The essential episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — each pick states its reason.
- 01
The grisly murder and dismemberment of a New York cabbie draws the elite Special Victims Unit of the NYPD, including veteran Detective Elliot Stabler and his partner, Olivia Benson, who soon discover that the victim had assumed the identity of another man.
- 02
Stabler and Benson investigate the case of a beaten teen model who was dumped in front of a hospital.
- 03
An 18-year-old (Kelly Hutchinson) in therapy recalls being sexually abused by her father (Brian Kerwin) and presses charges against him.
- 04
The discovery of an 8-year-old beauty-pageant contestant's body leads to a case involving a virtual-pornography website.
- 05
An internet chat room tracks down a 12 year old boy named Jeremy, who is threatening to kill a 5 year old girl.
- 06
Cathy Moriarty guest stars as Denise Eldridge, a mother who reports a case of statutory rape in an effort to keep her teenage daughter away from her 21-year old boyfriend. The daughter, Carrie Eldridge, makes it difficult for SVU involvement when she claims that she and her boyfriend have never had sexual relations. After Carrie undergoes questioning, Mrs. Eldridge is found murdered in her apartment and detectives Benson and Stabler first suspect Carrie's boyfriend. The surprising plot twist hits particularly close to home for Benson, as personal issues with her mother resurface.
- 07
When a bruised, bloodied and severely injured 12-year-old boy is dumped outside a hospital, Detectives Benson and Stabler are led to Charlie Monaghan, a teenager seen beating the boy a week earlier at St. Victor's school. But the suspect's alibi proves unlikely when his 8-year-old half sister's own problems at school and tormented past at the hands off the injured boy surface. Meanwhile, the girl's legal woes are exacerbated when questions concerning legal guardianship and consent - and what constitutes fit parenting - come into play.
- 08
An honor student dies at a party, while the primary suspect is their alcohol supplier, the four honors students who threw the party - are arrested for criminally negligent homicide, but get a slap on the wrist from Judge Donnelly. Det. Stabler enlists his own teenage daughter Kathleen to guide him through the world of teenage cyberspace to find out where the next party is taking place. The website leads to the home of one of the students, where they find the mother of one of the kids -- Lillian Rice in a compromising position, and she is arrested. The arrest and entire cyberspace scenario hits a personal nerve with Stabler.
- 09
When a tourist is found dead in Central Park with the word 'guilty' written across her forehead, Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler recover photos from the victim's camera. With the help of crime scene unit technician Dale Stuckey, they discover that former artist Peter Harrison was at the park during the crime. After arresting Harrison for questioning, the detectives leave Detectives John Munch and Fin Tutuola to keep Harrison under close surveillance. But when Harrison suddenly escapes, Detective Munch must turn to his ex-wife Gwen for help.
- 10
An underage escort is found dead at a wild bachelor party, and Captain Cragen cautions his team to investigate with discretion, as there were several high-profile people at the scene. In their efforts to question a well-known leader in the New York escort world, Benson and Amaro encounter former SVU detective Brian Cassidy, who's been working undercover. With his help, the detectives dig deeper into a vicious power struggle between the two top escort businesses, but before the case is cracked, a shocking event threatens to destroy the life of one SVU squad member.
- 11
In the season 14 premiere, the SVU squad is reeling from the fallout after Captain Cragen wakes up with a dead escort - a potential witness in an SVU case - in his bed. Tensions run high at the precinct as the detectives contend with District Attorney Paula Foster's investigation of Cragen, as well as the arrival of a tough new captain, Steven Harris. Brian Cassidy treads an increasingly narrow line as an undercover cop in Bart Ganzel's escort organization, as Detective Nick Amaro struggles with the case and his marriage.
- 12
In the search for a revenge-for-hire crime ring, Benson and Stabler combine forces on a case that has now spread globally. Fin and Bruno help a rape victim assaulted a second time. Jet's plan to hack the dark web backfires and puts the team in danger.
- 13
The SVU searches for a pattern assailant before his crimes escalate to murder. Fin must contend with a suspect's aggrieved son. Carisi is pressured to close the case quickly to ease public concern.
- 14
Carisi attempts to put aside his role as prosecutor to serve as a witness in a trial. Benson tries to help a rape survivor struggling with her recovery.
- 15
The hunt for a murder suspect uncovers a crime with shocking legal and ethical implications; Bruno must protect his squad during a raid on a suspect's home; Carisi and Price team up in court when Brady's interrogation tactics undermine the case.
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