Monique Jeffries
Encyclopedia
Det. Monique Jeffries is a fictional character
played by Michelle Hurd
in the American crime drama
television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
on NBC
. A regular cast member during the first two seasons, Jeffries is a tough and street-wise detective with the New York Police Department's Special Victims Unit
, and briefly the partner of John Munch
(Richard Belzer
). After getting traumatized by a near-death experience, Jeffries was relieved of active duty when she admits to having sex with a suspect in a previous rape case.
Hurd was cast after having appeared in other television shows by Law & Order
creator Dick Wolf
. Although Wolf promised her Jeffries would develop more over time, Hurd grew frustrated with the lack of material for her character. The show's producers hesitated to keep her as Munch's full-time partner and considered eliminating the character from the show altogether. Hurd eventually departed herself to join the drama television series Leap Years
. The actress earned some critical praise for her performance as Jeffries, but several commentators said the character was never properly fleshed out.
of the New York City Police Department
. After briefly partnering with Ken Briscoe (Chris Orbach
), she was assigned the permanent partner of John Munch
(Richard Belzer
) after his previous partner, Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters
), left the unit. The two occasionally clashed personalities and had a sarcastic rapport with each other. While chasing a rape suspect during one case, Jeffries is nearly killed when the suspect gets into a car that explodes. She initially appears traumatized by the incident, but later feels exhilarated over having survived the incident and starts feeling overconfident. She begins having several one night stand
s in her personal life and acts more reckless at work, becoming something of a loose cannon at the Special Victims Unit. One night at a bar, she meets a man who had been a suspect in a previous rape case and has sex with him. When she reveals the incident during a session with a police therapist, she is placed out of active duty and receives a desk job. She objects to the transfer and threatens to leave the department. Instead, she is transferred to the Vice department, and replaced by Fin Tutuola
(Ice-T
) in the Special Victims Unit.
, making a guest appearance on the seventh season episode "Entrapment" in 1997. Hurd also previously appeared in the television shows New York Undercover
and Players, both of which were producer by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf
. When Wolf approached Hurd to play the part of Monique Jeffries, he warned her that the part was small at first but had the potential to develop, telling her, "Think of her as a flower, she'll bloom later, but for the pilot she's just got a scene." The character also had less screen-time than others in the series, in part so that Hurd would accept theater roles. However, Hurd felt the Jeffries character received the development promised, claiming she "just read instructions" while playing the part. While she liked being part of the cast, Hurd said she was frustrating with the lack of material for her character, particularly when guest stars had more developed characters than her.
When Dean Winters departed from the show and a permanent replacement for the John Munch character was needed, Hurd had trouble convincing network officials she was correct for the part. Ted Kotcheff
, the show's co-executive producer, said it was too redundant to have two man-woman sets of partners, with protagonists Elliot Stabler
and Olivia Benson
already partnered together. Kotcheff felt Munch and Jeffries pairing diluted the relationship of Stabler and Benson because it was a "mirror image" of their partnership. Although Hurd felt more female characters should be part of a sex crimes unit, she said, "I understand the industry, and what networks want, and they wanted someone to have an impact, a rating." The producers had discussions about removing Jeffries from the show so that Benson would be the only woman in the squad room, but no decisions were ever made.
Hurd ultimately departed from the show during the second season to join the Showtime drama television series Leap Years
. After her departure from the show, Hurd said, "I think it's just sad they didn't have faith to stick around with me." However, she said she bore no ill feelings about her time on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but felt the casting on Leap Years was a "rare opportunity". Roger Friedman
, an entertainment journalist, Fox News reported that Richard Belzer arranged for Hurd to be fired because her character was receiving too many storylines and distracting attention from him, but that report was never confirmed. Although Jeffries departed from the Special Victims Unit during the episode "Asunder", her character was still present in the episode "Runaway", which was marked character's final appearance. "Runaway" was originally intended to air before "Asunder" but was broadcast out of order.
said of the character, "her role was so marginal that her absence hardly registered" after she departed the series. Ken Parish Perkins of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
called Michelle Hurd a strong member of a "solid cast". The South Florida Sun-Sentinel said the character had untapped potential that appeared ready to be tapped after Dean Winters left the show, and the paper expressed disappointment it was never achieved. In an interview with Orlando Sentinel
about the series, New York Police Department Detective Ted Sica said Jeffries' wardrobe was too promiscuous for a detective, and that the real-life department would not allow her tank tops and tight vests: "We don't tolerate that, especially in a sex crimes unit. We're trying to be a little dignified."
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...
played by Michelle Hurd
Michelle Hurd
Michelle Hurd is an American stage, film, and television actress. She is married to actor Garret Dillahunt.-Early life:...
in the American crime drama
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. A regular cast member during the first two seasons, Jeffries is a tough and street-wise detective with the New York Police Department's Special Victims Unit
Special Victims Unit
The Special Victims Unit is the name of a specialized division within some police departments. The detectives in this division typically investigate crimes involving sexual assault, the very young, or the very elderly, as well as any crime loosely connected with any of the three.-New York City...
, and briefly the partner of John Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
(Richard Belzer
Richard Belzer
Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
). After getting traumatized by a near-death experience, Jeffries was relieved of active duty when she admits to having sex with a suspect in a previous rape case.
Hurd was cast after having appeared in other television shows by Law & Order
Law & Order (franchise)
The Law & Order franchise is a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and originally broadcast on NBC, all of which deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system...
creator 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...
. Although Wolf promised her Jeffries would develop more over time, Hurd grew frustrated with the lack of material for her character. The show's producers hesitated to keep her as Munch's full-time partner and considered eliminating the character from the show altogether. Hurd eventually departed herself to join the drama television series Leap Years
Leap Years
Leap Years is a 2001 drama television series that aired on the Showtime cable network. The show was created by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who had created the American version of the series Queer as Folk. It followed a group of friends in New York City...
. The actress earned some critical praise for her performance as Jeffries, but several commentators said the character was never properly fleshed out.
Character biography
Monique Jeffries is a tough and street-wise detective with the Special Victims UnitSpecial Victims Unit
The Special Victims Unit is the name of a specialized division within some police departments. The detectives in this division typically investigate crimes involving sexual assault, the very young, or the very elderly, as well as any crime loosely connected with any of the three.-New York City...
of the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
. After briefly partnering with Ken Briscoe (Chris Orbach
Chris Orbach
Christopher Ben Orbach is an actor-singer/songwriter who is the son of late Law & Order star Jerry Orbach and his first wife Marta Curro...
), she was assigned the permanent partner of John Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
(Richard Belzer
Richard Belzer
Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
) after his previous partner, Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters
Dean Winters
Dean Winters is an American actor, who has portrayed Ryan O'Reily on HBO's Oz, Johnny Gavin on FX Network's Rescue Me, and Dennis Duffy on NBC's 30 Rock...
), left the unit. The two occasionally clashed personalities and had a sarcastic rapport with each other. While chasing a rape suspect during one case, Jeffries is nearly killed when the suspect gets into a car that explodes. She initially appears traumatized by the incident, but later feels exhilarated over having survived the incident and starts feeling overconfident. She begins having several one night stand
One Night Stand
One Night Stand is an HBO stand-up series that first aired on February 15, 1989. The half-hour series aired weekly and featured stand-up comedy specials from some of the top performing comedians. The series originally comprised 55 specials over the course of its four years on HBO...
s in her personal life and acts more reckless at work, becoming something of a loose cannon at the Special Victims Unit. One night at a bar, she meets a man who had been a suspect in a previous rape case and has sex with him. When she reveals the incident during a session with a police therapist, she is placed out of active duty and receives a desk job. She objects to the transfer and threatens to leave the department. Instead, she is transferred to the Vice department, and replaced by Fin Tutuola
Fin Tutuola
Det. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola is a fictional character and protagonist on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, played by Ice-T.The character's name is taken from the book The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola, a member of the Yoruba people of Nigeria...
(Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
) in the Special Victims Unit.
Development
Michelle Hurd had appeared on the television series Law & OrderLaw & 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,...
, making a guest appearance on the seventh season episode "Entrapment" in 1997. Hurd also previously appeared in the television shows 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...
and Players, both of which were producer by Law & Order creator 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...
. When Wolf approached Hurd to play the part of Monique Jeffries, he warned her that the part was small at first but had the potential to develop, telling her, "Think of her as a flower, she'll bloom later, but for the pilot she's just got a scene." The character also had less screen-time than others in the series, in part so that Hurd would accept theater roles. However, Hurd felt the Jeffries character received the development promised, claiming she "just read instructions" while playing the part. While she liked being part of the cast, Hurd said she was frustrating with the lack of material for her character, particularly when guest stars had more developed characters than her.
When Dean Winters departed from the show and a permanent replacement for the John Munch character was needed, Hurd had trouble convincing network officials she was correct for the part. Ted Kotcheff
Ted Kotcheff
Ted Kotcheff , sometimes credited as William Kotcheff or William T. Kotcheff, is a Canadian film and television director, who is well known for his work on several high-profile British television productions and as a director of films such as First Blood.-Early life:Kotcheff was born William...
, the show's co-executive producer, said it was too redundant to have two man-woman sets of partners, with protagonists Elliot Stabler
Elliot Stabler
Det. Elliot "El" Stabler is a fictional character on the TV crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Christopher Meloni. He was the partner of Olivia Benson before retiring, following a shooting.-Character overview:...
and Olivia Benson
Olivia Benson
Det. Olivia "Liv" Benson is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. She is the former partner of Elliot Stabler. In Season 13, her partner will be Nick Amaro...
already partnered together. Kotcheff felt Munch and Jeffries pairing diluted the relationship of Stabler and Benson because it was a "mirror image" of their partnership. Although Hurd felt more female characters should be part of a sex crimes unit, she said, "I understand the industry, and what networks want, and they wanted someone to have an impact, a rating." The producers had discussions about removing Jeffries from the show so that Benson would be the only woman in the squad room, but no decisions were ever made.
Hurd ultimately departed from the show during the second season to join the Showtime drama television series Leap Years
Leap Years
Leap Years is a 2001 drama television series that aired on the Showtime cable network. The show was created by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who had created the American version of the series Queer as Folk. It followed a group of friends in New York City...
. After her departure from the show, Hurd said, "I think it's just sad they didn't have faith to stick around with me." However, she said she bore no ill feelings about her time on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but felt the casting on Leap Years was a "rare opportunity". Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is an American entertainment news journalist. Friedman created and wrote the FOX411 news column on Foxnews.com for 10 years. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz 411, an entertainment news column.-Career:...
, an entertainment journalist, Fox News reported that Richard Belzer arranged for Hurd to be fired because her character was receiving too many storylines and distracting attention from him, but that report was never confirmed. Although Jeffries departed from the Special Victims Unit during the episode "Asunder", her character was still present in the episode "Runaway", which was marked character's final appearance. "Runaway" was originally intended to air before "Asunder" but was broadcast out of order.
Reception
Gail Pennington of the St. Louis Post-DispatchSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
said of the character, "her role was so marginal that her absence hardly registered" after she departed the series. Ken Parish Perkins of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a major U.S. daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. Its area of domination is checked by its main rival, The Dallas Morning News, which is published from the eastern half of the Metroplex. It is owned...
called Michelle Hurd a strong member of a "solid cast". The South Florida Sun-Sentinel said the character had untapped potential that appeared ready to be tapped after Dean Winters left the show, and the paper expressed disappointment it was never achieved. In an interview with Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
about the series, New York Police Department Detective Ted Sica said Jeffries' wardrobe was too promiscuous for a detective, and that the real-life department would not allow her tank tops and tight vests: "We don't tolerate that, especially in a sex crimes unit. We're trying to be a little dignified."