Law & Order: Criminal Intent

A vengeful loan shark abducts the family of a financier who owes him money, hoping to force repayment and intimidation. Detectives Goren and Eames find it difficult to prove that an abduction has taken place, hampered by a lack of concrete evidence and witnesses.

Homo Homini Lupis is a programme presented as a single episode, falling within the crime‑drama genre. It follows the familiar format of a self‑contained investigation, with the story unfolding over the course of the instalment. The central narrative revolves around a vindictive loan shark who decides to take revenge on a financier who has defaulted on his debt. To exert pressure, the loan shark abducts the financier’s family, hoping the kidnapping will force payment. Detectives Goren and Eames are called in to handle the case, but they quickly discover that establishing that an abduction has even occurred is far from straightforward. Throughout the episode, Goren and Eames wrestle with a lack of concrete evidence, making it difficult for them to prove the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Their struggle highlights the procedural challenges that arise when a perpetrator deliberately obscures his actions, leaving the investigators to piece together a case that hinges on proving the very existence of the kidnapping.