Smoked (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
| "Smoked" | |
|---|---|
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode | |
Detective Benson (Hargitay) shocked, in the aftermath of the SVU squadroom shooting. | |
| Episode no. | Season 12 Episode 24 |
| Directed by | Helen Shaver |
| Written by |
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| Production code | 12024 |
| Original air date | May 18, 2011 |
| Guest appearances | |
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"Smoked" is the twelfth-season finale of the police procedural television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the 272nd overall episode. It originally aired on NBC on May 18, 2011. In the episode, Detectives Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), and Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) investigate the murder of a rape victim who was scheduled to testify in a high-profile rape case. After the suspects are arrested, the victim's daughter opens fire in the squad room, killing several people inside before Detective Stabler fatally shoots her.
The episode was written by Jonathan Greene and Daniel Truly and was directed by Helen Shaver. It marks the final appearance of leading co-star Christopher Meloni until the season 22 episode "Return of the Prodigal Son", and is also the last episode to feature BD Wong and Tamara Tunie in the opening credits; all three actors announced their departures from the series after the end of the season. The episode also marks the final appearance of Charlayne Woodard, who had portrayed Sister Peg on a recurring basis since 2002; her character is caught in the crossfire during the shooting and dies after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest.
"Smoked" received mixed reviews from critics. According to Nielsen ratings, the episode's original broadcast was watched by 8.98 million viewers, making it the most watched program on NBC of the night and the most watched program in the 10:00 p.m. time slot.