Written By Amanda Green
Directed By David Platt
Stabler agrees to hear the dying confession of a cancer patient (Brian Dennehy) but the dying man's confessions to Benson and Stabler then reveal secrets about the true identity of his estranged daughter (Paget Brewster), and that the wrong man (Jason Doman) is in jail for the murder involving the daughter's biological parents.
This episode provides examples of:
- And Starring: "Special Guest Star Brian Dennehy" and the regular guest stars lineup ending "With Judith Light as Judge Elizabeth Donnelly and Paget Brewster".
- Asshole Victim: The reason why Jud killed his ex-partner? He was about to kill Sheila when she was a baby.
- Bittersweet Ending: Judson Tierney was able to right his wrongs before succumbing to cancer, but he and his estranged daughter Sheila never reconciled. Even worse is that Sheila finally agrees to meet him, but she did not make it in time.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Jud did not tell Sheila about her true parentage out of concern that she wouldn't be able to handle it.
- Mistaken for Pedophile: Eliot and Olivia thinks the reason Sheila hates Jud is because he molested her in her youth.
- Never Got to Say Goodbye: By the time Sheila agrees to finally face Jud, it's too late.
- Oblivious Adoption: Sheila has no idea about her true parentage until Eliot tells her about the investigation.
- Redemption Equals Death: Jud was able to accomplish his goals of make this right before dying at the end of the episode.
- Riddle for the Ages: It took Jud halfway through the episode to finally confess to Eliot and Liv.
- Title Drop: Courtesy of Huang via Arabian Nights Shout-Out.
- Your Days Are Numbered: The episode's premise revolves around a man who has terminally cancer making amends before he bites it.
- Would Hurt a Child: Jud's ex-partner was about to kill Sheila when she was a baby.
