what he did to you.
This show could go on for another 20 years.
You're joking.
No, we're not.
Love what's happened this year, you know, with adding the new characters, with the ADA and Fin.
Fin Tutuola.
I've been reassigned.
I think Dick Wolf knew.
He was like, "Put Ice in here because it's important that these bad guys have an opponent, somebody who will get as grimy as them".
Most of our stories are, indeed, ripped from the headlines.
It's, uh astounding what people are capable of doing to each other.
The difference between you and all the victims is, you can walk away.
No, I can't.
Christina buys him breakfast.
He rapes her for lunch.
The show gets better every year.
The writing has been incredible.
We're more energized now than we've ever been.
These episodes are somebody's life.
There is such a responsibility to tell the truth.
Nobody would invent the nightmare that she has been through.
Why are you trying to poke holes in her story rather than trying to find her? Eight years in this unit tells me that I don't need to be married to know when an abusive man is escalating.
The writers have a very clear idea about where we're going, but I like the subtlety of how they're doing it.
I like that, you know, they're not looking to wrap it up quickly.
It's nice.
People always say, "10 years.
Are you done? Are you bored?" And I'm not at all.
- Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Hey! I get a little clumsy around scumbag pedophiles.
I do kind of have to pinch myself once in a while because I also went back I started on the original "Law & Order".
All I ever wanted to do was be a working actor in New York City.
I kind of, sort of, almost reached that goal.
I'm the new guy coming in.
I'm moving onto a moving train.
So excited to be joining the cast of "SVU".
13's my lucky number, so here we go.
Never expect anything to run 14 years.
I suppose the aim is to see if we can keep pushing this one uphill and see if it could actually beat "Law & Order".
I'm an NYPD detective.
My partner, my squad the entire department will hunt you down.
You think that you've put people through hell? It will rain back down on you.
When you're 16 seasons in, we got to give it all to the writers.
They write these amazing scripts for us.
You know, I'm always looking to make sure Fin didn't get shot.
And if I get shot, I turn the pages real quick.
"Okay, I'm breathing.
I'm breathing".
It's a big thrill to be back for season 17.
Biggest thing in season 17 is, well, Olivia decided to become a lieutenant.
Lieutenant? So I passed.
I really believe that the reason that the show is on the air still is because I hate it when I get emotional.
But I have to say, it's because of the level of investment and because everybody cares so deeply.
So for that, I thank you.
It's iconic television.
They don't do this anymore.
Shows don't last this long.
When we first started working together, - was it five years ago? - Six.
You kind of get a sense that how far-reaching the show has been, how it's spanned generations and decades.
I am so deeply humbled to tell such important stories, part of our culture that needs to be dealt with.
That's the accomplishment.
That's the power.
That's the legacy.
Thank you for believing me.
Of course.
I sit here, and I just can't believe, like, what we've done together, what we've accomplished.
So many people, this beautiful, 21-year collaboration.
There's a sense of reverence now because which I think there should be because your show, that served a greater purpose than just being entertainment.
Nothing will have this kind of absolute international reach for 21 years.
That will never happen again.
Not everybody can say that, you know, "I've been a part of a show that has been extremely popular for 21 years and continues to be".
I'm part of something that's going down in history, and I never expected it, and what a dream.
I'm proud of my time here.
And I'm honored and grateful to have worked with the finest unit of detectives I've ever known.
I'm just so grateful to be on a show where the longest-running female character on TV is somebody who fights relentlessly and advocates for victims so compassionately, and, um with everything that they have.
And I'm grateful for that, and I'm grateful to be that person.
Coming up I'm taking you behind the scenes.
Right now, we're in the squad room.
I've been so lucky to work with all these incredible actors.
Sit down! Now who controls who? When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" continues.
Okay.
Ice-T here.
Welcome to "SVU".
I'm taking you behind the scenes.
Right now, we're in the squad room.
Mission accomplished.
And this year, we came back with these curved desks.
This little chipmunk changes during the seasons.
If you wanted a little "SVU" spoiler, look really close.
Right now, he's dressed for Thanksgiving.
Now, we shoot at a location that's not a sound station.
If you look up, it's pretty scary.
That's why I don't look up that much.
Special Victims.
I am gonna show you what I think is one of the most intense parts of the squad room.
That would be over here, in the interrogation room.
He will not think twice about throwing you under the bus and then backing up off of you.
This is all you got bare bones.
It's pretty much as intimidating as it can get for any of our perps who come in here.
Do you want to rot in prison for the rest of your life?! You got it.
You can't put me back in prison! No! These things aren't mine! From here, we can see in there.
This is a one-sided window.
So anytime you see any of the really intense interrogations where you have one of the victims out here who's trying to maybe ID a perp, this is where we are, on the outside, and we can observe without them knowing that we are here.
Now, people always want to know, do I have anything particular on my desk, special.
This is a picture of Malcolm X.
So, since Belzer was my G, he left it for me.
And then over here, this is a bulldog.
Now, everybody knows I have bulldogs, but this isn't actually one of my bulldogs.
But I think it's to represent Ice has an affection for bulldogs.
You guys are still here? Mariska is back here.
This is her office.
So, here I am.
It's Icey and three women imagine that.
Everything okay? A lot of changes.
Can we speak in private? Absolutely.
Step into my office.
This is the boss's office.
Why don't you come with me? Olivia.
Do something with the place, will you? There's a lot of Ruth Bader Ginsburg stuff here.
And in this one, she has an Axe.
I don't know what the Axe is for, but she's a pretty strong lady, so she knows what to do with it.
Prop books "Becoming Yourself Again", "Trust Again".
Now, these are on the coffee table for every scene.
I've been staring at these books for the past six years.
Um Maybe I should try to read them one day.
So that was a little, short tour of the "SVU" squad room the new "SVU" squad room, with the new curvy desk configuration.
Alright? Enjoy.
Thanks for watching this, season 21.
We're in full effect.
I'll see you guys on Monday.
- Alright.
- See ya.
I had come off "ER" at NBC, and when I finished "ER", I thought, "Oh, gosh, what am I gonna do now?" And then I got this incredible opportunity to audition for "SVU".
Got a call to audition for Dick Wolf himself.
So I go in with him, and I knew I'd done a great job, and that's really rare.
I was like, you know, "I got this character.
I feel this guy".
Stand up.
Sit down.
Sit down! Now who controls who? I don't hear from these guys for a month.
So I said, "The hell with this.
I'm going to Hawaii for a vacation with my wife".
The tires are still smoking from the landing in Hawaii when I get a call from my agent to tell me to take the next flight back to New York to screen test for the role of Elliot Stabler.
What? So Dick Wolf owes me a vacation to Hawaii.
You see dozens of actors, looking through the people who have what you hope is magic.
I had instant chemistry with Chris at the network, and as soon as they paired us up, Chris and I, we both knew that we were gonna get cast, 'cause I knew that he was the guy, and he said that he knew that I was the girl.
I always carry at least a pair of earrings in my purse.
Yeah, like you carry a purse.
That's 'cause you carry it for me.
Ohh.
She and I hit it off right from the get-go.
Instantaneous ease, chemistry, trust, comfort, and all good.
It's always been a huge part of our relationship, and I think part of the success of the show.
I'd give you a kidney.
Not if I gave you mine first.
I got the call to do this show.
Dick Wolf was like, "You don't like the cops, do you?" I said, "Well, Dick, you know, I was a criminal.
I looked at the cops as the opponent".
He says, "Yeah, but you're admitting we need them".
I'm like, "Yeah.
Yeah, we need them".
He goes, "Okay, I want you to play the cop we need".
So that's who Fin became.
An East Side socialite disappears, we got 50 cops on it.
Black girls start getting executed, we got four cops.
That sounds equal to you? It's kind of like if Ice- magically became a policeman, who would he arrest? I want a deal.
You want a deal? How about right before we execute you for killing those girls I bring you your last meal? How's that? "Law & Order" is a six-person ensemble, and over the 20 years, there were 29 regulars on the show.
So, the only original cast member of "SVU" is Mariska.
I've been so lucky to work with all these incredible actors.
- Captain Cragen? - Not now.
Captain Cragen.
- Ms.
Cabot.
- Alex.
Yeah, right, of course.
Oh, Captain.
Captain Cragen.
- Excuse me? - I'm Detective Amanda Rollins.
You interviewed me last month.
Well, you picked a hell of a first day.
- I'll fill you in later.
- You can fill me in now.
I like playing Rollins because, you know, through the years, she's had some real stumbles, and it's always good to play a comeback kid.
This is Dr.
George Huang, psychiatrist on loan from the FBI setting up ViCAP.
This is Detective Olivia Benson.
- Nice to meet you.
- How do you do? This is Detective Second Grade Nick Amaro.
- He just transferred in.
- Second-grader already, huh? You must have caught some big fish.
Nah, just kissed a lot of ass.
I'm Dr.
Warner.
You the SVU detectives? Yeah, Stabler.
This is Benson.
What happened? I was a science kid myself.
When young people approach me about, you know, being an actor, I encourage them to do well in school because you just never know, you know, when what you learn in ninth-grade biology is going to come into play on the set of "Law & Order: SVU".
Detectives Benson and Rollins.
Rafael Barba.
I lied and told them you know your way around a courtroom.
- You must be my new detective.
- Dominick Carisi Jr.
Call me Sonny.
I brought zeppole.
Carisi comes in with zeppole, and there's one scene in my first episode I'm, like, licking my fingers, then I'm trying to shake Fin's hand.
- Who are you? - Katriona Tamin.
- Call me Kat.
It's faster.
- Okay.
Is it cool to talk here? It is a huge challenge to jump into this machine, but I don't think anyone could've made it any easier than the group of people here, and they kind of had open arms and said, "Welcome to the family".
It's like we're all baking the cake together.
And there's no, like, "Mine, mine, mine".
It's just a big team.
I make sure everybody understands we're all working together for a common goal.
In 48 hours, you solved 21 bank jobs, a murder, and a kidnap? What, you trying to make us look bad? I used to rob banks in real life.
To rob a bank, we don't need to like each other.
I just need to know you know how to drive, you know how to listen to the radio, you know how to control the room, and you know how to go in the safe.
I may not be on the screen.
Chris may be on the screen, BD may be on the screen, Danny Pino could be on the screen.
But technically, he's helping me get my check.
And what happens is, you start to appreciate every person in that clip.
So me and Mariska have been robbing the bank for 21 years.
Coming up We were literally shining a light on this subject matter.
"I wish when I was five years old, I'd had an Elliot Stabler".
Do you really think anyone cares about her? I do.
And trust me, that's enough.
When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" continues.
When I started the show, I knew that the material set a standard.
It was a new level.
Let's print that and move on 'cause that was some good stuff.
- I mean, that was good stuff.
- And this was about if our culture was ready to look at these issues.
He raped me every night for 23 days.
Sometimes he was too drunk, so he did it with whatever was there a wrench a pistol a broom handle.
Talking about this kind of material is something that had been traditionally swept under the carpet, and we were literally shining a light, shining cameras on this subject matter, which I thought was incredible.
There weren't people doing stories about the MeToo Movement, and we've been doing them since we went on the air.
I've known many rape victims who've regretted not going to court.
And I've never met one who's regretted it.
Win or lose? Yeah.
Even if you do lose, you've already faced your attacker and named him for what he is.
"Special Victims Unit" deals with a very particular kind of crime, which is a crime where the victim feels like they are to blame.
You're dealing with a justice system that is already going to be problematic, already gonna be flawed.
The concept of what is fair or right or wrong really ultimately has nothing to do with justice.
Justice is painful.
Justice sure isn't pretty some days.
Damn ugly this time.
The fact that these stories are true, the fact that the statistics are so tragic, and the fact that sexual assault and domestic violence are an epidemic, that we know that now, it's such an important show.
Nothing that we have done a show about, you know, hasn't really happened in one capacity or another.
He nearly killed you with that bottle.
Next time, he will.
I'm scared.
That's why I need you to talk to me.
It really affects me personally, and it gets it's hard not to take it home with you.
Mariska, she has actually become almost embodied Olivia Benson with her Joyful Heart Foundation.
Do you really think anyone cares about her? I do.
And so does she.
And trust me, that's enough.
I refer to her as the mother of the MeToo Movement.
I don't think a lot of things would've happened that have happened without "SVU" and without her.
The foundation, I started it in 2004.
Now we're focusing on eradicating the backlog of untested rape kits.
And they have a backlog of 4,000 rape kits.
He says he'll get me the results when he has them.
Birmingham, more than 2,000 rape kits.
Phoenix has 4,100 untested rape kits.
- Any yesses? - Detroit, Chicago, LA all say that they have victims that match Harris's M.
O.
And that's not enough until they track down those rape kits.
I'm gonna go give them a hand.
There's a backlog of rape kits that's in the hundreds of thousands in our country.
Some people just aren't aware of that, and they can't understand it.
They say, "What do you mean? But that's the whole reason they collect this DNA, is to put it in the system, right?" And we all have this idealized version of what happens when somebody is attacked or assaulted in this way, and, unfortunately, the resources aren't always there.
The rape kit backlog sends two terrible messages.
To victims, it says, "You don't matter.
What happened to you doesn't matter".
And to criminals, it says, "What you did doesn't matter".
Testing the kits reverses those two messages.
I think it says a lot that almost every person who has been on this show has become involved in philanthropies that address this issue to some degree.
It's not a job you can really, um You can't leave it at work.
In beginning to clear the national rape-kit backlog, we have taken rapists off the streets, we have prevented future crimes, we have given victims closure.
In my whole acting career the most important and touching moments have been when survivors of abuse have come to me or met me, hugged me, thanked me.
One guy said to me, "I wish when I was five years old, I'd had an Elliot Stabler".
Mr.
Banks, the doctor has proof.
My son's not a liar, Detective.
He told you he wasn't molested, so I think it's time you two left.
You know what I think? I'm gonna park myself across the street for the night, just in case Cory needs me.
I have had, on more than one occasion, someone approach me and will say, "I have a friend who was sexually assaulted, and she knew what to do because of your show".
And I think that is the most amazing "thank you" that we could receive.
I have so many times encountered people that have said, because of this show, they knew what to do after their assault.
Because of this show, they had a rape kit done.
Because of this show, they reported and had faith in that.
And because of this show, most of all, they didn't feel alone anymore.
And to me When I started hearing those stories is when I knew that it wasn't just a TV show anymore.
It was so much more.
- Coming up - We had the best guest stars.
You have someone new to play with.
The whole time, I'm like, "I know exactly who you are.
I've seen everything you've done.
I can barely even talk right now".
What can I do for the NYPD? When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" returns.
We had the best guest stars.
Detective Stabler.
My partner, Detective Benson.
What can I do for the NYPD? The cops, they came to my apartment.
My mom's freaking out.
I haven't come across talent like this in a minute.
It's like some Biggie-style talent.
I think we're drawn to "Law & Order" because it's just cool.
No one wants him more than me.
Lady, you're not gonna find a killer by yourself.
This guy is either dead or in prison.
No, he's not.
He's stalking me.
Great writing is like catnip for an actor.
You still don't get it.
Alicia, somebody is after you.
They're getting real meat to chew, and there have been a lot of those roles for a lot of very famous actors over the years.
- Merritt Rook.
- How can I help you? That Robin Williams would say yes to being on "SVU", I think that's remarkable.
When is it a crime to play hooky, Detective? Cuff me now.
Guilty.
We'll get to that soon enough.
May we come in? There's a history of all the greats being on here.
You want to judge me? You wouldn't last an hour in my world.
I got involved with "SVU" because a friend of mine, Eriq La Salle, he was directing the episode.
To have an opportunity to work with Eriq directing, I jumped at the chance.
I love my kid, okay? And I don't want to lose her.
If she moves away, when am I gonna see her again? Thanksgiving? Then I got to the content.
And I said, "What is it? Good guy, bad guy? What am I doing?" He said, "Well, you know, it's this guy, he gets pissed off at his wife, and he he throws gasoline on her and he lights her on fire".
I was like, "Wow.
Okay.
That's how you think of me? That's how you see me?" You're dealing with an element of society and an element of our humanity that just draws actors in.
Is this some kind of a shakedown? Because if it is, it's not gonna work out too well for you.
Like, Ian McShane.
I remember watching "Deadwood", like, straight through, and being like, "This guy is incredible".
And then you're doing a scene with him and trying to act, like, cool, like, "Hey, what's up? Oh, Ian? Nice to meet you", you know? And the whole time, you're like, "I know exactly who you are.
I've seen everything you've done.
I can barely even talk right now".
- You find this amusing? - I do, actually.
There's nothing as funny as watching a beautiful woman make the biggest mistake of her life.
Every week, some new person comes on, and you get to meet them, you get to hang out with them for a week.
That's what makes it a blast.
Looks like I got your attention.
Are you deaf? You heard my partner ask you a question.
Yeah, if you had told me 20 years ago I would have ever been arrested by Ice-T on camera, I would not have believed you.
It's crazy.
They all come and play in my backyard.
Jimmy Mac didn't become famous by sharing his sources with the cops.
You can read about it like everybody else in the city - in tomorrow's paper.
- And the ones that were babies when they were here.
Why is everybody mad at my daddy? We came to take you back to your mommy and your daddy.
They still want me? After all these years? I was just a freaking kid.
I also think they come on here to play a role that they may have never gotten in their career.
You know, people that are known to be nice get to come on here and play bad guys.
And all of a sudden, you'd see Martin Short, and you're like, "What the?" This is what I get for associating with a filthy slut! Henry Winkler.
"Ah!" Stupid bitch.
You think this is the last time I'm gonna take care of you.
You're just like, "Ah, yeah".
You have someone new to play with.
- You were a dancer also? - I'm just a computer nerd.
They deemed it a good idea to have me be this this "good" villain.
Why would you implant an RFID chip in your wife's shoulder? - I was keeping tabs on her.
- Keeping tabs on her? She's a human being.
You're aware of that, huh? - Not a pet? - She was cheating on me.
That doesn't give you the right to tag her.
Every week, you're like, "Ah! You're here?!" Your UCs can't unzip, so your case gonna go south.
I know that actors are really drawn to the show because it gives us a chance to kind of step outside what we're known for doing and get into something darker.
I swear, he was funny and charming when I first met him.
You don't think of Carol Burnett as someone who is going to be on a very dark, serious show, and she came in and was exquisite.
Do you really think a little old lady would know which cable to cut under Walter's car? Or could it have been a young man who would do anything in the world his aunt asked him to? It's just great to, like, be able to observe people that that you find are great actors, and just get to sit and watch how they work.
- I gave her advice.
- Bad advice.
She didn't think so.
- She was in pain.
- And suicide was the cure? What kind of doctor are you? I've always wanted to stop playing deaf victims, that's for sure.
And I wanted to play somebody bad somebody who had intentions that were questionable, but at the same time, think to myself somebody who also helps people.
You don't seem too upset about Christina's death.
I'm not.
She's happy now.
And before I knew it, we had this character in "Law & Order", and the rest is history.
I help people who don't want to suffer anymore! Well, the truth is, you don't know who they are, do you? They're just names on a computer screen.
Stop! They're in pain! I know what pain is! I live with it every day.
You don't! How can you judge me? Or how can judge them? Even though if something is clearly black-and-white, whether it's right or wrong, there is always another side that one might not have thought of.
You're a good mother.
I just want Noah to know how much I love him.
Mariska said, "Hey, I'm really wanting you to play this part".
Nobody is accusing you.
Just stop.
I should've just held his hand.
And she goes, "Oh, yeah! And, by the way, it's gonna be great because you get to play the grandmother".
And I said, "I'm sorry.
What? Excuse me? What? I didn't I didn't hear you there for a second.
I could've sworn I thought you said grandmother.
That's so funny".
And she's like, "Mm-hmm, yeah".
I'm Sheila Porter, Noah's grandmother.
I was like, "Uh, what?" - Grandma? - Yes? When will my mommy be here? Oh, she's at work, Noah.
But she'll be here as soon as she can.
And we came to this last scene, and we both looked at each other and said, "I'm terrified".
It was so fraught and and terrifying and dark.
He is my baby boy! You can't have him! You can't have him! He's all I have left! He's all I have left! He's He's all - I love him.
- I know.
- I love him.
I love him.
- I know you do.
I just knew that it would be an important story, and it would bring up a lot for both of us.
And then Snoop just recently came on and got everybody on the set high.
Man, my ass is gonna fry if this gets out.
Well, it's up to you.
Snoop was awesome professional, great.
He was really good.
I can't use my bitch as an alibi because I wasn't with my bitch.
I was super dorky around him, going "Double" "Double-O-G in the One PP".
You know, doing stuff like that.
It's so embarrassing.
But I'm okay with it.
Coming up 'Cause I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen.
Literally, he's one of the wisest men I've ever met.
The best compliment I ever got was Dick Wolf said, "Ice-T is the least pain in my ass".
You are now all my bitches! When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: SVU'" returns.
'Cause I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen.
Fact You are now all my bitches! Don't look at me.
I just know stuff.
From the very first day, I wish I'd done this, just written down one thing a day that Ice has told me.
Literally, he's one of the wisest men I've ever met.
Somebody who has this completely different lens out of which he sees the world, and his perspective and his wisdom.
You're really bent on being a dumbass, huh? Ponytails and barrettes still get you hot, fat boy? Okay, we talked to the DA.
Thinking somebody's dead is not a defense for rape.
There's one scene where they bring in cannolis.
I take a bite in the wide shot, and I look over, and Ice is just going "You know how many of those you're gonna have to eat?" Carisi sent us cannolis from his favorite bakery in Staten Island.
Huh.
I'll make an exception.
And so every time we did a take, I would take a bite, and I'd look over, and he's just looking at me holding back laughter and just going I came on as Carisi in season 16.
Detective Tutuola, meet Sonny Carisi.
Remember that sensitive, experienced detective that I put in for? I remember Ice kind of sat me down and, you know, he's like, "How many episodes do you have?" And I said I had three.
And he said, "I started with two, and here I am 21 years later".
So he was like, "Just keep your head down and don't become a problem for anybody".
I think that's really good advice.
You know what I mean? I think the best compliment I ever got was Dick Wolf said, "Ice-T is the least pain in my ass".
What's up, boss? I don't want to be a pain in your ass.
I just want to do my job and stay out the way.
I love telling stories, and I love getting it right.
When I started the show, beside the normal sort of ride-alongs and interviewing detectives and hanging out with cops as much as I could and reading stories, I decided to educate myself, and I wanted to become a rape crisis counselor because these were different kinds of crimes.
So, I think that it took, obviously, a different kind of training.
It really helped me a lot with the character because these women are so professional and competent, and yet completely empathetic and present and professional.
And it was really You know, I really did sort of base my character on that.
If we don't stop him, he's gonna keep on hurting your mother and lots of other women at Sealview.
You think locking him up is gonna make a difference? Yes, I do.
You don't know what she goes through! Ashley, come here.
Tell me.
Tell me.
We use a lot of technical advisors.
We take great, great care in talking to SVU detectives, talking to ADAs, talking to professionals in the field.
We really try and be as accurate as possible.
I was standing on the platform at Columbus Circle, and this older couple approached me, and they said, "We teach forensic science at Columbia University".
And I was like, "Uh-oh".
"Here it comes".
And they said, "And we just want to tell you, you make us proud".
And they felt it was authentic, and that was the most important part.
Right-handers generally slip the knot over their right side, lefties over the left.
This knot's right at the base of Risa's skull.
Risa was strangled, then the murderer strung her up to make it look like a suicide.
I research how victims and that's what they used they didn't use "survivors" victims of sexually-based offenses how they were handled, what were the theories, the dynamics, the interviewing process.
I wish I could tell you one of them's him.
- I'm sorry.
- No, it's alright.
It's alright.
It's alright.
It's alright.
Okay.
Come on.
This year, we're thinking, like, "How do we take it to the next level? How are we gonna tell more relevant, more important stories?" And one of the things this year that's been so incredibly exciting is staying up on, like, the new interviewing techniques.
And so we're doing this year trauma-informed therapy as opposed to linear questioning.
If you guys really want to make me happy, sign up for your trauma-informed interview training.
It's actually quite helpful.
For decades in police departments, when victims couldn't answer who, what, when, where, why in a linear way, it was assumed they were making things up.
They're not lying.
They can't remember because the brain shut off so they could survive.
What, if anything, can you tell me about what you what you heard or what you saw? It sounded like water.
So tell me about water.
You're not saying, "Now what? Now what?" You're saying, "You said it was cold.
Tell me about cold".
And you allow the person to relax back into the moment.
We tried it on each other in the writers' room, and I started remembering details about things that had happened to me from years ago that I had not had access to.
So it works.
This will change everything.
It's more effective understanding these things.
And these are ways that, again, the show is more than a show.
I can remember him holding me down.
Holding you down? What did your body feel like? My arms were above my head.
He had me pinned down.
He He had a He had a tattoo on his arm.
That is very helpful.
I wanted to bring those tools that I was taught and bring, you know, the education that I was getting from law enforcement and sort of marry the two with a heavy dose of compassion.
And that was how all survivors should be met, right? Coming up Our cast had a lot of funny people on it.
I didn't want them to go.
I'm your partner, for better or worse.
To family.
To family.
When "The Paley Center Salutes 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'" continues.
Congratulations to all of the producers and the writers, everybody who's come through "Law & Order" all these years, to Mariska holding it down as the longest-running character on prime-time television.
Happy anniversary! 21 years.
My God! Okay, are we going for 30? Congratulations.
I mean, I think it's an incredible feat.
There's a reason a show lasts 21 years great writing and great storytelling.
21st season, "Law & Order" Wyclef love you Thank you for making me feel so comfortable Oh, good, you're all here.
I've been so lucky to work with all these incredible actors.
I'm your partner, for better or worse.
The friendships that I have made on the show, people that are like family to me, it's been one of the greatest gifts.
Don't throw up a gang sign.
Ice.
Out of this whole 20 years, I've never not gotten along with somebody.
You see them every day, very long hours, for 10 months out of the year, sometimes more than you see your own family, and you become really close.
We spend so much time together.
So thank God we have a great group of people.
Before you know it, you're fast friends, and then it's all like family.
Surprise! I just knew our cast really had a lot of funny people on it.
Dann Florek, our captain, was hilarious.
Ha-ho! Richard Belzer was a professional comedian.
- Backgrounds! - Oh, hold on.
Okay, holding.
No, don't hold on.
I'm kidding.
Go.
Mariska's a crack-up.
And I did my thing.
- Don't make me draw my weapon.
- Oh, come on, people! Ha! The vibe on the set was just very familial.
You know, when you spend the better part of your waking hours with the same people every day, and you're all working toward a common goal, it forms a family it really does.
It's a pleasure to have so many people that I've been seeing for so many years.
The fact that these people keep recirculating in my life is a gift.
You're the longest relationship that I've ever had with a man.
Who else would put up with me? It was really hard.
You know, it's been really difficult over the years to see people leave, and painful and scary, and I didn't want them to go.
Elliot put his papers in.
There was nothing I could do.
He's earned it.
And then some.
I'm sorry.
It's life, right? One door closes, another one opens, and people come into our lives, and then they leave our lives.
I've got to move on.
You know, you feel all of that, and it's a lot to feel, and we keep on going.
We keep on going.
Give me five, and we'll roll.
It's incredibly emotional to look back at myself 21 years ago with hope and vulnerability and commitment and not knowing what the future brings, and it's just so beautiful to see how it all turned out.
I'm still trying to take that in.
And, uh this is a pretty good gig.
To family.
To family.