10 Robin Williams TV Appearances You Must Watch

4. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LpSrnPyB1c Law & Order: SVU pulled out all the stops for their 200th episode. The show took heavy inspiration from the infamous psychology experiments of Stanley Milgram. It also took a cue from a real-life incident which occurred at a McDonald€™s wherein a female employee was sexually tormented because a €œpolice officer€ on the phone was instructing others to do so. In the show, Robin Williams portrayed Merritt Rook. He was a highly intelligent, manipulative and vile character, yet garnered the sympathy of those around him and sometimes that of the audience. The argument could be made that Rook€™s actions within the show were not about sexual abuse, but about questioning authority -- hence the episode€™s title, €œAuthority€. Ultimately, after acting as his own defense during trial, Rook was found innocent of the charges against him in relation to the fast food restaurant incident. After becoming a cult hero for his questioning of authority, Rook kidnapped Det. Olivia Benson. When Det. Elliot Stabler tracked the pair down, he was forced to participate in a modified Milgram experiment with Benson as the victim. After a highly emotional scene, Rook revealed it all to be another hoax. As Merritt stated, Stabler had proven himself a man. Shockingly, Rook escaped the two detectives after being apprehended -- although it is speculated he may have drowned himself. Robin Williams electrified in this role. He brought the audience on a journey of emotions -- letting them feel disgust, sympathy, and pity for Merritt Rook. It was one of the better episodes of a show which had followed the same formulaic pattern since its debut and had begun to grow tired.