There is always a consistent debate on which Law & Order series reigns supreme. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been a fan favorite for quite some time. With its endless reruns on Tv and still going strong after 21 seasons, main characters like Benson and Fin hold a special place in people's hearts.
The show has been developing riveting crime drama storylines since 1999. While some fans prefer the earlier years of the show when Elliot Stabler was still around, you can't help but shriek with glee when it's on Tv. Despite the show's immense success after so many years, not all episodes were the best.
December Solstice (5.6)
To kick things off, the episode "December Solstice" in season 16 only received a 5.6 rating. The storyline focuses on an accusation of a celebrity author's wife was sexually abusing that turns into a legal welfare battle. Charmaine (Marcia Cross) has been secretly giving her husband erectile dysfunction pills.
When her husband, Walter Briggs (Robert Vaughn) is hospitalized due to a heart attack, Charmain forces him to leave to avoid any drug testing proving her secret. Barba pursues manslaughter charges after a second fatal heart attack. The episode had an intriguing storyline, but it sadly didn't have a high ranking according to IMDB.
Sanctuary (5.5)
Law & Order: SVU has done a good job over the years tackling current social issues, but the episode "Sanctuary" in season 18 didn't do so well. The team investigates a hate crime against a Muslim family who were assaulted in their restaurant. When their main suspect is released, the team is caught between the victims and the suspect's family.
While the episode created a tense situation for Benson, who has to make a tough decision on who to arrest without being seen as the villain, it only got a 5.5 rating from IMDb.
American Dream (5.4)
The prior episode to "Sanctuary" in season 18, didn't do so well either in rankings. "American Dream" starts the investigation when a Muslim family is brutally attacked in their restaurant. The team is in rough waters when the crime results in two deaths. Things turn for the worst when Benson can't stop ICE from deporting their main suspect.
This leads to Barba having to drop the charges that lead to a divide within the community. The episode tackled a serious issue in today's society, which was highly praised by some reviews. Others felt as though the episode was too forceful in its approach with its message.
Granting Immunity (5.4)
Many fans of the show would remember this specific case in the episode "Granting Immunity" in season 16. By this point, Benson is a loving mother to a young boy named Noah. When pornographic photos of a young girl go viral at her high school after a sex party, the team is called in to investigate.
The story quickly changes when it leads to the discovery of certain mothers working with their pediatrician to avoid vaccinating their children. This leads to one of the children having infected Noah with measles during his visit to the doctor. Some viewers weren't to keen on the drastic shift in the story.
Devastating Story (5.3)
It's a battle of he-said-she-said in episode 18 of season 16. A Hudson University student does an anonymous interview with Skip Peterson (Rob Morrow) on his television show. She explains that she was sexually assaulted by four fraternity students.
The team starts their investigation, but when the victim comes forward, everything starts to unravel. Due to the victim not coming straight to the authorities, there is no rape kit and no evidence of the assault. Varying stories and suspects lead to a shaky investigation.
Heightened Emotions (5.2)
There were certain elements in the episode that some fans felt were a little weak. The episode involved an Olympic pole vaulter who was living a double life. She was found by police disoriented and bleeding from her assault. As the team investigates, their victim's story becomes shaky and unreliable as they discover an underlying mental illness.
Some viewers felt that while the main storyline of the case was intriguing, it was a bit weak when it came to the script. Another aspect fans didn't care much for was the story between Amanda and her sister Kim, who was just released from prison on parole.
Depravity Standard (5.2)
Some fans would remember this episode for its different storyline. In the episode, "Depravity Standard" some audiences felt as though the story had it's mediocre moments that dragged on. The episode revisits a case from three years ago when Benson investigates a suspect, Lewis Hodda (Tome Sizemore).
He is connected to a new case, but when the boy's parents refuse to let him testify, Barba must revisit the 1999 case of the murder of Hector Ramirez. Benson's interrogation tacts are questioned during her interview on the Ramirez case.
No Surrender (5.1)
For this episode, the SVU team handle the military. When a newly appointed Army Ranger is assaulted, the team is called in to assist with the investigation. The victim doesn't take her assault well and isn't cooperating with Benson and Fin. They soon suspect that her assailant is against her newly appointed position.
The victim was to be the face of a new military campaign as a new Army Ranger. After intense investigation, the team discovers that the assailant is someone they didn't suspect. Audiences felt that Finn's former military background wasn't correctly utilized in the episode's storyline.
Part 33 (4.9)
The episode "Part 33" had some mixed reactions to its main storyline. The team is divided on the right way to serve justice for a woman who is on trial for murdering her husband, an NYPD officer. Stone starts the trial and tries to understand her motives for murder.
After years of mental, physical and verbal abuse, she saw no way out from her torment. Carisi, Rollins and Fin all have their opinions on whether or not she was justifiable in her crime. Meanwhile, Benson revisits her experience with Lewis and will be the deciding factor in the case. Some reviews felt the episode had no real drama and was lackluster, while others were intrigued by the behind-the-scenes aspect of the trial.
Intimidation Game (3.3)
The lowest ranking in the 21 seasons of the show is the episode, "Intimidation Game" in season 16. It's hard to believe that Law & Order: SVU could have a storyline with such a low rating. The story was inspired by real-life events of the Gamergate controversy. Game developer Raina Punjabi (Mouzam Makkar) is being targeted by online predators who believe women don't belong in gaming.
With the oncoming release of her game, one of her employees is assaulted at a convention that becomes the interest of the SVU team. It soon escalates as Raina dismisses all safety precautions set by SVU and becomes an even bigger target. Reviews on IMDb felt the episode took too many wrong turns with its central theme. Reviews also criticized the writing of the episode that was overdramatized and made characters out to be more comical than criminals.