Chris Levinson Movies

Angela Lansbury guest stars as Eleanor Duvall, the wealthy and politically powerful mother of suspected serial rapist Gabriel Duvall (Alfred Molina). The SVU team has built up a persuasive case against Gabriel, accusing him of preying upon illegal aliens who are in no position to testify against him. Using her hotshot lawyer Jason Whittaker (Bradley Cooper) as her mouthpiece, Eleanor threatens dire consequences against the detectives if they continue to "harrass" her son--and she has the clout to back up these threats. The situation becomes painfully personal when, shortly after Gabriel is released for lack of evidence, Assistant DA Novak (Diane Neal) is savagely attacked. Rita Moreno costars as a feisty immigrant-rights activist. Originally telecast May 3, 2005, "Night" is the first episode of a two-part story which concluded the same evening on the Law&Order: Special Victims Unit's "sister" series Law & Order: Trial by Jury, with that show's regulars Bebe Neuwirth, Kirk Acevedo and Fred Dalton Thompson appearing in both episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Debuting January 27, 2003, the weekly, hourlong supernatural-drama series Miracles starred Skeet Ulrich as Paul Callan, a sincere, self-effacing young seminarian whose job it was to investigate "miraculous phenomena" on behalf of the Catholic church. At first, Paul adhered to the party line, declaring that most miracles could be logically explained. All this changed when, after a near-fatal accident, Paul was brought back to life by the mysterious healing powers of a boy named Tommy -- who paid for his act of grace with his life. Just before his recovery, Paul had seen the words "God Is Now Here," scrawled in his own blood. Galvanized by this sign from above, Paul quit his job and became a freelance investigator of miracles, hoping not only to prove beyond doubt the authenticity -- or lack of authenticity -- of those miracles, but also to ascertain the reason that his life was spared and Tommy's was not. Paul was joined on this mission by ex-Harvard professor Father Alva Keel (Angus MacFadyen), an expert in the paranormal -- and like Paul, the sort of true believer who demanded complete verification of his beliefs. Alva also headed a strange Boston-based organization called "Sodalitas Quaerito" ("Brotherhood in Search of Truth"), whose acolytes seemed to be preparing for an as-yet-undetermined "large event" that might well have culminated with the end of the world. The two investigators were occasionally assisted by a sympathetic former policewoman, Evelyn Santos (Marisa Ramirez), likewise a member of Sodalitas Quaerito. A presentation of the ABC network, Miracles might have lasted longer than its six episodes had the series not been constantly pre-empted by news coverage of the unrest in the Middle East. The show was canceled on March 27, 2003, but not before it had attracted a sizeable cult following. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Most people are afraid of the "boogeyman"; some good witches like Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) are terrified of the "Woogeyman." Prue (Shannen Doherty) and Piper (Holly Marie Combs) scoff at Phoebe's trepidations, but it's no laughing matter when an earthquake release a genuine Woogyman in the form of a shadow demon -- who immediately takes control of Phoebe's mind and converts her to "badness." All of this puts quite a damper on Phoebe's upcoming party in honor of a famed architectural expert. Jennifer Rhodes makes her first series appearance as the girls' grandmother, Penny "Grams" Halliwell. ~ All Movie Guide

The Halliwell sisters experience mixed emotions when their long-absent father, Victor (played in this episode by Tony Denison), returns. Things become even more strained when dear old dad aligns himself with some shape-shifting neighbors who would love to unlock the secrets of the "Book of Shadows" -- and will stop at nothing to do so. And in a plot development that will bear great significance on the episodes to come, Brian Krause makes his first appearance as studly handyman Leo Wyatt, to whom Piper (Holly Marie Combs) is immediately attracted. ~ All Movie Guide

Bailey (Scott Wolf) finds his struggle to stay clean and sober becoming more and more difficult with each passing day. Charlie (Matthew Fox) and Grace (Tamara Taylor) vow not to rush their relationship, but nature takes its inevitable course. After an initial burst of euphoria, Julia (Neve Campbell) begins having second thoughts about attending Stanford in the fall. And well-meaning Claudia (Lacey Chabert) makes a shambles of things when she "outs" a favorite teacher in front of the entire school. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide