Blackmail (15 Jan. 2010)

The death of a journalist who worked for a celebrity gossip website leads detectives to her publisher, who sought to use information she gathered for a story to blackmail a well-known talk show host.

Director:

Marc Levin

Writers:

Dick Wolf (creator), Ed Zuckerman,

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
Raúl Esparza	...	Dennis Di Palma
Jason Kravits	...	Attorney Baron
Leslie Hendrix	...	Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
Danny Burstein	...	Judge Sam Murray
Samantha Bee	...	Vanessa Carville
Alexandra Silber	...	Sara Bradley
Tom Lipinski	...	Derek Fanning
Joanne Baron	...	Judge Danielle Payne
Ezra Barnes	...	Mark Beck

Storyline

When Detectives Cyrus Lupo and Kevin Bernard find journalist Megan Kerr dead in an abandoned apartment, the detectives learn of a relationship between the victim and daytime talk show host Vanessa Carville. Upon further investigation, the detectives encounter Carville in a meeting with DA Jack McCoy, and Carville admits to a series of workplace affairs and a blackmail threat leaving the detectives suspicious of Carville and her co-workers.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 2010 (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?

Goofs

When Vanessa, the talk show host, tells Detective Bernard "No more sandwiches for you", he drops the sandwich on the table. When Vanessa's husband enters the room, Bernard is holding the sandwich again, Vanessa leaves, and Bernard drops it down on the table.

User Reviews

The first "turkey" in an exceptionally outstanding 20th year

Loosely based on the recent David Letterman blackmail scandal, "Blackmail" tries to take a different route by having a FEMALE talk show host being blackmailed because of her frequent affairs with subordinate FEMALE staffers. One of the host's former employees and lover is murdered and that is the catalyst for which the investigation begins.

A twist involves the blackmailer himself being blackmailed by an accomplice and, in turn, DA McCoy's crew has to resort to a similar tactic to get a conviction on the murder.

This is a rather dull episode, only "enlivened" by S. Epatha Merkerson's "Van Buren" still coping with her cancer as well as making a humorous observation about the physical appearance of cops Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Bernard (Anthony Anderson).