Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season 5

What Season 5 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Season 5 Episodes

1. 

   5x01 Tragedy

   Sep 23, 2003 · 42 min · ★ 7.2

   A woman with a high-risk pregnancy disappears and her ex-boyfriend, who's the father, and engaged to the boss' daughter, is under suspicion. In a race against time to find her as her delivery date approaches, Benson and Stabler are faced with more than one suspect willing to take the fall for the crime.

   Directed by: David Platt · Written by: Amanda Green · Starring: Stephanie March, Adrianne Frost, Kellie Martin, Gabriel Olds

2. 

   5x02 Manic

   Sep 30, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.6

   Detectives enlist Dr. Huang's help as they investigate the deaths of two high-school basketball players gunned down while shooting hoops in the gymnasium and the connection to an illegal marketing campaign by a major pharmaceutical company.

   Directed by: Guy Norman Bee · Written by: Patrick Harbinson · Starring: Stephanie March, Rory Culkin, John Cullum, Fred Thompson

3. 

   5x03 Mother

   Oct 7, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 8.0

   A psychiatrist with unconventional methods is found sexually assaulted, unconscious and near death in a crack house. It's easier said than done to get her to cooperate with the investigation as they are hampered by doctor-patient confidentiality as she may have been attacked by one of her patients.

   Directed by: Ted Kotcheff · Written by: Lisa Marie Petersen, Dawn DeNoon · Starring: Stephanie March, Lord Jamar, Jon Abrahams, Susanna Thompson

4. 

   5x04 Loss

   Oct 14, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 8.1

   A female undercover agent for the DEA is raped and murdered, leading to a complicated investigation and the arrest of a suspect highly connected with a Colombian drug cartel. This is the toughest case of Cabot's career as she is faced with death threats on herself and her family along with pressure to yield the case to federal authorities.

   Directed by: Constantine Makris · Written by: Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters · Starring: Stephanie March, Tamara Tunie, Matthew Stocke, Andre Royo

5. 

   5x05 Serendipity

   Oct 21, 2003 · 42 min · ★ 8.6

   A newborn baby is found dead in a gutter, sending the detectives on a hunt for the mother. She too turns up murdered, and the clues point to a serial child molester.

   Directed by: Constantine Makris · Written by: Lisa Marie Petersen, Dawn DeNoon · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Fred Thompson, Barbara Garrick

6. 

   5x06 Coerced

   Oct 28, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.8

   A schizophrenic homeless man kidnaps a boy he thinks is his son, murdering a man in the process. In resolving the case, with Dr. Huang's help, a private mental health facility is brought into question.

   Directed by: Jean de Segonzac · Written by: Jonathan Greene · Starring: Diane Neal, Kate Hodge, Beverly D'Angelo, Michael C. Fuchs

7. 

   5x07 Choice

   Nov 4, 2003 · 43 min · ★ 7.0

   While patrolling, police stumble upon an attack in progress at Momma Sue's restaurant on the pregnant owner. Her husband is arrested and then seeks to have her charged with neglect for drinking during her pregnancy. The detectives discover it's not the first time a child has been exposed to the devastating repercussions of her uncontrolled alcoholism.

   Directed by: David Platt · Written by: Patrick Harbinson · Starring: Diane Neal, Lenka Peterson, Beverly D'Angelo, Victor Rasuk

8. 

   5x08 Abomination

   Nov 11, 2003 · 43 min · ★ 7.4

   Benson and Stabler have trouble identifying a male murder victim in his 20's found in a pile of sheets in the West Village; they later suspect an outspoken minister who was in the process of flooding the victim with hate mail and death threats. When the activist's alibi checks out, the detectives turn their attention to a professor who objects to the victim's thesis on the failure of sexual re-education groups.

   Directed by: Alex Zakrzewski · Written by: Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters · Starring: Diane Neal, George Segal, Jonathan Tucker, Fred Thompson

9. 

   5x09 Control

   Nov 18, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.9

   A subway commuter is found castrated and bleeding profusely, leading the detectives to discover their "victim" may be the perpetrator in abducting women and forcing them to live in his dungeon for several years as his bride. As the detectives prepare to arrest their victim turned suspect, Benson arrives to find him murdered.

   Directed by: Ted Kotcheff · Written by: Neal Baer · Starring: Diane Neal, Kellee Stewart, Mickey Hargitay, Ben Bailey

10. 

    5x10 Shaken

    Nov 25, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 8.8

    The discovery of a beaten infant leads detectives on a search for the attacker, who may be a pedophile. When the medical evidence shows the injuries were a result of shaken baby syndrome, their focus shifts to those closest to the child: her mother, the mother's boyfriend and the nannies.

    Directed by: Constantine Makris · Written by: Amanda Green · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Nicole Leach, Beverly D'Angelo

11. 

    5x11 Escape

    Dec 2, 2003 · 43 min · ★ 6.4

    When a convicted pedophile, desperate to prove his innocence before his terminally ill mother dies, escapes from a Virginia Correctional Facility and kidnaps his accuser to force him to recant his story, a Deputy Marshall teams up with Benson to track them down. Benson eventually finds herself in the middle of a hostage situation beginning to believe his story.

    Directed by: Jean de Segonzac · Written by: Barbie Kligman · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Nancy Allen, Craig Bierko

12. 

    5x12 Brotherhood

    Jan 6, 2004 · 44 min · ★ 8.0

    When the body of young man is found in a tank at a wastewater treatment plant, the medical examiner identifies a tattoo that says TE, the symbol for the fraternity Tau Omega. The investigation into the murder and sodomy of this local fraternity pledge master leads the detectives to his pornographic website featuring college girls at a local bar.

    Directed by: Jean de Segonzac · Written by: Jose Molina · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Serena Williams, Pell James

13. 

    5x13 Hate

    Jan 13, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 8.1

    A young Arab woman is brutally raped and burned, and after identifying her, the detectives suspect her husband and mother-in-law. After a man accused of the murders of three Arabs, he claims that he was genetically and biologically predisposed to hatred and violence, but soon they uncover the real impetus to the slayings.

    Directed by: David Platt · Written by: Robert Nathan · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Barry Bostwick, Reynaldo Rosales

14. 

    5x14 Ritual

    Feb 3, 2004 · 42 min · ★ 8.5

    Two garbage collectors discover what they first think is a scene of animal sacrifice but is the body of a young boy who appears to be the victim of a ritualistic killing. The investigation leads to the discovery of international child slavery.

    Directed by: Ed Bianchi · Written by: Christos N. Gage, Ruth Fletcher · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Sullivan Walker, Trini Alvarado

15. 

    5x15 Families

    Feb 10, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 8.7

    The investigation into the death of a pregnant high school student exposes a long-held family secret, which precipitates yet another violent death and eventually the destruction of two families.

    Directed by: Constantine Makris · Written by: Jonathan Greene · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Patrick John Flueger, Helen Slater

16. 

    5x16 Home

    Feb 17, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 7.4

    A young, emaciated boy is found by neighbors scrounging for food; detectives suspect the boy is a victim of abuse and are reluctant to let him go home.

    Directed by: Rick Wallace · Written by: Amanda Green · Starring: Diane Neal, Joseph Cross, Beth Ehlers, Marlo Thomas

17. 

    5x17 Mean

    Feb 24, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 8.9

    The conviction of a group of sociopathic high school bullies who turned on one of their own escalates into even more violence and death in their exclusive private school.

    Directed by: Constantine Makris · Written by: Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters · Starring: Diane Neal, Lindsay Hollister, Kelli Garner, Zachary Knighton

18. 

    5x18 Careless

    Mar 2, 2004 · 41 min · ★ 7.6

    When a young foster child dies due to a religious ritual gone awry, the detectives unravel a mysterious pattern of violence, abuse and murder within one foster care family.

    Directed by: Steve Shill · Written by: Patrick Harbinson · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Julie Hagerty, Michole Briana White

19. 

    5x19 Sick

    Mar 30, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 7.9

    A wealthy toy mogul is the suspect of the sexual abuse of a child. His prosecution impeded by the child's parents who refuse to produce their child for questioning to avoid losing the millions paid through a non-disclosure agreement, and by the discovery that a second accusation was falsified in an attempt to extort a settlement.

    Directed by: David Platt · Written by: Dawn DeNoon · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Peter Riegert, Cindy Williams

20. 

    5x20 Lowdown

    Apr 6, 2004 · 42 min · ★ 9.0

    Detectives try to decipher a motive for the strangulation of a Bronx assistant DA in an area where hookers stroll. When the death of the prosecutor looks staged using information gleaned from a co-worker's caseload, Novak endangers her career to obtain a confession.

    Directed by: Jud Taylor · Written by: Robert Nathan · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Peter Riegert, Marlo Thomas

21. 

    5x21 Criminal

    Apr 20, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 8.3

    When it becomes obvious that a forensics expert raped and murdered a student, the investigation focuses on a criminology professor Cragen arrested decades earlier for similar crimes, but is the professor a perpetrator or a victim?

    Directed by: Alex Zakrzewski · Written by: Jose Molina · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Zoe Saldaña, Doug E. Doug

22. 

    5x22 Painless

    Apr 27, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 7.8

    A woman claiming to have been the victim of rape commits suicide while she is still in the emergency room.

    Directed by: Juan José Campanella · Written by: Jonathan Greene · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Marlee Matlin, John Cullum

23. 

    5x23 Bound

    May 4, 2004 · 42 min · ★ 7.2

    The death of a wealthy senior citizen leads to an investigation that uncovers a serial killer with childhood abandonment issues who targets the elderly.

    Directed by: Constantine Makris · Written by: Barbie Kligman · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Jane Krakowski, Richard Easton

24. 

    5x24 Poison

    May 11, 2004 · 43 min · ★ 8.4

    A young girl is in a coma after ingesting detergent and her mother is suspected of poisoning her. A biased judge makes the case hard to prosecute which leads to an investigation into his past.

    Directed by: David Platt · Written by: Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters · Starring: Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Barry Bostwick, Alicia Goranson

25. 

    5x25 Head Season Finale

    May 18, 2004 · 44 min · ★ 5.8

    A boy is accused of being molested after his soccer game, but he doesn't admit to it. His principal and his soccer coach are the prime suspects.

    Directed by: Juan José Campanella · Written by: Lisa Marie Petersen, Dawn DeNoon · Starring: Diane Neal, Diana Scarwid, Stacy Edwards, James Urbaniak

Season 5 Cast

Mariska HargitayOlivia Benson25 episodes

Ice-TOdafin 'Fin' Tutuola25 episodes

Christopher MeloniElliot Stabler25 episodes

Richard BelzerJohn Munch25 episodes

Dann FlorekDonald Cragen25 episodes

BD WongGeorge Huang25 episodes

Diane NealCasey Novak21 episodes

Tamara TunieMelinda Warner15 episodes

Caren BrowningJudith Siper12 episodes

Mike DoyleRyan O'Halloran7 episodes

Audrie NeenanLois Preston6 episodes

Fred ThompsonArthur Branch5 episodes

Joanna MerlinLena Petrovsky5 episodes

Stephanie MarchAlexandra Cabot4 episodes

Marlo ThomasMary Clark4 episodes

Daniel SunjataBurt Trevor4 episodes

Peter McRobbieWalter Bradley4 episodes

Peter HermannTrevor Langan4 episodes

Joel de la FuenteRuben Morales4 episodes

Beverly D'AngeloRebecca Balthus3 episodes

Michael BoatmanDave Seaver3 episodes

David ThorntonLionel Granger3 episodes

Jill Marie LawrenceCleo Conrad3 episodes

Tom O'RourkeMark Seligman3 episodes

Where to Watch Season 5 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit