Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will continue its reputation as the longest-running procedural show on TV with the 27th season, which will premiere at the end of September 2025. The prominent and impactful series is a crucial part of pop culture, beloved by fans who have been around since its 1999 premiere and those just discovering it today. It’s not simply the concept and themes in SVU that make it so popular, but the beloved cast, proven by Mariska Hargitay’s recent documentary, My Mom Jayne, which became an instant success on HBO.

The storylines in Law & Order: SVU provide the audience with important insights into the most violent and dangerous criminals, and it’s well-known for its powerful installments driven by real-life social issues. Though there are many episodes fans consider subpar and not focusing on the right points, there are far more positively received ones than unpopular ones. However, there are a handful of SVU episodes that stand out among the hundreds of others, praised for being impressive from beginning to end.

“Dominance” Has the Most Disturbing Introduction

Season 4, Episode 20, “Dominance” is one of the darkest Law & Order: SVU episodes, even after twenty years and dozens more seasons. In the opening scene, a couple is walking into a brownstone, late for the party, when they find four of their friends naked and dead on the floor. When the SVU detectives begin to investigate the case, the medical examiner reveals that the men were forced to assault each other after the women.

There are dozens of depraved topics and stories covered in this procedural drama, but this case was exceptionally unsettling. In the end, it’s revealed that an older brother, Charlie, was forcing his younger brother, Billy, to participate in crimes and beating his struggling father to keep him silent. Though this episode is remembered for the early and disturbing guest performances of Ian Somerhalder and Jason Ritter, it’s unforgettable as one of the most shocking SVU cases.

“Born Psychopath” Has a Terrifying Antagonist

In this mid-series installment, the narrative begins with the detectives investigating the bruises of a little girl, Ruby, who claims “the monster” hurt her. It doesn’t take them long to discover that she’s not talking about an adult abuser, but her older brother, Henry, who has violent tendencies. Shockingly, Huang reveals that Henry may be a psychopath with uncontrollable impulses, but his parents refuse to get him mental health help.

Season 14, Episode 19, “Born Psychopath” increasingly builds in intensity until the detectives discover that Henry tried to kill his sister by tying her up and setting a trash can on fire. The story is left on an ominous note, with them revealing Henry has to be locked up, but only until he’s eighteen. While the terminology and psychology of this episode may be a bit dated by today’s standards, it remains one of the most uncomfortable SVU situations.

“Zebras” Took An Unexpected Turn

In Season 10, Episode 22, “Zebras,” the sequence begins with a typical case in which the perpetrator is quickly identified, but the case is dismissed by Judge Donnelly when it is revealed that forensic technician Dale Stuckey improperly handled evidence. After the criminal is set free, the detectives track him, believing he’s going to commit more crimes. However, suspicions grow when Judge Donnelly is nearly killed by a needle containing potassium chloride.

In a shocking turn of events, it’s revealed that Dale Stuckey began committing crimes and planting evidence to make up for his misgivings. This episode includes one of Olivia Benson’s best performances, as she pretends to be on Stuckey’s side until she can overpower him while he holds Stabler captive. The entire narrative keeps the audience guessing, taking an unusual structure in the formulaic series.

“Fault” Is Not a Typical Kidnapping

Lou Diamond Phillips guest stars as Victor Paul Gitano, a sex offender who is released from prison and murders two parents to kidnap their young son and daughter. Season 7, Episode 19, “Fault” is a high-intensity case in which the team is tracking Gitano to save the children. It takes a dark turn when Benson is cut while refusing to shoot Gitano while he holds a child, resulting in Stabler attempting to save his partner and a child being killed.

The episode has a direct title, focusing on the responsibilities of the detectives, culminating in a suspenseful finale in which Benson has to choose whether to shoot Gitano when he has Stabler at gunpoint. The sequence is emotional from beginning to end, exploring the guilt investigators feel when they’re forced to make difficult decisions that could cause harm and death.

“Mean” Highlights the Brutality of Peer Pressure

In Season 5, Episode 17, “Mean,” the SVU detectives investigate the murder of teenager Emily Sullivan, who was brutally tortured before she was killed. They first turned to one of Emily’s classmates, who was bullied by the victim. However, the detectives soon learn that there was trouble within the girl’s supposed close-knit friend group, revealing a horrifying plot by a teenage girl to harm one of her best friends.

It’s uncomfortable for many viewers to consider the possibility of a teenage girl being murdered by three of her young friends instead of a criminal. However, “Mean” explores the nuances of high school social interactions, revealing that immature grudges can result in shockingly violent situations. This episode is horrifying and heartbreaking, but difficult to forget.

“Competence” Reveals a Despicable Crime

Season 3, Episode 22, “Competence” begins with a woman bringing her 22-year-old daughter, Katie, who has Down Syndrome, into the SVU squad room because she is pregnant and hasn’t been taught about sex, leading the mother to believe she has been assaulted. After an investigation, it was revealed that Katie’s boss at a grocery store took advantage of her and other disabled workers, resulting in his prosecution.

However, the story in “Competence” is even more complex than a man taking advantage of a disabled person. The audience also gets to experience the battle ADA Cabot has with Katie’s mother, who wants to control her daughter’s reproductive rights. This is still one of the most emotional Law & Order: SVU episodes, proving to be just as heartwarming as it is infuriating.

“Shadow” Is a Dark Tale of Unforgiving Selfishness

In Season 11, Episode 12, “Shadow,” a wealthy older couple is found dead in their bed, but what initially looks like a murder/suicide case proves to be murder. While investigating, Benson meets Ramsay, another detective who is investigating the couple’s daughter, Anne, for fraud. They quickly became suspicious that the seemingly grieving daughter was determined to get her inheritance before her mother convinced her father to cut her off.

A child plotting the murder of their parents is horrifying enough, but Anne eventually puts out a hit on Benson and Ramsay, believing that getting rid of the investigators will protect her. The plot is disturbing from beginning to end, highlighting the depravity that greed and selfishness can lead to. Viewers also praised this episode for Sarah Paulson’s portrayal of an intelligent, manipulative woman.

“Undercover” Is Uncomfortable From Beginning to End

After a teenage girl is sexually assaulted and her mother is murdered in prison, Benson goes undercover as an inmate at a women’s correctional facility, searching for proof that the guards are abusive and corrupt. During her time there, Benson is taken to a remote location by Captain Harris, who attempts to sexually assault her. When Fin, who was also undercover as a guard, shows up, they arrest him.

Eventually, the teenage victim is able to identify Harris, resulting in charges in the finale. However, the most frustrating aspect of Season 9, Episode 15, “Undercover” is when the charges are initially dropped because the guard captain was unaware Benson was a cop. Though the episode is entirely uncomfortable, it’s an impactful narrative that highlights the corruption in correction facilities.

“Surrender Benson” Is Nail-Biting Intensity

The Season 15 premiere of Law & Order: SVU begins where the last season concluded, revealing that after William Lewis broke into Olivia Benson’s apartment, he beat and tortured her for hours. In this plot, Lewis kidnaps Benson, forcing her to witness him murder two people and assault an elderly woman. When they get to a beach house, he intends to assault Benson, but is frustrated when she refuses to fight back.

The lengthy ordeal between the SVU team and William Lewis is one of the most uncomfortable narratives in the series. This episode made his actions more personal, as the audience watched him torment and traumatize the beloved star character. “Surrender Benson” continues to be one of the highest-rated episodes due to the emotional appeal and the episode playing out like an intense thriller.

“Dreams Deferred” Focuses on a Complex and Endearing Character

Season 14, Episode 9, “Dreams Deferred” begins with a man, Craig, going on a killing spree, shooting his mother-in-law and wife, along with a couple of bystanders. The SVU team utilizes a sex worker, Jeannie, who is familiar with Craig because he’s been one of her customers for years. In an effort to capture Craig, the police put Jeannie in a traumatic situation, eventually shooting Craig while he sat in the car seat beside her.

Though the overall plot of the episode is intense and dangerous, the most memorable aspect is how hard Olivia tries to convince Jeannie to stop living her high-risk lifestyle. The emotional finale features Jeannie being confronted by her loving children and mother, who convince her to get help and leave sex work. This episode also exemplifies Olivia’s kind and caring nature, proving her determination to protect and help people in need.

“Heartfelt Passages” Says Goodbye to a Hero

Season 17, Episode 23, “Heartfelt Passages” is another SVU episode about corruption in the corrections field, continuing the previous plot in which Gary Munson, a prison guard, is on trial for assaulting current and former female inmates. When the man gets bail, he returns home and holds his wife captive, believing his life is over, and she should have stood by his side. Sargeant Mike Dodds remains in the home during the negotiation, trying to convince Munson not to harm his wife.

In a tragic turn of events, Dodds is shot and, despite surviving his initial surgery, blood clots cause him to become brain-dead. A decade later, Dodds is still considered one of the most heartbreaking SVU deaths. However, his final episode was epic, featuring him fighting and dying as a hero who would risk his life to protect innocent people.

“Conscience” Is Another Disturbing Kid

In Season 6, Episode 6, “Conscience,” a little boy, Henry, is murdered and the SVU team initially suspects a predator in the neighborhood. However, it’s revealed that a 13-year-old neighbor, Jake, killed him, claiming he was abused as a child and acted in a moment of panic. With further investigation, they learn that Jake was not abused but is an abuser with no emotion or empathy, suggesting when he is released at 18 he is likely to cause more harm.

Henry’s father, a psychologist, shoots Jake and is acquitted by claiming he was in emotional duress, but reveals after the trial that he acted with a clear mind because he didn’t want Jake to kill anyone else. This is perhaps one of the most unnerving and complicated SVU cases. The thought-provoking content is hard to forget, making fans of the show debate the nuances years later.

“Behave” Has an Unbelievable History

Jennifer Love Hewitt guest stars in Season 12, Episode 3, “Behave” as Julie, a woman who lives in isolation because her stalker has found her several times throughout the years and sexually assaulted her. Though Julie initially refuses to cooperate, Olivia convinces her she’ll never be free until her attacker is in prison. Eventually, after a long battle to find the right evidence, the man, Bill Harris, is put in jail.

Law & Order: SVU investigates many situations in which people use sexual violence to control another person, but the extent of Julie’s ordeal is horrifying. The viewer is compelled by Hewitt’s portrayal of a traumatized woman whose life was ruined by a man’s obsession. The episode is infuriating, emotionally compelling, and satisfying by the conclusion.

“Authority” Has Important Social Commentary

Season 9, Episode 17, “Authority” is fondly remembered by fans because of the impactful performance by beloved actor Robin Williams, who plays a criminal who manipulates people into harming others by posing as authority figures. However, it’s not simply the inclusion of the famed guest star that makes this episode unforgettable. Williams’ character, Merritt Rook, blames the world for his tragic loss, believing authority figures are the problem with society.

Viewers have mixed responses to Rook’s character, who makes some important points about blindly trusting authority but causing harm to prove his beliefs. “Authority” is so contentious that Rook is considered one of the SVU villains that drove fans away from the show. Nearly twenty years later, it’s still recognized as one of the most thought-provoking plots in the drama series.

“911” Had An Emmy-Winning Performance

In Season 7, Episode 3, “911,” Olivia gets a call from a young girl, Maria, who claims she’s being held captive in a room and the victim of a predator abusing her in child pornography. Though the squad is skeptical, believing the call is a scammer due to the technology being used to hide Maria’s location, Olivia refuses to give up on the child. After hours of being on the call with Maria, they finally figure out who is holding her and where she is located, saving the child after she is buried alive.

Mariska Hargitay won an Emmy Award for her performance in “911,” emphasizing the impact of this episode. The show took a risk by not following the standard formula, but it paid off immensely, especially since the episode is still a fan-favorite 20 years later. This plot also clarifies why Olivia Benson is the heart of SVU, refusing to give up on a victim even when everyone else is ready to.