Rescue

"Rescue"
←	SVU, Episode 12.10	→
Production number: 12010 First aired: 1 December 2010
	{{{nNthProducedInSeries}}}th of 502 produced in SVU
←	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries}}}th of 502 released in SVU	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInAll}}}th of 1271 released in all
Written By Daniel Truly Directed By Peter Leto & Constantine Makris

Summary[]

Episode summary

Plot[]

Benson is still watching over Vivian's son, Calvin. The boy is growing attached to Benson and has even made her a drawing where he signed his name with her last name. Benson realizes she's growing attached to Calvin too. Back at work, Stabler questions how long Benson can keep playing mom to Calvin. SVU investigates the death of 26-year-old Caitlin, who was found bleeding after having her head bashed in at a party. She was taken to the hospital where she died.

Warner tells the detectives that Caitlin had sex before her attack, but can't tell if it was a rape or not. Warner also found a strange blue liquid inside the victim's body that she sends to the lab for testing. The detectives discover that Caitlin had a "lay list" where she detailed every sexual encounter she had. This list made her a few enemies that were at the party where she was killed.

One of Caitlin's conquests was the boyfriend of the girl throwing the party, Jill. Detectives find it weird that Jill would invite Caitlin to the party in the first place. Jill admits to attacking Caitlin, and throwing her against a mirror. Warner informs Stabler and Benson that the blue fluid found inside Caitlin was gel used with a defibrillator machine. There was also evidence of medical latex glove residue. Warner tells the detectives Caitlin must have been attacked in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

Back at SVU, Cragen asks Stabler to investigate the two drivers that took Caitlin to the hospital. The detectives interview the two paramedics who took Caitlin to the hospital. Both men weasel out of Benson and Stabler's questioning and go back to their jobs. Later on, the detectives figure the paramedics have a scheme going. One man robs the victims and the other one rapes them.

Stabler feels both men will flip on each other if questioned, and is later proven right. Mike admits to robbing some of the victims and flips on the other driver, Tinta, who rapes them in the back of the ambulance.

Stabler and Fin wire up Mike in hopes he'll get Tinta to admit to raping victims in the back of the ambulance. Their plan works, but when Tinta spots the detectives, he makes a run for it and locks himself in the back of ambulance and injects himself with a needle, collapsing immediately. Stabler informs Benson that when they were combing for fingerprints to tie Mike and Tinta to a string of burglaries, they found a thumbprint that matched Calvin's mother, Vivian.

Benson doesn't want to go on a wild goose chase to hunt down Vivian, so Stabler accuses her of purposely not wanting to find her so she won't have to give Calvin back to his real mother. Stabler also tells Benson he knows she didn't send Calvin's DNA to the lab in order to try to find his real father. Cragen finds out about Vivian visiting the open house and takes Benson and Stabler off the case. Munch and Fin then interview the home owners that Vivian visited but find that Benson had gotten had done an interview before them. Benson, with the head start, finds Calvin's mother at a rundown apartment in the Bronx.

Benson spots Vivian, completely high on drugs. Vivian pleads with Benson to turn around and walk away. She wants Benson to stay out of her life. If Benson walks away, she'll give Calvin to her, for good. Benson arrests Vivian, despite her pleas, and brings her to SVU. During interrogation, Vivian confesses to killing Walter Burlock, the man who raped her mother and fathered her. Cragen interrupts the confession and calls Stabler and Benson out to chastise them for ignoring his orders to stay off Vivian's case.

Just then, Vivian's girlfriend Sarah comes in and confesses to killing Vivian's father. Sarah confesses to killing Burlock because of all the pain he caused Vivian and her mother. Vivian admits she was protecting Sarah by confessing. The DA's office presses murder charges against Sarah; Vivian will probably be court-ordered to rehab at the most for her punishment. Benson knows that as soon as Vivian makes bail for her and Sarah, she'll be back looking for her next fix. Sarah and Vivian make bail.

Outside the courthouse, Vivian orders Benson to let her visit Calvin. Benson's afraid that a visit from Vivian could traumatize the young boy. When gunshots ring out, Benson orders Vivian to stay put as she goes to investigate, finding Sarah shot in the head in a parking garage. Vivian instantly blames Benson for her girlfriend's murder.

Back at SVU, Warner comes back with Sarah's autopsy report. She says whoever shot Sarah is also a match to Calvin's DNA. The DNA points to Vivian's ex-boyfriend David, a former junkie who's in the system's computers for a past arrest. Stabler and Benson head to David's apartment to arrest him. He confesses to the murder and gives them the murder weapon. He says he shot Sarah because she stole Vivian and Calvin from his life. He says he knew he had to put an end to Sarah's life before she caused any more damage to Vivian with drugs. Back at SVU, Warner comes back with Sarah's autopsy report.

Back at SVU, Benson, Stabler and Calvin are winding down after a long day. Child Services interrupts their fun to deliver papers terminating Benson's rights as Calvin's guardian. Vivian enters and embraces her son. The agent tells Benson that Calvin won't be going to live with Vivian, he'll be living with his father's parents while Vivian goes into rehab. Benson accuses Vivian of using Calvin as a way to get revenge for Sarah's death.

Calvin tearfully hugs Benson and tells her to not let them take him away, but Vivian physically pulls Calvin from Benson kicking and screaming, while Stabler reminds Benson that this guardianship arrangement was always temporary. Benson has no choice but to cry and watch Calvin slip away.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

• Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
• Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
• Richard Belzer as Sergeant John Munch
• Ice-T as Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
• B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang (credit only)
• Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
• Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen

Recurring cast[]

• Maria Bello as Vivian Arliss
• Melissa Sagemiller as A.D.A. Gillian Hardwicke
• Kat Foster as Sarah Hoyt
• Joseph Sikora as Jason Gambel
• Charlie Tahan as Calvin Arliss
• Joanna Merlin as Judge Lena Petrovsky
• Austin Lysy as Defense Attorney Russell Hunter

Guest cast[]

• James Martinez as Clark Tinta
• Merissa Morin as Jill
• Jack Gwaltney as David Drecker
• Thomas Ryan as Larry Donoho
• Rita Gardner as Arleen Donoho
• Kristian Kordula as Ash
• Andrew Veenstra as Danny
• José Ramón Rosario as Paul Verecca
• Mike Starr as Mike O'Doole
• Jerzy Gwiazdowski as Ryan (Rescue)
• Vi Flaten as Lilith
• Andrea Bordeaux as Rebecca
• Guil Fisher as Ike
• Cornelius Jones, Jr. as Dr. Cutler
• Shea Glaser as Caitlin La Marque

References[]

Episode references

Quotes[]

Episode quotes

Background information and notes[]

• This episode is partially based on the 2010 Duke University faux sex thesis controversy, which was a 42-page PowerPoint document written by Karen Owen, a 24-year-old senior. The document was privately written and distributed to just a few friends. During homecoming weekend, one of the friends forwarded it, and it was widely circulated. The bulk of the controversy surrounded whether she invaded her partners' rights to privacy, and whether the subjects of Owen's faux thesis had a right to sue.
• Another one rare episode where Benson and Stabler have physical contact.

Episode scene cards[]