‘Law And Order: SVU’ to do a ’50 Shades Of Grey’-inspired episode

NBC

Considering "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" have covered almost every situation over their 14 seasons, it should come as no surprise that the NBC crime procedrual plans to produce an episode inspired by "50 Shades Of Grey."

Airing on Oct. 10, the episode will see Anna Chlumsky (of "Veep" and "My Girl") portray the author of a "wildly successful S&M romance novel" who is attacked by a famous TV host, played by Roger Bart ("Political Animals"). The SVU gang then urges her to press charges, but their investigation eventually leads to a secret that if uncovered, could ultimately jeopardize her career. (Chung chung!)

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The episode, titled "25 Acts" (the name of the fictional book), has been described by showrunner Warren Leight as "a woman's journey through the world of domination and submission," and will also see Broadway star Raul Esparza guest star as a district attorney. While no other details are known, true to "SVU" form, this episode will be sure to surprise viewers in some sort of capacity -- though it arguably won't touch last season's finale when (spoiler alert!) a dead sex worker was found in Capt. Cragen's (Dann Florek) bed.

"50 Shades of Grey"

However, despite the controversy surrounding "50 Shades Of Grey," it's important for "Law And Order: SVU" to maintain relevance by drawing from pop culture. Since the series is inching towards its 15th anniversary, staying on top of what's current is vital to prevent seeming stale. No, not everyone will like or even have read "50 Shades Of Grey," but SVU" is merely drawing from the current cultural climate.

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It'll be interesting to see what they draw from next. Since Christopher Meloni (a.k.a. Det. Elliott Stabler) left the series at the end of Season 12, there have been opportunities for the other characters to grow and change in his absence. At the very least, "SVU's" penchant for guest stars has kept viewers tuned in, especially their flair for using stars like Chlumsky, who's young, relevant, and on a show that recently earned a Best Actress Emmy.

Not to tell anyone at "SVU" what to do next, but to keep up the momentum, there probably wouldn't be any harm in doing a "Homeland" crossover, or at the very least, a Louis C.K. walk-on.