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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999·Show
598Episodes in28Seasons·TV-14
IMDb8.1Metacritic668.2Rotten Tomatoes–84%
Episode ratings

Where to watch

HuluPeacockYouTube TVNBCUSA NetworkPeacock Premium+

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fingerprint

High energy, strong craft, no humor.

Energy

Tense

  • Tension8
  • Fast Pace6
  • Violence6

Heart

Moving

  • Pathos7
  • Family Dynamics6
  • Melancholy5

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Satire & Parody1
  • Dark Humor1

World

Crime, everyday modern life, and mystery

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality8
  • Rewatchability5

Craft

Standout performances and characters

  • Acting9
  • Character Depth8
  • Intrigue8

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Editing7
  • Cinematography6
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchBinge-FriendlyDrop-in FriendlyThought-Provoking

Find more like it

Suspense showsGritty shows

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every show. Select a row to see all of them.

Episode ratings

IMDb rating of every episode, one row per season
SeasonEpisode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7Episode 8Episode 9Episode 10Episode 11Episode 12Episode 13Episode 14Episode 15Episode 16Episode 17Episode 18Episode 19Episode 20Episode 21Episode 22Episode 23Episode 24Episode 25
IMDb rating of every episode, one column per season
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Episode 25

About

Hope in the darkness.

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.
Procedural Crime DramaSexual Violence InvestigationEnsemble Cast DynamicsGritty RealismPsychological TraumaLegal & Moral AmbiguityCharacter-Driven StorytellingDark & Heavy ToneSocietal CritiqueLong-Running Series

Crew

Directed by:
Jean de Segonzac, David Platt, Peter Leto
Written by:
Julie Martin, Warren Leight, Brianna Yellen
Produced by:
Mariska Hargitay, Dawn DeNoon, Lisa Marie Petersen
Composed by:
Mike Post

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Law & Order: Special Victims Unit legally?

HuluPeacockYouTube TVNBCUSA NetworkPeacock Premium+

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is included with a subscription to Hulu, Peacock, YouTube TV, and NBC in the United States. You can watch it free with ads on NBC. You can also rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit worth watching?

73
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 74/100 (IMDb 8.1 and Metacritic 66). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit rated?

TV-14ViolenceSexual contentStrong languageDisturbing imagerySuicide themes

It's rated TV-14 in the United States. Content advisories: violence, sexual content, strong language, disturbing imagery, and suicide themes.

How many seasons does Law & Order: Special Victims Unit have?

28 seasons

It has 28 seasons with 598 episodes of about 43 minutes each and is still in production.

Do critics and audiences agree on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit?

Critics66
Audiences82

Not quite. Audiences rate Law & Order: Special Victims Unit higher (82) than critics (66). It's more of a crowd-pleaser than a critics' pick.

When did Law & Order: Special Victims Unit air?

It started in 1999 and is still in production.

What language is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United States.

In how many countries can I watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit?

136ADAEAGALAOARATAUAZBABBBEBFBG+122

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 136 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.