Elizabeth Olivet
Encyclopedia
Dr. Elizabeth Olivet is a fictional character
on the TV crime drama Law & Order
. She was portrayed by Carolyn McCormick
from 1991 to 1997 and in 1999. The character was revived in 2002, but made far less frequent appearances on the show.
Olivet is one of only five characters who have appeared in all four of the Law & Order
series set in New York City
. The other four are Lennie Briscoe
, Ed Green
, Arthur Branch
, and Elizabeth Rodgers. Olivet and police psychiatrist Emil Skoda
are the only Law & Order characters to make crossover
appearances on New York Undercover
, another series produced by Dick Wolf
.
who performs consultation work for the 27th Detective Squad and District Attorney
's office in Manhattan
. She is usually tasked with interviewing murder
suspects to assess whether or not they are legally sane
, and to assist the DA's office in forming psychological profiles.
In her first appearance, she is hired by the precinct as a grief
counselor when Max Greevey is murdered in the line of duty (L&O: "Confession
"). After a rocky start, she helps Greevey's partner, Det. Mike Logan
, cope with the loss, and the two form a close bond. The character appears in several episodes afterward.
Her therapeutic philosophy is gradually revealed throughout her tenure on the show. While able to see through a suspect who is malingering
, she does not offer easy answers with more complicated cases. This tendency results some frustration to Executive ADA Ben Stone
and particularly to his successor, Jack McCoy
, whose prosecution strategies are sometimes hampered by her diagnoses. She is also generally in favor of compassionate, involved psychotherapy
in mental institutions, rather than imprisonment or antipsychotic
drug
s, for genuinely disturbed criminals; this is often shown to clash with the detectives' sense of justice.
In the 1992 episode "Helpless," Olivet is molested
and rape
d by a gynecologist she is attempting to investigate. While the doctor was eventually incarcerated, Olivet's emotional scar
s never truly heal. In the 1994 episode "Breeder," she reveals that she has never been married. Several years later, as she is talking to Logan in the 2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
episode "To the Bone
," she is implied to have started a family.
The character was effectively written out of the show in 1997; in the Law & Order universe
, Olivet went into private practice. She is replaced by Dr. Emil Skoda
. In the 2002 season, she returns to do freelance work with the DA's office. She would later appear in several episodes of L&O.
In the 2008 episode "Betrayal", McCoy reveals that, in her days as a grief counselor, Olivet had sex with a police detective whose partner had been murdered; while not directly stated, it is implied that the detective was Logan. In "Betrayal," Olivet feels compelled to contradict the prosecution's expert witness, Dr. Lydia Stronach, who had done studies that were officially censured as dangerous and damaging by the authoratitive body in her field. When Olivet informs McCoy that she will be testifying for the defence, he feels he has no other choice but to provide Michael Cutter
, his successor as Executive ADA, with information that could be used in their favor when cross-examining Olivet. When Cutter questions Olivet during the trial, she confirms the affair, but adds that she stopped treating the (still unnamed) detective shortly after the relationship began.
McCoy's volatile relationship with Olivet begins with his first encounter with her in the 1994 episode "Blue Bamboo." In that episode, Olivet interviews a defendant who had murdered a sexually abusive
employer and informs McCoy professionally that she believes the woman was traumatized
by the abuse she suffered. McCoy retorts belligerently that she does not belong on his witness list. Since then, McCoy has had a tenuous relationship with Olivet, and it is not clear why. At times, he has retreated from his defensive position to convince her to help; examples include the episode "Privileged," in which McCoy needs her expert testimony to convict an alcoholic
accused of murdering his foster parents.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the TV crime drama Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
. She was portrayed by Carolyn McCormick
Carolyn McCormick
Carolyn Inez McCormick is an American actress best known for her role as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet on Law & Order franchise.-Life and career:McCormick was born in Midland, Texas to a father who owned an oil drilling company...
from 1991 to 1997 and in 1999. The character was revived in 2002, but made far less frequent appearances on the show.
Olivet is one of only five characters who have appeared in all four of the Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
series set in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The other four are Lennie Briscoe
Lennie Briscoe
Leonard W. "Lennie" Briscoe is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order. He was featured on the show for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004. He was created by Walon Green and René Balcer, and was portrayed by Jerry Orbach...
, Ed Green
Ed Green
Edward "Ed" Green is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, created by Rene Balcer and portrayed by Jesse L. Martin.-Character overview:...
, Arthur Branch
Arthur Branch
Arthur Branch is a fictional attorney and a regular character on the TV crime dramas Law & Order and Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Branch has also appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Conviction....
, and Elizabeth Rodgers. Olivet and police psychiatrist Emil Skoda
Emil Skoda (Law & Order)
Emil Skoda, M.D. is a fictional character on the TV crime dramas Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He also appeared once each in Law & Order: Criminal Intent and New York Undercover. He is portrayed by J. K. Simmons....
are the only Law & Order characters to make crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
appearances on New York Undercover
New York Undercover
New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
, another series produced by Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
.
Character biography
Olivet is introduced as a clinical psychologistClinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
who performs consultation work for the 27th Detective Squad and District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
's office in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. She is usually tasked with interviewing murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
suspects to assess whether or not they are legally sane
Sane
Sane is an English word meaning "of sound mind"; see Sanity.Sane or SANE may also refer to:* Sane Ancient Greek city* An archaeological site and a modern name of Sani, Greece*Sane, Mali...
, and to assist the DA's office in forming psychological profiles.
In her first appearance, she is hired by the precinct as a grief
Grief
Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions...
counselor when Max Greevey is murdered in the line of duty (L&O: "Confession
Confession (Law & Order episode)
Confession was the first episode in the second season of the long-running crime drama television series Law & Order. It was aired on September 17, 1991.-Plot:...
"). After a rocky start, she helps Greevey's partner, Det. Mike Logan
Mike Logan (Law & Order)
Michael "Mike" Logan is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order franchise, played by Chris Noth.-History in the franchise:...
, cope with the loss, and the two form a close bond. The character appears in several episodes afterward.
Her therapeutic philosophy is gradually revealed throughout her tenure on the show. While able to see through a suspect who is malingering
Malingering
Malingering is a medical term that refers to fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders for a variety of "secondary gain" motives, which may include financial compensation ; avoiding school, work or military service; obtaining drugs; getting lighter criminal sentences;...
, she does not offer easy answers with more complicated cases. This tendency results some frustration to Executive ADA Ben Stone
Benjamin Stone
Benjamin "Ben" Stone is a fictional character portrayed by Michael Moriarty in the TV drama Law & Order.-Character overview:Stone works in the Manhattan District Attorney's office under Alfred Wentworth and Adam Schiff. It was Schiff with whom he is closest, treating him as a kind of surrogate...
and particularly to his successor, Jack McCoy
Jack McCoy
John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
, whose prosecution strategies are sometimes hampered by her diagnoses. She is also generally in favor of compassionate, involved psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
in mental institutions, rather than imprisonment or antipsychotic
Antipsychotic
An antipsychotic is a tranquilizing psychiatric medication primarily used to manage psychosis , particularly in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A first generation of antipsychotics, known as typical antipsychotics, was discovered in the 1950s...
drug
Psychoactive drug
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior...
s, for genuinely disturbed criminals; this is often shown to clash with the detectives' sense of justice.
In the 1992 episode "Helpless," Olivet is molested
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
and rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d by a gynecologist she is attempting to investigate. While the doctor was eventually incarcerated, Olivet's emotional scar
Scar
Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. A scar results from the biological process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natural part of the healing process. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound results in...
s never truly heal. In the 1994 episode "Breeder," she reveals that she has never been married. Several years later, as she is talking to Logan in the 2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
episode "To the Bone
To the Bone (Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode)
"To the Bone" is a fifth season episode of the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Plot summary:In this episode, Detectives Logan and Barek investigate the recent and brutal machete murders some that are counted as a hate crime....
," she is implied to have started a family.
The character was effectively written out of the show in 1997; in the Law & Order universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
, Olivet went into private practice. She is replaced by Dr. Emil Skoda
Emil Skoda (Law & Order)
Emil Skoda, M.D. is a fictional character on the TV crime dramas Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He also appeared once each in Law & Order: Criminal Intent and New York Undercover. He is portrayed by J. K. Simmons....
. In the 2002 season, she returns to do freelance work with the DA's office. She would later appear in several episodes of L&O.
In the 2008 episode "Betrayal", McCoy reveals that, in her days as a grief counselor, Olivet had sex with a police detective whose partner had been murdered; while not directly stated, it is implied that the detective was Logan. In "Betrayal," Olivet feels compelled to contradict the prosecution's expert witness, Dr. Lydia Stronach, who had done studies that were officially censured as dangerous and damaging by the authoratitive body in her field. When Olivet informs McCoy that she will be testifying for the defence, he feels he has no other choice but to provide Michael Cutter
Michael Cutter
Michael "Mike" Cutter is a fictional character on the long-running NBC series Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit played by Linus Roache. The character debuted in L&O's eighteenth season premiere, broadcast January 2, 2008, and remained through its series finale on May...
, his successor as Executive ADA, with information that could be used in their favor when cross-examining Olivet. When Cutter questions Olivet during the trial, she confirms the affair, but adds that she stopped treating the (still unnamed) detective shortly after the relationship began.
McCoy's volatile relationship with Olivet begins with his first encounter with her in the 1994 episode "Blue Bamboo." In that episode, Olivet interviews a defendant who had murdered a sexually abusive
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
employer and informs McCoy professionally that she believes the woman was traumatized
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
by the abuse she suffered. McCoy retorts belligerently that she does not belong on his witness list. Since then, McCoy has had a tenuous relationship with Olivet, and it is not clear why. At times, he has retreated from his defensive position to convince her to help; examples include the episode "Privileged," in which McCoy needs her expert testimony to convict an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
accused of murdering his foster parents.
Appearance outside of Law & Order
- In the 1996 New York UndercoverNew York UndercoverNew York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
episode "Smack Is Back", she counsels Detective Nina Moreno. - In the 2001 Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
episode "Baby Killer", she is hired by a defense attorney to help defend a young boy accused of murder and finds herself at odds with a former colleague, Alexandra Cabot. She also makes brief appearances in the SVU episodes "...Or Just Look Like One" and "Abuse". - In the Law & Order: Trial by JuryLaw & Order: Trial by JuryLaw & Order: Trial by Jury is an American television drama about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the third spin-off from the long-running Law & Order. The show's almost exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation...
episode "Day", Olivet consults with Tracey KibreTracey KibreTracey Kibre is a fictional character on the now defunct Law & Order: Trial by Jury, portrayed by Bebe Neuwirth. A tough, focused prosecutor, Kibre has worked for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for fifteen years and is a stark contrast to the Executive ADAs in the other three Law & Order...
on the mental stabililty of a rape suspect that Kibre is prosecuting - In the 2006 Law & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
episode "To the Bone", Logan asks her for advice after he accidentally kills an undercover police officer. - Also on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Olivet treats Detective Alexandra EamesAlexandra EamesDet. Alexandra "Alex" Eames is a fictional police detective with the NYPD Major Case Squad featured in the NBC-USA Network Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Kathryn Erbe...
after her abduction ("Siren CallSiren Call"Siren Call" is a sixth season episode of the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Plot summary:In this episode, Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the brutal murder of a teenage girl in The Hamptons, found dead in her car in Queens after a night of partying...
"), and Detective Robert GorenRobert GorenDet. Robert "Bobby" Goren is a fictional character featured in the NBC-USA Network police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Vincent D'Onofrio....
while he is on suspension ("PurgatoryPurgatory (Law & Order: Criminal Intent Episode)"Purgatory" is a seventh season episode of the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Plot summary:The episode resumes where "Untethered" left off. Detective Goren, under suspension pending a psychiatric evaluation, decides to prove himself by going undercover to take down a high-level...
").