Fed (11 Dec. 2009)

Lupo and Bernard discover that a murdered member of a progressive community activist group may have been a conservative trying to expose the group's wrongdoings. Meanwhile, Van Buren gets bad news from former detective Rey Curtis.

Director:

Alex Chapple

Writers:

Dick Wolf (creator), Keith Eisner (teleplay),

Stars:

Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, S. Epatha Merkerson

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Sisto	...	Detective Cyrus Lupo
Anthony Anderson	...	Detective Kevin Bernard
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Lt. Anita Van Buren
Linus Roache	...	Executive A.D.A. Michael Cutter
Alana De La Garza	...	A.D.A. Connie Rubirosa
Sam Waterston	...	Jack McCoy
Sam Robards	...	Davis Webb
Danai Gurira	...	Courtney Owens
Boris McGiver	...	Jerry Gans
Leslie Hendrix	...	Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
Ernie Hudson	...	Frank Gibson
Benjamin Bratt	...	Detective Rey Curtis
Keona Welch	...	Marissa Rumstead
Jesse Lenat	...	Linus Kepler
Ramon Fernandez	...	Arturo Ramirez

Storyline

Detectives Lupo and Bernard investigate the murder of James Landy who had been going door to door registering people to vote. The following day, Landy was found on the hood of his car with "FED" written on his chest with a black magic marker. They arrest Jerry Gans, a right-wing anti-government activist on whose door Landy had knocked that night. Landy worked for the Rights Alliance but research shows he had a history of being conservative and he may have been planning some type of smear against them. They realize they may have been looking in the wrong direction when two married Rights Alliance employees, Courtney Owens and David Webb, are shown to have been having an affair. Meanwhile, Lt. Van Buren attends a funeral when a former colleague's wife dies.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 2009 (USA)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wolf Films, Universal Media Studios (UMS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the opening, the victim was found on the corner of Stone Street and Broad Street in Lower Manhattan.

User Reviews

Merkerson deserves an Emmy nod for this one!

With the possibility that this, the 20th season of the long-running drama, may be its last, producer Dick Wolf seems determined to go out with a bag, drawing more controversy with the story lines and allowing the veteran cast members a chance to shine.

"Fed", which makes commentary on the "right" and the "left", gives S. Epatha Merkerson as Lt. Anita Van Buren the lion's share of the installment, giving her significant scenes with Sam Waterson (D.A. Jack McCoy) and Benjamin Bratt, making his return as Detective Rey Curtis. Curtis is back to bury his now-deceased wife and he and Van Buren share a poignant reunion, making a touching reference to Lennie Briscoe, played by the late, brilliant Jerry Orbach. Merkerson also has a tear-jerking scene at the show's end as Van Buren breaks down in the arms of her husband (Ernie Hudson), thinking about her fight with cancer.

The story itself is engaging but the episode is more a showcase for the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actress.