Ep 5. Wanderlust

In Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1 episode 5 "Wanderlust", Detective Olivia Benson and her partner Detective Elliot Stabler investigate a case where a young woman named Jamie Hoskins (played by Amy Carlson) has been found in a park, beaten and raped. As they try to find her attacker and build a case against him, they discover that Jamie has a travel bug and has been hitchhiking across the country, staying with strangers along the way. This leads them to question whether or not Jamie's love of travel played a role in her assault.

The detectives soon discover that Jamie has been taken in by a seemingly kind couple, Gordon and Stephanie Rickett (played by David gennery and Kristin Griffith). The couple claims to have found Jamie wandering around and took her in out of the goodness of their hearts. But as the detectives dig deeper, they begin to question the Ricketts' motives and wonder if they had something to do with Jamie's assault.

Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Cabot deals with her own demons as she is forced to confront the fact that her own mother is a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her father. Cabot struggles with her desire to protect her family while also pursuing justice in Jamie's case.

As the investigation continues, the SVU team discovers more and more evidence against the Ricketts, including sexual paraphernalia and photos of Jamie on Gordon's computer. But when Jamie's credibility is called into question due to her love of travel and her history of staying with strangers, the case becomes more complicated than ever. Can the detectives build a strong enough case against the Ricketts and bring Jamie's attacker to justice?

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1 episode 5 "Wanderlust" is a thrilling and emotional episode that explores themes of sexual assault, victim-blaming, and the systemic issues that often prevent victims from receiving justice. With powerful performances from each member of the cast, this episode is a must-see for fans of the series and anyone interested in true crime drama.