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Law & Order: SVU First Look: Benson Heads to "The Newsroom" for a Ripped-From-the-Headlines Case

Exclusive! See Mariska Hargitay, Peter Gallagher and Bonnie Somerville in action from the upcoming episode

By Chris Harnick Apr 18, 2017 4:00 PMTags
Law and Order: SVUMichael Parmelee/NBC

Law & Order: SVU is sending Benson to "The Newsroom" for a ripped-from-the-headlines case that has some striking similarities to a certain cable news network scandal. E! News has your first look at the episode with exclusive images.

In "The Newsroom," Lt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) appears on her friend's cable news show to discuss a headline-making rape case and the facts behind it. The live on-air conversation triggers Heidi Sorenson (guest star Bonnie Somerville) to accuse someone of assaulting her. That someone? Her boss, played by Christopher McDonald.

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Michael Parmelee/NBC
Michael Parmelee/NBC

Heidi's reveal leads Benson and Barba (Raúl Esparza) to ask witnesses to put their jobs on the line for her case. Mark Moses of Mad Men plays Heidi's co-anchor. And it's a The O.C. reunion for Somerville with Peter Gallagher also guest starring as Chief Dodds. Peyton List, J.C. MacKenzie and Beth Chamberlin also guest star.

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Michael Parmelee/NBC
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This is the first SVU appearance for McDonald and Somerville. McDonald previously appeared in two episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (as two different people) and one episode of Law & Order. Moses previously appeared in "Inconceivable," a 2008 episode of SVU. Frequency's List has appeared in two other episodes of SVU—2003's "Soulless" and 2001's "Pixies," all as different people. It's the Law & Order way.

Law & Order: SVU's "The Newsroom" airs Wednesday, April 26 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)