Emil Skoda (Law & Order)
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| Law & Order character | |
 |
|
| Dr. Emil Skoda | |
|---|---|
| Time on show | 1997—2004 (Law & Order) 2000—2001 (Special Victims Unit) |
| Preceded by | Elizabeth Olivet (L&O) |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Olivet (L&O) George Huang (SVU) |
| First appearance | "Denial" (L&O) "The Third Guy" (SVU) |
| Last appearance | "Dead Wives Club" (L&O) "Folly" (SVU) |
| Portrayed by | J.K. Simmons |
Dr. Emil Skoda is a fictional character on the TV crime dramas Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He was portrayed by J.K. Simmons.
Dr. Skoda is a psychiatrist who works with the New York Police Department. In addition to his own private practice, he often testifies for the prosecution as an expert witness on whether a defendant is legally sane to stand trial. He also profiles suspects and offers advice to the District Attorneys regarding witnesses' and suspects' mental state.
Skoda has appeared in three of the four incarnations of Law & Order: the original series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He has also made a crossover appearance on New York Undercover, another series produced by Dick Wolf.
Unlike his predecessor, Dr. Elizabeth Olivet, almost nothing has been revealed about Skoda's personal life. One exception occurs in the episode "Burned," in which he compares a teenage suspect to his own son. He was also far more skeptical of people pleading insanity, and quicker to believe they were faking to avoid prison. In more than one episode, both Skoda and Olivet were hired to evaluate a suspect, and argued over an appropriate diagnosis. His character had differences in philosophy with Captain Don Cragen and they argued passionately on cases. This displeasure led to the change for Dr. George Huang being the psychologist the SVU team consulted.
[edit] Name
Skoda's name may be a reference to Emil Škoda, a Czech engineer and industrialist, the owner of Škoda Works.
