Law & Order: Special Victims Unit backdrop
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit S23E1 — And the Empire Strikes Back
8.0
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit•Season 23•Episode 1

And the Empire Strikes Back

8.0/10 · 682 votesSep 23, 202143 min

Ranked #6 of 22 in Season 23•+0.1 vs season avg

Discussion

Benson's loyalty to Garland is tested. Rollins and Carisi try to keep their witnesses on board when a powerful congressman is identified as a suspect.

Directed byNorberto Barba
Written byWarren Leight, Julie Martin, Bryan Goluboff
Previous seasonSeason 22Next episodeE2 · Never Turn Your Back on Them
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons28

All12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728

Season 23 Episodes22

And the Empire Strikes Back stillE1 8.0Now viewing

And the Empire Strikes Back

Never Turn Your Back on Them stillE2 8.0

Never Turn Your Back on Them

I Thought You Were on My Side stillE3 7.9

I Thought You Were on My Side

One More Tale of Two Victims stillE4 8.0

One More Tale of Two Victims

Fast Times @TheWheelHouse stillE5 7.8

Fast Times @TheWheelHouse

The Five Hundredth Episode stillE6 8.4

The Five Hundredth Episode

They'd Already Disappeared stillE7 8.4

They'd Already Disappeared

Nightmares in Drill City stillE8 7.4

Nightmares in Drill City

People vs. Richard Wheatley (I) stillE9 7.9

People vs. Richard Wheatley (I)

Silent Night, Hateful Night stillE10 7.9

Silent Night, Hateful Night

Burning with Rage Forever stillE11 7.4

Burning with Rage Forever

Tommy Baker's Hardest Fight stillE12 7.5

Tommy Baker's Hardest Fight

If I Knew Then What I Know Now stillE13 7.4

If I Knew Then What I Know Now

Video Killed the Radio Star stillE14 8.0

Video Killed the Radio Star

Promising Young Gentleman stillE15 7.8

Promising Young Gentleman

Sorry If It Got Weird for You stillE16 7.6

Sorry If It Got Weird for You

Once Upon a Time in El Barrio stillE17 8.1

Once Upon a Time in El Barrio

Eighteen Wheels a Predator stillE18 8.2

Eighteen Wheels a Predator

Tangled Strands of Justice stillE19 8.0

Tangled Strands of Justice

Did You Believe in Miracles? (I) stillE20 7.5

Did You Believe in Miracles? (I)

Confess Your Sins to Be Free stillE21 7.3

Confess Your Sins to Be Free

A Final Call at Forlini's Bar stillE22 8.4

A Final Call at Forlini's Bar

Cast5

Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Hargitay

Olivia Benson

Ice-T

Ice-T

Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola

Kelli Giddish

Kelli Giddish

Amanda Rollins

Peter Scanavino

Peter Scanavino

Dominick 'Sonny' Carisi Jr.

Octavio Pisano

Octavio Pisano

Joe Velasco

Crew6

W

Warren Leight

Writer

Norberto Barba

Norberto Barba

Director

Julie Martin

Julie Martin

Writer

L

Leon Ortiz-Gil

Editor

B

Bryan Goluboff

Writer

F

Feliks Parnell

Director of Photography

Discussion

0 comments

Join the conversation

Share your take and reply to other fans.

No comments yet

Be the first to share your thoughts on this episode.

Episode Summary

"And the Empire Strikes Back" is episode 1 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 23. It scored 8.0/10 from 682 votes, ranking #6 of 22 episodes this season (season average 7.9). Directed by Norberto Barba and written by Warren Leight, Julie Martin, Bryan Goluboff, it aired on September 23, 2021.

Next: E2 · Never Turn Your Back on ThemBest of Season 23