Law and Order SVU season 20, episode 12 synopsis and promo: Dear Ben

What’s happening in this week’s episode of Law & Order: SVU? Find out about the next episode with the SVU season 20, episode 12 synopsis and teaser.

The next Law & Order: SVU will once again reach back into Peter Stone’s past, according to NBC‘s official description of the episode as well as the promo they’ve released for it.

Thursday’s installment is called “Dear Ben,” which is a reference to Peter’s father Ben Stone, who was played by Michael Moriarty in the original Law & Order. The latest Special Victims Unit is now using his history for its latest storyline—as Peter (Philip Winchester) finds a serial rape case that his father struggled with.

Having more of Peter Stone is a great thing, as he hasn’t been used an awful lot this season save for his previous feature episode “Mea Culpa.” But invoking the Ben Stone character is also kind of a risk, because that character was so beloved by fans of the Law & Order franchise. If this episode is going to use him for story purposes, it will need to be a really good story.

But having said that, this also means this could be a great episode that keeps broadening out the whole Dick Wolf franchise, too. At the least, this will be different than the usual, and that’s always worth watching out for—anything that spotlights different characters or shakes up the procedural formula deserves, at least, credit for trying.

Here’s how NBC officially describes the episode:

"Stone takes up the unsolved cold case of a serial rapist that consumed his father’s career."

And here’s the promo spot that’s been airing in advance of the episode:

For the latest SVU season 20 spoilers and news, plus more on all of Dick Wolf’s other series, follow the Dick Wolf category at One Chicago Center.