‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 17, Episode 20 Press Release: John Munch Returns For ‘Fashionable Crimes’
Law & Order: SVU Season 17, Episode 20 will not air until May, but there is finally some information on what to expect. NBC issued a press release for the episode titled “Fashionable Crimes.” Not only will viewers follow Olivia Benson’s (Mariska Hargitay) squad as they investigate another crime, but fans will see Richard Belzer return as John Munch.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Richard Belzer‘s return to Law & Order: SVU will only be for one episode. Unfortunately, the actor is not coming back to the NBC police drama full-time. However, that doesn’t mean Belzer won’t be seen on the show in the future.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Law & Order: SVU Season 17, Episode 20 will have John Munch returning because of a familiar suspect in a sex crime case.
@Mariska the news of the return of john munch only confirms what I always think of svu, better every day. ? pic.twitter.com/2nniDM99mQ
— vera?? (@Osever111) March 28, 2016
“A young model is raped by a renowned fashion house photographer,” Spoiler TV‘s synopsis for “Fashionable Crimes” states, “who looks to his successful brother to make the charges disappear.”
How does John Munch fit into this case? It seems that this is not the first time the photographer has been a suspect. In the past, Richard Belzer’s character and Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) suspected the man committed sex crimes. However, they were never able to come up with enough evidence against the suspect. Despite their best efforts, the criminal photographer remained a free man and the detectives had to move on to other cases.
Hopefully, the photographer getting away with sex crimes will change in Law & Order: SVU Season 17, Episode 20. Entertainment Weekly wrote to expect a young model to come forward in “Fashionable Crimes.” The model reporting the crime brings the photographer under scrutiny once again. Will they be able to make the charges stick or will the fashion photographer once again get away with it? Even though many TV shows and movies have a near-perfect record of solving cases, even Olivia Benson’s squad can’t win them all.
Everyone said goodbye to Richard Belzer’s character, John Munch in Law & Order: SVU Season 15, Episode 5. Titled “Wonderland Story,” it was Munch’s retirement party. Instead of being on the police force, he went to work as a DA Investigator. As fans expected, the entire episode could not focus on Munch leaving the NYPD. The retirement party was interrupted when Olivia Benson received an urgent call from a victim.
‘Law & Order: SVU’: Richard Belzer will play John Munch until the wheels fall off @nbcsvu https://t.co/4tZDmMZyfz pic.twitter.com/HIF9TJ32iF
— Screener (@screenertv) March 22, 2016
Despite it being Munch’s retirement celebration, it was not the last time the character would be seen in Law & Order: SVU. Richard Belzer made another appearance later that year in “Spring Awakening.” However, viewers have not seen Munch in the NBC police drama since then.
Not only was John Munch a fascinating character, he also holds a record. The character was not made for the show, but the other way around. John Munch was actually created for Homicide: Life On The Street in 1993. Even after the series was canceled, Belzer continued to portray the detective in other shows. In addition to SVU and other Law & Order spin-offs, Munch was also featured in The X-Files. Richard Belzer has played John Munch for over 20 years, making the character one of the longest running TV characters in history.
What do you think of Richard Belzer returning to Law & Order: SVU? Are you looking forward to seeing John Munch come back in Season 17, Episode 20? Will the photographer finally be arrested and convicted in “Fashionable Crimes” or will the suspect once again get away with it? Find out on May 4, when NBC brings back Law & Order: SVU.
[Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images]
