‘Law & Order: SVU’ season 16, episode 16 video: Watch a Mariska Hargitay-centric preview

We don’t want to rely on hyperbole too much when discussing new episodes of “Law & Order: SVU,” mostly because it is hard after more than a decade and a half of TV to say that any episode is the “most shocking to date.” What we can at least say about Wednesday night’s “December Solstice” is that it definitely has one of the most complicated stories that we’ve seen in a while, and the SVU is going to have their hands full trying to figure this one out.

In the sneak peek below, the daughters of famed novelist Walter Briggs visit Benson (Mariska Hargitay) to report a rape. Specifically, they claim that his latest wife is stuffing him full of erectile dysfunction medication, and since he does not have the physical or mental capacity to offer consent in his current state, they believe it to be sexual assault. They have also been kept from seeing him by this particular woman (to be played by Marcia Cross of “Desperate Housewives” fame).

So what is the endgame for Cross’ character? As Benson pieces together after hearing from the two women, Briggs’ estate is set up so that in the event of death, his money is divided up between his current wife and his children. If she has a child with him, then she is suddenly in control of a bigger piece of the pie.

As terrible as this sounds, the thing to remember is that we are only hearing one side of the story so far, and “SVU” has intentionally misled us before, almost as a reminder that gathering facts is essential to finding the truth. Take away the whole ripped-from-the-headlines aspect of this, since there is no guarantee the endgame in this episode will reflect anything you’ve seen in the news.

(Photo: NBC.)