George Huang (Law & Order)

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Law & Order character
Dr. George Huang
Time on show 2002-present
Preceded by Emil Skoda
Succeeded by Current
First appearance Pique
Last appearance N/A
Portrayed by B.D. Wong

Dr. George Huang is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He is portrayed by B. D. Wong.

Huang is both an FBI Agent and the residential psychiatrist for the Special Victims Unit team; basically, he provides them with expert analysis of crime scenes and suspects. His vast knowledge of forensic psychology and psychopathology lends him an almost psychic ability to understand, empathize with, and predict the actions of suspects as well as victims. He also has extensive knowledge in the fields of theology, ethnic studies, and forensics.

Early in his career as a psychiatrist, he worked as a counselor for sex offenders, motivated by a genuine belief that he could rehabilitate them. He quit after a few years, however, frustrated by his patients' unwillingness to truly participate in the psychotherapy. He soon joined the 16th Precinct to help catch the same criminals he once treated.

Despite a rocky start with the SVU detectives, they seem to have come to trust Huang implicitly. However, his opinion, like any psychiatrist's, is not always appreciated; he sometimes agrees with the diagnoses of mental illness provided by defense attorneys and their psychiatrists, making it harder for the Assistant DAs who work with the precinct to prosecute criminals.

Like the detectives, however, Huang has empathy first and foremost with victims of sexual assault, particularly children. As a psychiatrist, he sometimes offers his expertise to the detectives themselves, by helping them with any emotional problems they may have. One notable example is the Season 6 episode Charisma. After the detectives see that several children have been murdered in a cult leader's home, Huang sits down with each of the detectives individually.

In the episode "Execution", Huang was beaten by a condemned serial killer while he and Stabler tried to get him to confess to a murder.

In episode 51 (season three) "Inheritance", Huang reveals that he has a sister and both parents are still alive. There has been no further mentions of his family.

In 2003 in the episode "Coerced", he clashed with Stabler about the treatment of a suspect and said that he would testify on behalf of the defense.

[edit] Trivia

  • Huang's FBI badge number 2317616, as shown in the SVU episode "Charisma", is identical to Dana Scully's as shown on Fox's The X-Files, a show in which B. D. Wong guest starred.
  • He speaks fluent Cantonese Chinese.
  • Huang is also an avid collector of iPods.
  • When Huang is first introduced, he is seen wearing a wedding ring. He does not wear this every time he appears, but is seen to be wearing it frequently.
  • NBC was criticized by several Asian American media critics for not making Huang's role bigger in the SVU episode "Debt," especially since that episode's plot was centered heavily around Chinatown.[1], [2], [3]