I’ve been preparing you all for the GamerGate Law and Order episode. I still held out hope that they might make it somewhat balanced or interesting for gamers. I was obviously far too naive – they butchered gamers, gaming, and made the whole thing into a cartoon caricature of good vs evil. Yeah, it was way worse than I imagined.

I’m still trying to grab you some video clips, but the internet doesn’t seem to be playing nice at the moment. So, here are some notable quotes from the show; I will add video as soon as I can. The fake games from the show apparently looked like something ripped out of a 90s PSA and the whole thing is made out to demonize gamers.

It’s corny, terrifying shlock that demonizes hardcore gamers and turns complicated conversations over misogyny in gaming into a cartoon caricature of good vs. evil. Even as SVU’s writers imagined up a terrifying, totally feasible kidnapping scenario, they just couldn’t help but pepper it with cartoon villains (who frequently talk about how they don’t want women in video games, because of course) and painful one-liners. “There’s no reset button in the real world,” one cop explains.

Other lines include Ice-T’s character saying in reference to a group of misogynistic criminals who have kidnapped a female game developer, “They’re playing a game. We’ve gotta play, too”. The whole thing just makes my blood boil.

I suppose it’s the nature of the show. It’s not meant to show any kind of high level debate or discussion. It’s just about pairing some cheesy plot with even cheesier writing. I just wish they could steer clear of sensitive topics if they’re going to handle them like a bull in a china shop – it doesn’t help anyone, and it isn’t even entertaining to watch. Shame on you Law & Order: SVU, and shame on you Ice-T for being involved in projects that make your fellow gamers look like a bad 90s stereotype.

Last Updated: