Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 12
A season of cast changes and a move to New York.
It was the first season not to air alongside the original Law & Order. At its conclusion, showrunner Neal Baer resigned and three principal cast members left the series.
Quick Facts
- Season number
- 12
- Starring
- Christopher Meloni
- Mariska Hargitay
- Richard Belzer
- Ice-T
- BD Wong
- Tamara Tunie
- Dann Florek
- Network
- NBC
- First aired
- 22 September 2010
- Last aired
- 18 May 2011
- Episodes
- 24
Facts from the source article.
Production
After eleven seasons in New Jersey at NBC's Central Archives in North Bergen, the SVU set relocated to New York City's Chelsea Piers, the former home of the original Law & Order, when the state's 20 percent tax break was lost. The old New Jersey set was abandoned after the fourth episode. Showrunner Neal Baer departed after eleven years with the series, choosing not to renew his NBC contract and instead signing a three-year deal with CBS Studios.
Cast changes and returning characters
Meloni later clarified that he had one year left on his contract and the show had not been picked up, and that he would continue as long as it was picked up. Mariska Hargitay said she could not envision doing the show without him, citing their chemistry. Hargitay expressed interest in her character having a baby. Patton appeared in a single episode, dropping out to film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Her role was replaced by Melissa Sagemiller as ADA Gillian Hardwicke. Sagemiller and Hargitay had previously worked together on the SVU season one episode "Russian Love Poem", in which Sagemiller played a victim. Sagemiller said there was a personal connection between her character and Benson that would be revealed, and described Hardwicke as tough and sticking to the letter of the law.
Cast
Season 12 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit featured several guest stars. Skeet Ulrich played LAPD Detective Rex Winters, and Terrence Howard portrayed Deputy District Attorney Jonah "Joe" Dekker. Diane Neal returned as ADA Casey Novak. Henry Ian Cusick appeared as graphic artist Erik Weber in the first two episodes. Joan Cusack played a mother searching for her two missing daughters in the premiere. Jennifer Love Hewitt portrayed a rape victim too frightened to leave her home in "Behave"; Ulrich also appeared in that episode as his Law & Order: LA character. Gloria Reuben guest-starred as US Attorney Christine Danielson in "Merchandise", an episode about a child trafficking ring. David Krumholtz played a toxic mushroom expert in "Wet", alongside Rosemary Harris. Paula Patton guest-starred as ADA Mikka Von, who is fired for sending a defense attorney on vacation. In "Branded", Michael Gladis and Kevin Alejandro played two of three rape victims who were branded and sodomized. David Alan Grier played defense attorney Jeremy Swift, and Jason Wiles played Alexander Gammon, a target of the rapist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 12?
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 12 stars Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Ice-T, BD Wong, Tamara Tunie and Dann Florek.
How many episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 12 are there?
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 12 has 24 episodes.
More in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Seasons
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