What is the title of the first episode of Law & Order: SVU season 13?

The first episode of Law & Order: SVU season 13 is titled “Scorched Earth.”

The episode premiered on NBC on September 21, 2011, and is the 273rd episode of the series overall. Its story centers on a hotel maid who accuses an Italian diplomat of rape, raising questions about diplomatic immunity, credibility and the difficulty of prosecuting a powerful suspect.

“Scorched Earth” was a major transition point for the series. It was the first episode without Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler and the first to feature Kelli Giddish as Amanda Rollins. It also brought back Stephanie March as Alexandra Cabot and Linus Roache as Michael Cutter.

The title is sometimes confused with “Smoked,” which is the season 12 finale, or “Personal Fouls,” the second episode of season 13. The premiere’s case was also inspired by the real-life Dominique Strauss-Kahn scandal, though the characters and events were fictionalized for the drama.