OR

Email Address

Password

Forgot password?

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

See All

66

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

See All

6.9

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.9	Your Score
6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Now Playing: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Series Details & Credits

NBC | Release Date: September 20, 1999

Summary: "In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories."

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure, Suspense

Recent Episodes

No episode information is currently available for this season

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

66

Positive:

14

Mixed:

13

Negative:

0

Critic Reviews

100

Washington Post

Tom Shales

Feb 22, 2013

Season 1 Review: Sparse, tough, nuts-and-bolts, hit-and-run TV. You'd need a magnifying glass to find a nuance. But it works, and grippingly. Read full review

80

Miami Herald

Terry Jackson

Feb 22, 2013

Season 1 Review: It's only measured against that formidable benchmark that the spinoff falls short of those expectations. It's a solid drama, but it's no Law & Order - yet...On its own, it's a good show. But it's got the genes to be great. [20 Sept 1999, p.1E]

75

USA Today

Robert Bianco

Feb 22, 2013

Season 1 Review: It takes a while to pull you in -- but once it does, you're likely to stay. [20 Sept 1999, p.1D]

63

New York Post

Michele Greppi

Feb 22, 2013

Season 1 Review: If the crimes that drive "Law & Order" have the cops who solve them and the lawyers who prosecute them shaking their heads, the sex crimes dealt with by Special Victims will have the cops - and viewers - holding onto their stomachs. Read full review

50

Collider Taylor Gates

Oct 4, 2024

Season 26 Review: There’s nothing inherently bad about this case, but there’s nothing particularly memorable either. Read full review

50

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

John Levesque

Feb 22, 2013

Season 1 Review: At times, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit flashes the same no-nonsense style of its sire: spare writing, quick pacing, ripped-from-the-headlines plot. But for much of the time, tonight's premiere is enervating, plodding and dull, which seems kind of odd when you're dealing with crimes of passion. [20 Sept 1999, p.E-3]

40

Orlando Sentinel

Hal Boedeker

Feb 22, 2013

Season 1 Review: The problem is that the new show makes the original look far better...There isn't enough special yet about this Special Victims Unit. [19 Sept 1999, p.F1]

SEE ALL 27 REVIEWS

Write a Review

6.9

User Reviews

10

shaunheale

Sep 6, 2020

Jamie Gray Hyder is the prefect addition to the main cast. She bi-racial, smart, intelligent, feisty, and believable. She makes a good team with the Iceman.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

10

randyf23456

Sep 18, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This show was exceptionally written, the way the character's change is a good idea because we don't want the same characters for the entire show. The way SVU has developed and created more suspenseful and mystical episode plots including "Return of the Prodigal Son", "Hunt, Trap, Rape and Release" and "Post-Graduate Psychopath".… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

10

Bdishxisdjd

Jul 19, 2023

Really great show!
can we all agree that Cardigan by Taylor Swift is the most accurately written and relatable song about being cheated on? it's like a bunch of stories compiled together to make a new one. from 'a friend to all is a friend to none', it's like a reminder that your partner'sReally great show!
can we all agree that Cardigan by Taylor Swift is the most accurately written and relatable song about being cheated on? it's like a bunch of stories compiled together to make a new one. from 'a friend to all is a friend to none', it's like a reminder that your partner's friend isn't your friend. sometimes they are the ones who tolerate the betrayal. or sometimes it's actually from a friend of yours where the betrayal starts. and 'chase two girls, lose the one', a consequence of cheating that you're not just losing one of them, but actually the one. to 'playing hide-and-seek and giving me your weekends', the feeling of longing for something because he was always physically unavailable, and meeting someone behind the mall. and 'you drew stars around my scars, but now i'm bleeding," they somehow assured you, gave light to your dark past. however, they still did the things you told them that once hurt you. until, "i knew you, tried to change the ending: peter losing wendy" when they were trying to turn the table and change the narration of the story. when they were trying to make that it was wendy who was losing peter. when they were trying to look innocent through lies. and of course, "i knew you, leaving like a father, running like water" when they ran from their responsibility and didn't even have the face to hold themselves accountable for what they had done. and people would think that it's fine; it was just puppy love. we are all deprived of expressing ourselves, from sensual politics to feeling like a cardigan under someone's bed, because when you are young, they always assume that you know nothing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

5

Ohiobabe3637161

Nov 4, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this show so much I have been watching this show since 1999 and I am watching it now I am a huge fan of all the law and order… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

5

Shabakayahya

Aug 15, 2020

I found it redundant themes and predictable. No freshness to it. And the characters lacked credibility

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

4

Datgirlnetta

Jul 19, 2020

Great show. I can watch it all day long!! I love when they have the marathons.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

0

Roadwater

Jul 21, 2019

This series of programmes is just drivel. The story lines are contrived and unbelievable, and, to make matters worse, the acting is really poor. In the UK, the programmes are often broadcast late at night, and, for some strange reason, my wife tends to watch them then. I sat through a fewThis series of programmes is just drivel. The story lines are contrived and unbelievable, and, to make matters worse, the acting is really poor. In the UK, the programmes are often broadcast late at night, and, for some strange reason, my wife tends to watch them then. I sat through a few episodes, to see if I could find any justification for my wife's interest in them - I could find none. I now see them as a cure for insomnia, as long as the volume is turned down, so that the frequent bouts of shouting, tyre screeching etc. do not wake me. Complete rubbish - a vote of zero is generous.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 14 REVIEWS

More From Metacritic

Renew/Cancel Odds for TV Shows Still on the Bubble

Is your favorite TV show coming back next season? We survey a variety of...

What to Watch Right Now on Paramount+

Find a list of the best recent and upcoming film and TV titles added to...

What to Watch Right Now on Amazon's Prime Video

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

What to Watch Right Now on Netflix

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

Current TV Shows

By MetascoreBy User Score

1 92 The Pitt: Season 2

2 90 The Celebrity Traitors UK: Season 1

3 87 Hacks: Season 5

4 87 Industry: Season 4

5 87 Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal:...

6 85 The Beatles Anthology

7 85 The Traitors [UK]: Season 4

8 85 Bait: Season 1

9 84 Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

10 83 Lord of the Flies

11 83 Riot Women: Season 1

12 83 For All Mankind: Season 5

13 81 The Muppet Show (2026)

14 80 Outlander (2014): Season 8

15 80 The Other Bennet Sister: Season 1

16 80 The Mighty Nein: Season 1

17 80 The Comeback: Season 3

18 80 The American Revolution

19 80 One Piece (2023): Season 2

20 80 Dark Winds: Season 4

SEE ALL

Seasons & Episodes

66

Series Overview
Season 27

tbd
- Season 27 Overview
  Air Date: September 25, 2025
- No episode information is currently available for this season
Season 26

tbd
- Season 26 Overview
  Air Date: October 3, 2024
Season 25

tbd
- Season 25 Overview
  Air Date: January 18, 2024
Season 24

tbd
- Season 24 Overview
  Air Date: September 22, 2022
Season 23

tbd
- Season 23 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 2021
Season 22

tbd
- Season 22 Overview
  Air Date: November 12, 2020
Season 21

tbd
- Season 21 Overview
  Air Date: September 26, 2019
Season 20

tbd
- Season 20 Overview
  Air Date: September 27, 2018
Season 19

tbd
- Season 19 Overview
  Air Date: September 27, 2017
Season 18

tbd
- Season 18 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 2016
Season 17

tbd
- Season 17 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 2015
Season 16

tbd
- Season 16 Overview
  Air Date: September 24, 2014
Season 15

tbd
- Season 15 Overview
  Air Date: September 25, 2013
Season 14

tbd
- Season 14 Overview
  Air Date: September 26, 2012
Season 13

tbd
- Season 13 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 2011
Season 12

tbd
- Season 12 Overview
  Air Date: September 22, 2010
Season 11

tbd
- Season 11 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 2009
Season 10

tbd
- Season 10 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 2008
Season 9

tbd
- Season 9 Overview
  Air Date: September 25, 2007
Season 8

tbd
- Season 8 Overview
  Air Date: September 19, 2006
Season 7

tbd
- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 2005
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 2004
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 2003
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 27, 2002
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 28, 2001
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 20, 2000
Season 1

68
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1999