What’s it about?

On first looks this spin-off appears to be a bit of a gamble by the producers of "Law & Order". For those of you who haven't seen that show, "Law & Order" follows the exploits of a regular cast of lawyers and cops as they track a crime from police investigation to prosecution by the District Attorney's Office. This is a unique concept - the first half of each show takes us to the scene of the crime and on the trail of the perpetrator; the second half focuses on the courtroom as the perpetrator faces court.

In some ways it's strange that Wolf Films, the producer of this show, have retained the "Law & Order" moniker because the plot does not follow the split structure of its namesake. Nevertheless, it fills a gap in that show's plotlines which rarely deal with the seamier side of New York crime, particularly the sex-related offences that make up the bulk of "Special Victims". Here we are faced with rape, sexual assault, and even crimes against children. There are plenty of euphemisms to handle the details of these crimes, e.g. "weenie wagger" and "waving his flag" to describe the actions of a flasher. But some of the "Law & Order" affectations remain, like the theme music and identification markers that tell us where each scene is set. And plenty of cross-over cast members.

Who's it about?

Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer)
He's been transferred from his long running presence on the job in Baltimore's homicide unit. He's the one that provides the eccentricity around the "house", which is a good thing considering the type of work these guys do. He's a cynic, sure, and quick to turn his acid tongue against the nearest target, but he also knows his way around the streets like no other. He's seen it all, in some ways similar to Lennie Briscoe with whom he has occasionally partnered in guest spots on "Law & Order". And if you know Munch (rhymes with "lunch") from his previous assignment, you'll be aware of his conspiracy theories, of which there are many (why was JFK's coffin dropped into the sea?). Apparently he left Baltimore after splitting with his wife and vows never to return (it is Baltimore, after all).

Captain Cragen (Dan Florek)
There's not much trimming in this no-nonsense police captain. In that way he hasn't changed much since his days in "Law & Order". He comes to SVU from the Anti-Corruption Task Force, where he has been posted since 1994. Prior to that he was Briscoe's captain at the NYPD 27th Precinct. He's tougher and smarter than he appears at first glance. And watch out for those suspenders.

Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay)
Already a veteran on the job, she is that rare combination of street-smarts and empathetic detective who is perfectly suited to the unique demands of the SVU. Why is she in this unit? You discover in the first episode that she is the product of a rape perpetrated against her mother. She does tend to get a little emotional, we'll see if this is a positive or negative as we watch her on the job.

Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni)
You know the type. All work, no play, and sometimes a royal pain because of it. The eager beaver who believes that we live to work, not the other way around. Nevertheless he has a fair degree of compassion for the victims of the crimes in the SVU, and is able to see the absurdity in many situations. The father of four, he is potentially the most interesting of the squad.

Detective Monique Jeffries (Michelle Hurd)
This is a woman who knows how to take charge of a situation. And she's no powder-puff, which is good for her, because Belzer is always leaning on her.

Detective Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters)
He's the newest member of the SVU team, an enthusiastic detective who wants to make a good impression, even though he is harder on himself than necessary. Maybe that's because he's so ambitious, or it might be his natural enthusiasm. He's Munch's partner, who's not quite as cool as he thinks he is, especially when his big mouth trips him up.

Who's who?

Richard Belzer (Detective John Munch)
You may know Richard from his starring role in "Homicide: Life On The Street", an excellent show about a homicide unit in Baltimore (watch it on cable if you missed its initial run). He's been a standup comedian and talk show host before he got his break on the cult classic "Groove Tube", considered by one of this reviewer's erstwhile friends to be a "classic". He partnered the brilliant trio of Bill Murray, the late Gilda Radner and the late John Belushi on the "National Lampoon Show", and later appeared in "Author, Author" and "Scarface" (both with Al Pacino) and Ron Howard's "Night Shift".

Dan Florek (Captain Cragen)
You know Dann Florek if you've been a long time watcher of "Law & Order" or you're catching it on cable. Here he reprises the role of Captain Cragen from the early episodes of "Law & Order" (he's made a few return appearances as well), in the part that preceded S. Epatha Merkerson as Lt. Anita Van Buren. This reviewer always thought he handled that role with aplomb, if too much austerity, and it is a pleasure to see his return. Florek is a graduate of the prestigious Julliard School of acting, and made his small screen debut in another legal-eagle show (in fact it's the prototype of the modern genre) "L.A. Law" where he played Roxanne's public relations obsessed mate (and archetypal "loser") Dave Meyer. He's also guested on all the usual suspects, including "NYPD Blue" and "The Practice".

Mariska Hargitay (Detective Olivia Benson)
She was part of the most successful television program of the last half of the previous decade, "ER", in which she played Anthony Edward's wife Cynthia. You might also recognise her from guest spots in "Seinfeld", "Ellen" and that staple of eighties programming angst "thirtysomething". If you're looking for a reasonable made-for-TV legal thriller, check her out in the adaptation of the Alan Dershowitz novel "The Advocate's Devil". And worth a look on video is the David Kelley venture into filmdom "Lake Placid", in which she features.

Christopher Meloni (Detective Elliot Stabler)
Christopher is well remembered by cop-show fans for his stunning portrayal as Detective Russell's dubious friend Jimmy Liery in "NYPD Blue". In some of the most harrowing episodes of that fabulous show, he played the gangster who uses the undercover Russell, much to the consternation of boyfriend Smits. He also portrayed Julia Roberts's fiance in the hit film "Runaway Bride". Also seen in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and the interesting "12 Monkeys".

Michelle Hurd (Detective Monique Jeffries)
Michelle is familiar on the TV thriller merry-go-round, where she has featured in "Law & Order" and "The Practice". Look for her in the underrated movie "Random Hearts" with Harrison Ford.

Dean Winters (Detective Brian Cassidy)
Like Meloni, he arrives at SVU from the series "Oz". He's also guested on "NYPD" and "Homicide: Life on the Streets", and has been seen in the Mel Gibson/Julia Roberts feature "Conspiracy Theory" (worth a look for Gibson's typically edgy portrayal). This is a diametrically different character from the malevolent Ryan O'Reilly in "Oz".

Where did it come from?

Dick Wolf, the creator of the series, has been honoured with a number of prestigious awards including the 1998 Television Showman of the Year Award from the Publicist's Guild of America. Wolf is also the author of the excellent feature movie "School Ties" (worth a look on video). Wolf was previously a staff writer on the spiritual godfather of this show, "Hill Street Blues". His credits also include "New York Undercover" and "Miami Vice".

Mike Post, the composer in residence for all Bochco's shows, did the theme music for this as well. Included in his catalogue are "LA Law", "Hill St.", "Doogie Howser", and "Brooklyn South". What else? How about "Quantum Leap", and the "A-Team". By the way, he produced Dolly Parton's "Nine To Five".

The facts

The producers intend to allow the stars of the two shows to migrate (Angie Harmon makes an appearance in the first episode) across the "SVU" and the original "Law & Order", much in the way that David Kelley uses the stars of "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice" to infiltrate each others turf.

In 1999 Richard Belzer achieved a major trifecta by appearing, in the one week, on "Homicide", "Law & Order" and "X-Files". In total the Munch character has appeared on 5 different series. For those of you with cable, you'll know Richard as a regular on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, Letterman and Conan O'Brien.

Believe it or not, Mariska Hargitay (Detective Olivia Benson) is the daughter of that legendary screen goddess Jayne Mansfield.

Dean Winters will leave the show to concentrate on his other starring vehicle, "Oz" (prison drama).

If you're wondering how Richard Belzer has been able to make the change to "SVU", it's because "Homicide" went off the air in the US in late 1999.

Dann Florek was last seen in "Law & Order" in the television movie "Exiled: Law & Order". He has also directed a number of episodes of that show.

How do they explain the move of Munch to the SVU? Well, it's a little convoluted: he's divorced and wanting to start a new life in NY. As far as he's concerned, in typical Munch-speak, "I'll never set foot in Baltimore so long as I'm on this mortal sphere".

Former "Homicide" star Clark Johnson has directed an episode of SVU.

Meloni and Winters are able to do SVU and "Oz" because the latter only shoots 8 episodes a year.

Detective Ken Briscoe is the nephew of that great cop Lennie Briscoe from "Law & Order".

The legal point

Sexual offences are legislated in the various Crimes Acts around the country. In general they refer to:

• Rape
• Incest
• Indecent assault
• Use of drugs and other stimulants to obtain sex
• Offences against children and people with mental impairments.

Rape is a crime that emanates from the principle that one must consent to sexual activity. In the case of children and people with serious mental impairments, it is assumed that they are not capable of giving consent. What is "consent"? It means that there is no force, or coercion (e.g. the person is held captive or blackmailed), or taking advantage of the person's lack of consciousness or influence of drugs or alcohol. It is not necessary for the victim to say no, but merely for it to be clear that it was not consensual. Nevertheless, if the accused reasonably believed there was consent, this may allow a defence in certain circumstances.

Indecent assault is distinguished from rape, and it usually involves unsuitable physical contact.

There are particularly stringent laws concerning sexual assault on children. Although the laws generally make a distinction between children under and over the age of ten, it remains a serious indictable crime to have intercourse with a child under the age of 16 (indictable crimes are heard before a judge and jury). It can also be a serious offence to have intercourse with a 16 or 17 year old (if you're not married) if you have a supervisory role in the child's life.

Workers in facilities that house or care for people with impaired mental functioning can be charged with a very serious offence for sexual assault of their charges.

Our verdict

Rape, sexual assault, crimes against children. It doesn't sound like your usual prime time fare, but Wolf knows a decent prospect when he sees it and this is no exception. You may wonder why we would want to delve into this most perverse of worlds, but the sales of crime thrillers and movies about serial killers should make that moot.

This is a superior drama, with a proven pedigree, where the action is leavened by moral questions and the darker nights of the soul. Nevertheless, some viewers will miss the courtroom antics that are so much a part of its namesake, which is the price the producers pay for trading off the reputation of the predecessor. But there is an emotional edge to this show that is lacking (to no detriment) in "Law & Order", and a concern for the victims that sets it apart. We see how the members of the SVU deal with the enormity of their tasks and the dark side of the psyche that they must negotiate in the perpetrators and themselves. The sets accurately reflect the gritty world inhabited by these tarnished knights, and don't miss the squad room banner that proclaims "New York City Detectives Are The Best Detectives In The world".

Thankfully there isn't much here for the prurient of mind, given that most of the violence takes place off-screen or is cloaked in euphemism. Nevertheless, this is partly new territory for prime time, though there is always some off the wall humour to leaven the gravity of the crimes that make their way to the SVU. It will certainly make some viewers uncomfortable, but in an adult timeslot there should be a large and loyal audience for this gripping drama. Check it out.

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Read this: The legal information contained above is intended to be general information about the law. It is not a substitute for legal and other professional advice. Lawscape Communications P/L does not accept responsibility for loss to any person, who either acts or does not act because of this information.