As a fictional special agent on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU), Dr. George Huang, M.D. made his arrival in season two in an episode titled “Pique.” It is in season two that the resident forensic psychiatrist is recognized for his capacity in solving crime. He is also referred to as an FBI agent in later episodes.

His capacity in the show is to assist officers by keeping them “sane” in handling cases that would typically be extremely devastating psychologically for a lay individual. In addition to his psychiatry residency for the Special Victims Unit, he often serves as the criminal profiler for the squad. It is his basic insights into the mind of the criminal that have assisted the officers at cracking cases that involve the most challenging conditions.

Because of his ethnic background, he has also been proven effective as a translator for all of the victims and perpetrators that speak Chinese. His strong human rights beliefs have often come to odds with Detective Elliot Stabler who often resents the fact that he has to defer to the highly qualified doctor for advice.

As an Advocate

Dr. George Huang also serves as an advocate to help in the well-being of other individuals, whether or not they are under his care. He proved this in one episode where he brings a drug-addicted individual to a clinic that will dispense illegal drugs to help the man with his addiction. This action could have caused Dr. Huang to lose his license to practice medicine.

His belief system and ethics are strong enough that in the episode “Users” he held his own actions accountable and reported them to the higher-ups. It was during this episode that he suffered a suspension that lasted 30 days.

His Belief on Electroshock Therapy

In another episode, he is obviously disturbed when Dr. Stanton, a rival psychiatrist, uses electroshock therapy to treat a mentally ill patient. He makes his objections loud and clear indicating that he believes this to be an ineffective treatment and serves only as a stopgap that lasts a minimal amount of time. In the episode titled, “Conned,” Dr. Huang indicates that because of the high demand of human organs necessary for survival, it is his belief that selling the organs is not wrong as long as it is the wish of the seller and that they can remain healthy after having it harvested.

The Early Years

Dr. Huang has had an extensive career as a psychiatrist. He originally worked as a sex offender counselor in the ardent belief that he had the ability to rehabilitate them with their conditions. However, due to the frustration level he experienced, he quit. This was a result of the unwillingness of his patients to actively participate in proven therapy that he knew could help them.

Leaving and Returning to the Show

The doctor leaves the department after season 12 without explanation only to return temporarily during season 13 in an episode titled “Father Dearest.” It is here that he serves as an investigational aid indicating that his reassignment has taken him to Oklahoma City. However, by season 14, Dr. George Huang doctor has returned to New York in the episode titled “Born Psychopath.” ¹

It is in this episode that he assists the detectives of the SVU squad in a case that involves a young boy and his violent actions in his home environment. It is here that he uses his forensic psychology skills to diagnose the child as suffering from anti-social personality disorder. It is in this episode that he helps to make arrangements to have the boy treated at the appropriate facility.

Over the arc of the storyline for as many years as Dr. George Huang has been involved, the SVU detectives have learned to trust him. However, the opinions he gives are not always fully appreciated by the members of the team. In fact, many episodes have them agreeing with the defense attorneys and rival psychiatrists in their diagnosis of mentally ill defendants. This often makes it extremely difficult for the Assistant DAs to incarcerate guilty defendants in their efforts to prosecute the criminal elements in town.

BD Wong

BD (Bradley Darryl) Wong has been playing the part of Dr. George Huang, resident forensic psychologist on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit since the second season. Originally from San Francisco, California, he is most recognized for playing Dr. George Huang. In addition, his early years included acting in Father of the Bride, Men of War and the All-American Girl TV series. He also played a detective on the X-Files and had a role in Seven Years in Tibet.

As a fictional TV character, very little is known about Dr. George Huang’s personal life both in the present and in the past episodes.

¹http://lawandorder.wikia.com/wiki/George_Huang

Other References:

http://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-special-victims-unit/about/bd-wong.shtml/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203259/characters/nm0000703?ref_=tt_cl_t6
http://lawandorder.wikia.com/wiki/George_Huang
http://tvline.com/2011/07/17/svu-bd-wong-wont-return-season-13/