Law & Order: Special Victims Unit poster

TV series

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999TV-1428 seasons8.0 / 10

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.

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Where to watch in United States

Checked Sep 5, 2026

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Hulu, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Spectrum On Demand, YouTube TV, and Fubo in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

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Synopsis

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.

Season 2 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

← Season 1

Episode 1

Wrong Is Right

44m7.4 / 10

Stabler's daughter bears witness to a horrific crime scene: a rocket scientist found dead with his crotch on fire. The scientist had strong ties to government security and detectives must determine if that had something to do with his demise. The internal investigation into the psyches of the SVU detectives yields interesting results.

Episode credits

Directed by Ted KotcheffWritten by David J. Burke, Jeff EckerleGuest stars Michelle Hurd, Laura Regan, J.K. Simmons, Lance Reddick, Michael Hollick, John Driver, Curtis Holbrook, Adam Kaufman

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Episode 2

Honor

44m8.5 / 10

The vicious sexual assault and brutal beating of an Afghan diplomat's daughter uncovers clues that may suggest Taliban traditions justify 'honor killings' when the child defies the wishes of their parents or their culture; the trail leads close to home.

Episode credits

Directed by Alan MetzgerWritten by Jonathan Greene, Robert F. CampbellGuest stars Jennifer Hall, Jeff Branson, J.K. Simmons, Tony Ray Rossi, Tanya Berezin, Frank Girardeau, Lou Martini Jr., Danny Burstein

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Episode 3

Closure (2)

43m8.5 / 10

Stabler and Benson investigate a sexual assault very similar to one they worked six months ago whose victim follows her alleged attacked and reports his activities to the police.

Episode credits

Directed by Jean de SegonzacWritten by Wendy West, Wendy West, Judith McCreary, David J. BurkeGuest stars Amy Redford, Daniel Travis, Tracy Pollan, Jerry Mayer, Ned Eisenberg, Tonye Patano, Neil Maffin, Evy O'Rourke

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Episode 4

Legacy

44m8.2 / 10

An abused 7-year-old girl lays comatose as the detectives investigate members of her dysfunctional family to determine the source of the abuse, in a case that hits close to home for Munch.

Episode credits

Directed by Jud TaylorWritten by Jeff EckerleGuest stars Yancey Arias, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Jennifer Dundas, J.K. Simmons, Jean De Baer, Paul Michael Valley, Joanna Merlin, Kevin Gray

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Episode 5

Baby Killer

43m7.8 / 10

The tragic shooting death of a young girl leads investigators to a little boy, and they soon realize that the gun used has been used in another crime scene and a drug ring using young kids as pawns.

Episode credits

Directed by Juan José CampanellaWritten by Dawn DeNoon, Lisa Marie PetersenGuest stars Carlos Leon, Wendy Barrie-Wilson, Dan Remmes, Carolyn McCormick, LaChanze, Jeffrey DeMunn, Josh Pais, Nicolas Salgado

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Episode 6

Noncompliance

44m8.5 / 10

The question of patients' rights surfaces when a schizophrenic man refusing to take his medication is suspected in the rape and stabbing death of an aspiring psychologist, whose body is found in a convenience store.

Episode credits

Directed by Elodie KeeneWritten by Judith McCrearyGuest stars Tamara Tunie, Ajay Mehta, Kevin Breznahan, J.K. Simmons, Helen Hanft, William Youmans, Kathleen Chalfant, Tony Campisi

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Episode 7

Asunder

44m7.7 / 10

It's a classic case of "he said, she said" when a cop's wife charges him with rape. The truth behind the alleged rape comes to light when a history of domestic abuse is uncovered.

Episode credits

Directed by David PlattWritten by Judith McCrearyGuest stars Michelle Hurd, Amy Carlson, Brennan Brown, Victor Verhaeghe, Peter Francis James, Nestor Serrano, Joanna Merlin, Tom Tammi

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Episode 8

Taken

44m8.0 / 10

The case of a seventeen-year-old rape victim during a gala for the opening of a luxury hotel takes a strange turn when her immediate family tries to keep the scandal quiet. Detectives soon discover that the girl isn't the innocent that she pretends to be. Benson struggles to deal with her mother's death and she learns about her past.

Episode credits

Directed by Michael FieldsWritten by Dawn DeNoon, Lisa Marie PetersenGuest stars Derek Cecil, Tim Hopper, Michelle Daimer, Jenna Lamia, Bill Winkler, Nealy Glenn, Richard Ziman, Brian Connors

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Episode 9

Pixies

44m7.9 / 10

The investigation of a young gymnast's murder involves her strict trainer, a wealthy benefactor and a competitor. Detectives must look into her pressured lifestyle to find out who did it.

Episode credits

Directed by Jean de SegonzacWritten by Tracey Stern, Tracey Stern, Clifton Campbell, Jeff EckerleGuest stars Tamara Tunie, Courtney Jines, Philip Casnoff, Kate Mara, Noah Bean, Peyton List, Blythe Auffarth, Armand Schultz

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Episode 10

Consent

44m6.7 / 10

A college co-ed is found raped and dazed after a frat party, but can't remember anything that happened. The detectives then find that she had a date rape drug in her system, leaving them with many suspects and accomplices, tho the victim is reluctant to press charges.

Episode credits

Directed by James QuinnWritten by Jeff EckerleGuest stars Tammy Blanchard, Michelle Monaghan, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Marika Domińczyk, Robin Paul, Zak Orth, Chris Beetem, Emily Loesser

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Episode 11

Abuse

44m8.5 / 10

Parental neglect may have led to the tragic death of the son of two famous singers, leading them to fear for his sister. Benson develops a strong attachment to the girl who has a history of serious injuries.

Episode credits

Directed by Richard DobbsWritten by Gwendolyn M. Parker, Dawn DeNoon, Dawn DeNoon, Lisa Marie Petersen, Lisa Marie PetersenGuest stars Tamara Tunie, Christine Andreas, Peter Samuel, Michael Weaver, Hayden Panettiere, Francesca Faridany, Carolyn McCormick, Babo Harrison

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Episode 12

Secrets

44m7.6 / 10

An exceptional teacher, who helped inner city kids get into college, led a dangerous double life as a sex addict. When she is murdered, there is a long list of suspects but the case hits a snag after the woman's illicit sexual history is exposed.

Episode credits

Directed by Arthur W. ForneyWritten by Robert F. Campbell, Jonathan Greene, Wendy West, Robert F. Campbell, Jonathan GreeneGuest stars Tamara Tunie, Daniel McDonald, Sophina Brown, Suzzanne Douglas, Mark Pinter, Chevi Colton, Frank Deal, Jeff McCarthy

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Episode 13

Victims

44m8.3 / 10

A former police officer, now a community activist, is a suspect in the murders of known sex offenders, all of whom share a certain characteristic that scars their victims for life. The detectives find it's difficult to protect potential victims when they used to be perps as they investigate the murders of two convicted rapists.

Episode credits

Directed by Constantine MakrisWritten by Nick KendrickGuest stars Eric Roberts, Ann Dowd, Robert Sedgwick, Rosemarie DeWitt, Tony Cucci, Sylva Kelegian, Phyllis Somerville, José Ramón Rosario

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Episode 14

Paranoia

44m7.8 / 10

The mysterious rape of a veteran police officer, who trained Benson, is first linked to her ex-husband's gambling debts, and then to her fellow officers. It turns into a nightmare investigation as the IAB tries to thwart the SVU squad's efforts.

Episode credits

Directed by Richard DobbsWritten by Jonathan Greene, Robert F. CampbellGuest stars Khandi Alexander, Sam Coppola, Brennan Brown, James Hanlon, Jason Kolotouros, Dominic Fumusa, Daniel Pearce, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

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Episode 15

Countdown

44m8.6 / 10

The detectives become a little edgy after working around the clock to find an abducted girl when clues point to a serial murderer and rapist who kills his victims on the third day. After trapping the killer, they are prepared to give him the death penalty until they find out that one of his victims was never found and he offers her location as a plea bargain.

Episode credits

Directed by Steve ShillWritten by Dawn DeNoon, Lisa Marie PetersenGuest stars Lisa Roberts Gillan, Andrea Bowen, Kia Goodwin, Jim Gaffigan, Kristin Rohde, Frank Deal, Jeffrey DeMunn, Joanna Merlin

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Episode 16

Runaway

43m7.8 / 10

The search for an out-of-state police officer's runaway daughter leads the detectives through an underground rave culture that caters to wayward teens. They use an Internet journalist to track her and their search is seen through the eyes of the squad room personnel as told in their interviews with the Internal Affairs division.

Episode credits

Directed by Richard DobbsWritten by David J. Burke, Nick KendrickGuest stars Michelle Hurd, Sean Nelson, Darrell Hammond, Kristin Griffith, Baird Wallace, Lance Reddick, Anna Holbrook, David Anzuelo

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Episode 17

Folly

44m7.9 / 10

Male escorts are assaulted and one is murdered, and the police have a tough time finding the bizarre couple whose sexual fantasy has turned violent. The investigation uncovers a dangerous male escort service where the boss may have reasons for sending her staff on potentially deadly dates.

Episode credits

Directed by Jud TaylorWritten by Todd RobinsonGuest stars Marguerite MacIntyre, Simon Jones, Eddie Cahill, J.K. Simmons, Colin Egglesfield, Susan Stahnke, Jason Harris, Debra Eisenstadt

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Episode 18

Manhunt

44m8.8 / 10

The details of a kidnapping are similar to a series of rapes and murders that may link the crime to a serial killer.

Episode credits

Directed by Stephen WertimerWritten by Jeff EckerleGuest stars Anna Belknap, Tom Alan Robbins, Dan Frazer, Paddy Croft, Joshua Harto, Robert Westenberg, Robert Prescott, Adam LeFevre

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Episode 19

Parasites

44m7.6 / 10

The remains of a Romanian woman are found three years after her death, buried in an apartment courtyard with a collar and leash. The detectives have a tough time finding the killer until a composite photo leads them to the victim's identical twin sister.

Episode credits

Directed by David PlattWritten by Martin WeissGuest stars Victor Steinbach, Lance Reddick, Michael Berresse, Manu Narayan, Gary Basaraba, Matt Servitto, Mili Avital, Michele Pawk

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Episode 20

Pique

44m8.0 / 10

Observed by an FBI psychiatrist, the detectives uncover a horrifying motive for the slaying of a software company employee by a fired colleague when they learn of the suspect's bizarre relationship with his overbearing mother and a strange sexual fetish called piquerism.

Episode credits

Directed by Steve ShillWritten by Judith McCrearyGuest stars Tamara Tunie, BD Wong, Margot Kidder, Chad Lowe, Keesha Sharp, Terry Alexander, Bruce MacVittie, Rob Bartlett

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Episode 21

Scourge

44m8.1 / 10finale

A "Jack the Ripper" type murderer, who justifies his crimes with paranoid religious motivation set on by a rapidly deteriorating medical condition, is on the loose. After a citywide manhunt, Detectives Benson and Stabler are tasked with finding the killer.

Episode credits

Directed by Alex ZakrzewskiWritten by Neal Baer, Robert F. Campbell, Jonathan GreeneGuest stars Tamara Tunie, BD Wong, Karen Allen, David Chandler, George T. Odom, Frank Deal, Liza Lapira, Joanna Merlin

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Episode information updated Sep 8, 2026

More about Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Cast

Mariska HargitayOlivia Benson
Ice-TOdafin 'Fin' Tutuola
Christopher MeloniElliot Stabler
Danny PinoNick Amaro
Richard BelzerJohn Munch
Aimé Donna KellyRenee Curry
Dann FlorekDonald Cragen
Raúl EsparzaRafael Barba

Credits

Created by
Dick Wolf

Production details

Status
Returning Series
Series type
Scripted
Episodes
595
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • NBCUnited States
  • Wolf EntertainmentUnited States
  • Universal TelevisionUnited States
  • Studios USAUnited States
  • Universal Media StudiosUnited States

Themes

assistant district attorneycourtroomcriminalcriminal justice systemdarkdetectivedistrict attorneydomestic abuse