Look at some of the “story beats” in the show. David and Kolsby change your thinking about the he said/she said story every couple minutes. When you watch a crime show such as this, you’re wondering whodunit and looking for clues.
The story is not complicated, but David and Kolsby are very shrewd in the way they create suspense in the viewer. In this case, the story goes like this: In this episode, Benson and Stabler immerse themselves in the world of THE UNIVERSITY ART DEPARTMENT to get justice for A YOUNG WOMAN who has been RAPED BY HER PROFESSOR. Here’s the formula: In this episode, Benson and Stabler immerse themselves in the world of SOME FUN MILIEU to get justice for VICTIM who has been SEX CRIME. Further, every episode can take place in a different world. Sure, we hear about Stabler’s wife on occasion and we wonder when Benson will find the right guy. The episodes are about the crimes and their resolutions in the justice system. One of the reasons the Law & Order franchise has been so successful is because Dick Wolf and the other producers use the least amount of serialization possible. As you well know, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit sends Detectives Benson and Stabler in search of all kinds of evil sex criminals. The program is a spiritual successor to Dragnet, one of the first police procedurals and one of the most realistic. “Doubt” is also currently streaming on Netflix.Įlement of Craft We’re Stealing: Creation of Suspenseĭon’t even pretend to lie: when you’re not feeling well, you grab a tub of ice cream and sit down on the couch, stuffing your face with Cherry Garcia and your eyeballs with Law & Order. Title of Work and its Form: “Doubt”, an episode of the television program Law & Order: SVU Author: Written by Marjorie David & Paul Kolsby, directed by Ted Kotcheff Date of Work: Originally broadcast NovemWhere the Work Can Be Found: The episode is on approximately four times a day in syndication and can be found on the program’s Season 6 DVD.