Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) Scheherazade (2007) User Reviews

Superb turn from Dennehy

[ecjones1951 · 9/10 · 17 October 2010]

Deathbed confessional episodes are de rigeur for all police procedural dramas, including every series in the L&O franchise, but not many such stories are as well done as "Scheherzade." The first time I watched this episode was to follow the twists and turns; the second and third times to marvel at Brian Dennehy's wonderful, layered portrayal of a dying man who is going to ease his conscience in his own time on his own terms, in an Emmy-worthy performance that was not nominated. It would have been too easy, and the road many lesser TV series would have taken, to make Dennehy's Judd Tierney just plain evil. He isn't, but neither is he the sociopath Benson and Stabler believe him to be before he begins to gradually let them in on his many secrets.

A complex story told well and without contrivance. Judith Light turns in another sharp, pivotal performance as Judge Donnelly. Paget Brewster as the deeply wounded daughter also does just fine. What the interventionists say is true; "secrets keep people sick."

Redemption

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 7 July 2021]

"Scheherazade" left a big impression on me on first watch, with the emotional impact, character interaction and Brian Dennehy's performance being particularly note-worthy. It was great too seeing a 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' episode containing the themes of redemption and forgiveness. Episodes that do things differently to usual always stand out, and more often or not, or at least in the early seasons, the show did extemely well with its changes of pace.

There are many 'Special Victims Unit' episodes that had a lasting impact on first watch and got even better with each viewing. One of those is "Scheherazade", one of Season 8's best episodes by some way and the best since another Season 8 high point "Infiltrated". As well as one of the best cold case-oriented episodes, which varied on the show. Proof that 'Special Victims Unit' can do smaller scale, intimate and slower episodes extremely well, something that it had already shown and continued to do so, Season 6's "Rage" being another strong example.

Everything is spot on. The photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The script is intelligent and the large amount of talk is tautly wrapped enough to avoid it rambling. It is especially good in the last act where things really do get meaty, as well as the dialogues between Stabler, Olivia and Tierney.

As can be figured out already, to me the change of pace worked wonders. Loved that the setting was more intimate and that it focused on a smaller group of characters (with only four major characters this time) and the more deliberate pace didn't become overly so. It didn't need to be non-stop action and suspense and not all episodes of the show have to be to be good. As said, 'Special Victims Unit' always varied when it came to tackling cold cases, and "Scheherazade" is one of the few truly outstanding ones in my view.

Plenty of twists and turns are present in the second half and they are all plausible and shocking. Case-wise a lot happens while unfolding deliberately, doing so without being convoluted. Did think that there was tension, though more in a subtle than nail-biting way, and the ending is heart-breaking. A great job is done with the themes of redemption and forgiveness, especially the former, and despite disliking Tierney (a very interesting character here) to begin with my assessment of him did change by the episode's end.

Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay are excellent as expected and Paget Brewster is touching. Especially when she learns the truth. Dennehy gets top honours though, in a remarkably multi-layered performance, unsettling to begin with but moving by the end.

In conclusion, outstanding. 10/10.

well written episode

[js5905 · 9/10 · 3 February 2007]

I don't often watch any of the, "Law And Order," shows anymore; seems the tube is over saturated with them; but, occasionally the writing approaches feature film quality. To see an actor of Brian Dennehy's status appearing on episodic television makes one know that this episode must be good. Perhaps he's delving into television because the quality of material available to him in films is sporadic anymore, however, he had a very successful run on Broadway in, "Death Of A Salesman." He doesn't disappoint here. It's more of a story about a dark family secret; and a dieing man's attempt to reconcile with his daughter and wipe his slate clean. A worthwhile episode; and good to see Dennehy performing again.

I agree

[cuddlesmom93 · 21 February 2007]

Judith Light makes L & O SVU! A great show, but light's Judge Donnelly is a delight to watch. making her a regular would be a smart movie for Dick Wolfe and Co.

This episode had it all. Mystery (is the old guy on the up and up? why did he lie all those years?), humor, great Bensen/Stabler interactions, and ofcoures the short but PERFECT scene with Casey and Liz. Just when you think all is lost, Judge Donnelly points Caesy to an unexpected avenue.

The mothership is still my favorite L &O, but SVU runs a close second with episodes like this one.

Now, if they would just get Jack & Liz together... or maybe they were together long long ago?? Would love to see that angle explored by NBC.

Scheherazade

[thecaros6 · 9/10 · 26 January 2007]

I was beginning to think that the latest season wouldn't be up to par with the previous. No worries--This one had a fascinating story line and excellent acting. And--they included the wonderful Judith Light as Judge Liz Donnelly, my favorite character in a series where I thoroughly like everyone! Could something be arranged, please, for Ms. Light to become a regular? This lady is hot hot hot, with her laser-beam intellect, regal stature, bedroom eyes, blonde mane and smoky contralto which is somehow as crisp as the snap of a whip rather than predictably weary. (She's what I want to be when I grow up.) I also find Her Honor's determined self-confidence a comforting foil for Judson's daughter who has been so knocked off balance by the male authority figures in her life. Okay, this is an unabashed fan letter, but more of Judge D. would make an excellent series even better, I think!

Making his peace

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 14 October 2014]

Elliott Stabler's parish priest Karl Kenzler asks Christopher Meloni to do him a special favor. He's taken the confession of a dying man at a hospice and he wants Meloni in his official capacity to visit him. You don't ask a cop unless there's something criminal involved.

The dying man is Brian Dennehy and he's a tough old bird, but he knows he's got maybe days to live. He's got a lot to get off his chest, but he won't do it unless he gets a visit from his estranged daughter. She doesn't want to reconcile with Dennehy, but fortunately he's bonded with Mariska Hargitay and she babysits while he spoon feeds clues about his past.

Before the episode is over a major federal bank robbery case is solved and an innocent man is freed from prison. Dennehy's final scenes with Hargitay are priceless.

Dennehy feeds it out bit by bit as if to prolong his own life. Maybe it did in some odd way. When he had nothing more to give he died. Might be a lesson in there for all of us.

Drawn-out.

[aratledge · 5/10 · 13 May 2011]

I have to disagree with previous reviewers of this episode: although Dennehy's performance certainly is good, I found the episode overall to be very disappointing. Unlike other episodes of SVU, it all unrolls very slowly, through hacking cough-laced conversations with a bed- ridden Dennehy. I know it was supposed to be dramatic, a sort of slow build toward a compelling, emotional ending, but throughout the episode, all I felt was frustrated. (Frustrated like the detectives!) It went so slowly, had so many moments of getting stopped just before finding out something interesting... I am not one to ask for explosions and revelations in every minute of every single episode, but I felt like this didn't give the payoff that drawing up so slowly should really promise.

Stabler is roped into the case when his priest asks him to visit a geriatric cancer patient, Dennehy, who has said something in confidence that the police should investigate. Dennehy plays a (very boring) game of cat and mouse with the detectives as he slowly reveals hints about his criminal past. The detectives initially find that he was part of a team responsible for a string of bank robberies; the fact that he admits to them allows them to close dozens of still-open cases. However, the revelations continue, including one familial crime that is much more aligned with typical SVU cases than the average bank robbery. Strong performances abound in this episode, and the tragedy of nearly-failed legal wrangling toward the episode hits home, but this episode is far from SVU's strongest. I would also guess that there is nearly zero re-watch value (unlike the average SVU episode) because you already know what the big reveal will be, and have to suffer through endless minutes of Dennehy falling asleep mid- sentence to get there.