Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Long-runnerA show whose sheer longevity shapes how it's watched.This show: 10/10ProceduralA case or problem of the week, solved by a formula that works.This show: 9/10Detective mysteryCrime-solving from the investigator's side of the table.This show: 8/10EpisodicSelf-contained episodes you can watch in almost any order.This show: 8/10Strong female leadA complex woman drives the story.This show: 7/10Dark toneShadowy mood and subject matter, a shade short of outright bleak.This show: 7/10
Rate this series
Starring
Mariska HargitayChristopher MeloniIce-TDann FlorekRichard BelzerKelli Giddish
Written by
Dick Wolf
Starring
Mariska HargitayChristopher MeloniIce-TDann FlorekRichard BelzerKelli Giddish
Written by
Dick Wolf
Ratings per Episode
Votes per Episode
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Episode Ratings Heatmap
| Avg | E1 | E2 | E3 | E4 | E5 | E6 | E7 | E8 | E9 | E10 | E11 | E12 | E13 | E14 | E15 | E16 | E17 | E18 | E19 | E20 | E21 | E22 | E23 | E24 | E25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 8.4 | ||||
| S2 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 8.7 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | |||||
| S3 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 7.8 | |||
| S4 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.5 | |
| S5 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 9.0 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 7.5 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 8.0 | |
| S6 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 8.8 | 7.8 | 8.9 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 7.9 | |||
| S7 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 8.9 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.0 | ||||
| S8 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.7 | ||||
| S9 | 8.2 | 8.7 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 9.0 | 7.9 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 8.3 | |||||||
| S10 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 8.8 | ||||
| S11 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.8 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.7 | ||
| S12 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.9 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 8.5 | ||
| S13 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 8.5 | |||
| S14 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 8.9 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 8.5 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 8.7 | ||
| S15 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 7.5 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 8.6 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 8.3 | ||
| S16 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.4 | 4.7 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 8.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 8.2 | |||
| S17 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 9.0 | |||
| S18 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | |||||
| S19 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 6.2 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 7.2 | ||
| S20 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 7.8 | ||
| S21 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 7.9 | ||||||
| S22 | 7.6 | 5.8 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 8.3 | ||||||||||
| S23 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 8.4 | ||||
| S24 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 8.1 | ||||
| S25 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 4.4 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.7 | |||||||||||||
| S26 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.4 | ||||
| S27 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 7.6 | 8.8 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 8.3 |
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About
"The procedural that outlasted its own genre"
A dedicated squad of NYPD detectives investigates sexually based offenses in Manhattan, balancing grueling casework with courtroom prosecution. Each episode is largely self-contained, opening on a crime and following it through investigation, arrest, and trial, often ripped from real headlines. The tone is serious and often grim, but anchored by a stable, likable cast whose camaraderie and moral conviction keep it from feeling exploitative. It's comfort-food procedural television at its core: predictable rhythms, satisfying resolutions, and just enough character development across decades to reward long-term viewers without requiring it.
Watch it for
the decades-long consistency and Mariska Hargitay's steady, grounding presence as Olivia Benson.
Maybe skip if
you find case-of-the-week formulas repetitive or the subject matter too heavy for casual viewing.
Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.
All Seasons
▶
Season 11999
7.931K2216h 19m
▶
Season 22000
8.125K2115h 9m
▶
Season 32001
8.226K2316h 47m
▶
Season 42002
8.228K2517h 36m
▶
Season 52003
8.227K2517h 39m
▶
Season 62004
8.231K2316h 2m
Detectives Benson, Stabler, Fin and Munch face serial killers, self-proclaimed psychics and cult leaders as they investigate crime in New York City.
▶
Season 72005
8.229K2215h 41m
The unit's gut-wrenching cases include a schoolyard shooting of a child, a shady dating service and a shocking revelation regarding Tutuola's son.
▶
Season 82006
8.125K2215h 45m
▶
Season 92007
8.225K1913h 46m
▶
Season 102008
8.227K2215h 19m
Stabler confronts his own demons when his daughter is caught with drugs, and Benson follows connections between an abused child and an attack on a woman.
▶
Season 112009
8.027K2420h 3m
A new ADA joins the team, a crime scene photo of a murdered teen goes viral and Stabler tries to prove Benson did not murder a biker.
▶
Season 122010
8.129K2422h 28m
▶
Season 132011
7.925K2316h 45m
Season 13 dealt with the departure of Detective Elliot Stabler from the Special Victims Unit after a shooting in the squad room.
▶
Season 142012
8.127K2417h 13m
▶
Season 152013
8.025K2417h 2m
▶
Season 162014
7.426K2316h 28m
▶
Season 172015
8.126K2316h 7m
▶
Season 182016
7.622K2114h 52m
▶
Season 192017
7.725K2416h 53m
▶
Season 202018
7.721K2416h 18m
▶
Season 212019
7.912K2013h 39m
▶
Season 222020
7.611K1611h
▶
Season 232021
7.912K2215h 16m
▶
Season 242022
7.711K229h
▶
Season 252024
7.26K132h 48m
▶
Season 262024
7.79K223h 30m
▶
Season 272025
7.97K21
Full Cast & Crew
Cast
Mariska Hargitay Detective Olivia Benson, Captain Olivia Benson, Lieutenant Olivia Benson
Christopher Meloni Detective Elliot Stabler
Ice-T Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola, Sergeant Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
Dann Florek Captain Donald 'Don' Cragen, Donald 'Don' Cragen, Captain Donald Cragen
Richard Belzer Detective John Munch, Sergeant John Munch, DA Investigator John Munch
Kelli Giddish Detective Amanda Rollins, Sergeant Amanda Rollins, Amanda Rollins
Peter Scanavino ADA Dominick 'Sonny' Carisi, Jr., Detective Dominick 'Sonny' Carisi, Jr., ADA Dominick Sonny Carisi
BD Wong Special Agent Dr. George Huang, M.D., Dr. George Huang
Tamara Tunie ME Dr. Melinda Warner, Chief ME Dr. Melinda Warner, M.E. Warner
Raúl Esparza ADA Rafael Barba, Defense Attorney Rafael Barba, Rafael Barba
Crew
Dick Wolf
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