Summary
- SVU has evolved from focusing solely on cases to incorporating the personal lives of detectives, but still produces great seasons.
- The constantly changing cast and showrunners make each season feel different, but SVU remains the most successful Law and Order spinoff.
- While all seasons have standout episodes, some struggle to strike the right chord, especially when addressing delicate subjects like police corruption and new technologies.
Since 1999, Law and Order: Special VIctims Unit has been one of the most popular crime procedurals on TV, and there have been plenty of changes across its 24 seasons. SVU is currently in season 25, but even its oldest episodes still make for great viewing. In the early days of the show, the focus was squarely on the exciting cases presented each week, as a team of detectives sought to unravel the tangled web of criminal deceit. In recent seasons, the personal lives of the detectives have become more important to the show, and it still produces some great seasons.
There have been so many cast changes on SVU that it can be hard to keep track. The only ever-present actor on the show has been Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson. The constantly changing cast means that the show often feels completely different from one season to the next, especially because the writers and showrunners also come and go. SVU is by far the most successful spinoff of Law and Order, even surpassing the original in terms of longevity. SVU is one of the longest-running scripted shows on TV, so naturally, some seasons are better than others.
Law and Order: SVU is streaming on Peacock. New episodes air on Thursdays on NBC, and are added to Peacock the next day.
Law and Order SVU: Main Characters Ranked By Intelligence
Several characters come together in Law and Order: SVU. Some personalities like John Munch present more smarts than others.
24 Season 22
2020-2021
Even those considered the worst seasons of SVU are still capable of producing some great episodes. Season 22, episode 9, "Return of the Prodigal Son," is a fine example of this, bringing back Detective Stabler after years of being away as his family faces a terrible threat. Stabler and Benson are one of the most beloved pairs of detectives in the show's history, so it makes sense that fans would remain interested in him even after leaving SVU.
Unfortunately, this is one of very few standouts in season 22, as the show struggled to strike the right chord after a fresh wave of questions against American law enforcement in 2020. SVU seemed unsure of how to approach such a delicate subject, and the result was a bit of a mess. With so many real-world struggles mirroring that of the show, it became hard for fans to engage with it the way they used to.
23 Season 16
2014-2015
Season 16 is the end of the line for Amaro, as his fiery personality finally gets him into too much trouble for him to overcome. The show, however, never leaves a detective's spot vacant for long. New detectives transfer into the unit regularly. As Amaro leaves, the show fills his spot with Carisi.
Although he has since become a beloved character, Carisi starts out as an obnoxious presence, irritating everyone else in the 16th precinct. Season 16 is also notorious for having one of the worst episodes in the entire run of SVU. Episode 14, "Intimidation Game" tries to examine the toxic culture of masculinity in gaming, but its approach is heavy-handed at best. The series has never shied away from allowing real-world events to inspire their fictional stories, but it didn't work here.
22 Season 18
2016-2017
Season 18 was the only season with Rick Eid as showrunner, who has also worked on Law and Order and Chicago P.D. Season 18 has a heavy focus on stories based on real life, but some work a lot better than others. Though the series has always focused on sexual assault, this season also gave special attention to the idea of what makes a predator as several episodes focused on family lineage, which not all fans loved.
Episode 16, "The Newsroom" plays on the harassment claims at Fox News, as Benson and Barba team up to gather evidence about a news anchor accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate workplace conduct. It's an interesting dive into the psychology of survivors who stand up to famous perpetrators, but not all of season 18's efforts are as nuanced.