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The Worst Episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Every episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit!

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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.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 25 Episode 2 - Truth Embargo
    4.4/10(1034 votes)

    #1 - Truth Embargo

    S25:E2

    As Benson teams up with the FBI on an unsolved case, Fin and Velasco investigate a flash mob robbery that lead to a sexual assault.

    Director:Jean de Segonzac
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 14 - Intimidation Game
    4.7/10(2229 votes)

    #2 - Intimidation Game

    S16:E14

    A female videogame developer is harassed and threatened by a group of misogynistic cyber terrorists.

    Director:Jean de Segonzac
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 22 Episode 1 - Guardians and Gladiators
    5.9/10(1032 votes)

    #3 - Guardians and Gladiators

    S22:E1

    When the squad tries to solve an assault in Central Park, they are hampered by their own blind spots and a community that is losing trust in the police.

    Director:Norberto Barba
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 20 Episode 14 - Part 33
    6.1/10(1177 votes)

    #4 - Part 33

    S20:E14

    As Stone prosecutes the case of a woman who killed her abusive husband, Benson and her squad wrestle with the duty of testifying against her.

    Director:Alex Chapple
    Writer:Michael S. Chernuchin

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  5. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 19 Episode 12 - Info Wars
    6.2/10(1360 votes)

    #5 - Info Wars

    S19:E12

    After a female pundit is assaulted during a protest, Benson and Barba struggle to put their political beliefs aside in order to help bring the attacker to justice.

    Director:Michael Slovis
    Writers:Robert Brooks Cohen, Richard Sweren

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  6. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 18 Episode 3 - Imposter
    6.6/10(1222 votes)

    #6 - Imposter

    S18:E3

    When a man uses a false identity to lure a vulnerable married woman to bed, Barba thinks the evidence amounts to rape.

    Director:Jean de Segonzac
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 18 - Devastating Story
    6.7/10(1022 votes)

    #7 - Devastating Story

    S16:E18

    SVU investigates after a news story reveals that an unidentified Hudson University coed was gang raped by a four fraternity brothers. But once the accuser finally steps forward and tells her story, everything begins to unravel.

    Director:Michael Slovis
    Writer:Samantha Corbin-Miller

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  8. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 22 Episode 11 - Our Words Will Not Be Heard
    6.7/10(631 votes)

    #8 - Our Words Will Not Be Heard

    S22:E11

    A high-profile activist suspects her sister has been kidnapped by a hate group.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 18 Episode 4 - Heightened Emotions
    6.8/10(1095 votes)

    #9 - Heightened Emotions

    S18:E4

    A sexually assaulted athlete's double life could destroy her Olympic career and ruin the case against her attacker; Rollins sister is released from prison on parole.

    Director:Alex Chapple
    Writers:Julie Martin, Céline C. Robinson

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  10. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 16 - December Solstice
    6.9/10(1085 votes)

    #10 - December Solstice

    S16:E16

    When Walter’s daughters accuse their stepmother of sexually abusing their ailing father, a furious legal battle ends in tragedy.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 20 Episode 23 - Assumptions
    6.9/10(717 votes)

    #11 - Assumptions

    S20:E23

    The SVU searches for two suspects spotted fleeing the scene after a Muslim woman is assaulted inside a synagogue. Meanwhile, Benson is dismayed to find Rob Miller out on bail.

    Director:Fred Berner
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 19 - Granting Immunity
    7.0/10(1038 votes)

    #12 - Granting Immunity

    S16:E19

    A measles outbreak delays arrests in a case involving pornographic photos taken by teens at a party. Meanwhile, Benson discovers that some kids' medical records may have been falsified after Noah gets measles; Amaro leans upsetting news about his son.

    Director:Holly Dale
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 18 Episode 12 - No Surrender
    7.0/10(1045 votes)

    #13 - No Surrender

    S18:E12

    Fin revisits his military roots when a fellow Army Ranger struggles to recover from a sexual assault.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 19 Episode 15 - In Loco Parentis
    7.0/10(1075 votes)

    #14 - In Loco Parentis

    S19:E15

    Carisi opens a police investigation when his niece reports a classmate for sexual assault, and Stone learns there are no perfect witnesses when it comes to sex crimes.

    Director:Norberto Barba
    Writers:Julie Martin, Michael S. Chernuchin

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  15. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 24 Episode 3 - Mirror Effect
    7.0/10(475 votes)

    #15 - Mirror Effect

    S24:E3

    Benson tries to help a pop star in a volatile relationship; Rollins struggles with taking the stress of work home with her; Fin teaches a rookie a lesson in respecting fellow officers.

    Director:Michael Smith
    Writers:Julie Martin, David Graziano, Margaret Rose Lester

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  16. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 1 Episode 12 - Russian Love Poem
    7.1/10(1331 votes)

    #16 - Russian Love Poem

    S1:E12

    When a multi-millionaire is found strangled in his home, Benson and Stabler turn their suspicion to his long list of lovers, which includes both men and women. Detectives discover he was involved with a group of beautiful Russian women that came to the U.S. to take advantage of wealthy Americans.

    Director:Rick Rosenthal
    Writer:Eva Nagorski

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  17. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 20 Episode 22 - Diss
    7.1/10(718 votes)

    #17 - Diss

    S20:E22

    When a pop star is assaulted in her home, the SVU investigates the public feud between her rapper husband and a competing recording artist; Fin's family ties to a suspect take him off the case.

    Director:Alex Chapple
    Writers:Michael S. Chernuchin, Allison Intrieri

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  18. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 22 Episode 8 - The Only Way Out Is Through
    7.1/10(512 votes)

    #18 - The Only Way Out Is Through

    S22:E8

    Benson helps two sisters get closure from a harrowing childhood assault. Kat's cousin reaches out for help.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 24 Episode 16 - The Presence of Absence
    7.1/10(436 votes)

    #19 - The Presence of Absence

    S24:E16

    An internet dating site becomes the source of terror for a young widow. Muncy struggles with Velasco's absence.

    Director:Norberto Barba
    Writers:Brianna Yellen, Brendan Feeney

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  20. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 Episode 15 - Undertow
    7.1/10(386 votes)

    #20 - Undertow

    S26:E15

    A complicated case of sex and drug use divides the squad. Carisi must convince a jury to focus on the law and not the defendant's accusations.

    Director:Martha Mitchell
    Writer:Brendan Feeney

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  21. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 8 - Spousal Privilege
    7.2/10(974 votes)

    #21 - Spousal Privilege

    S16:E8

    Sergeant Benson tries to help a domestic violence victim who stands by her man.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 21 - Perverted Justice
    7.2/10(961 votes)

    #22 - Perverted Justice

    S16:E21

    A woman who accused her father of raping her when she was six now says the accusations were false. With the help of attorney Bayard Ellis and retired captain Kragen, SVU tries to get to the truth and make sure justice is served.

    Director:Alex Chapple
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 17 Episode 9 - Depravity Standard
    7.2/10(1045 votes)

    #23 - Depravity Standard

    S17:E9

    Lt. Benson seeks justice in the trial of child abductor Lewis Hodda, but when a plea deal is rejected, Barba must rely on decades-old evidence to make his case and faces off against former SVU colleague Dr. Huang.

    Director:Martha Mitchell
    Writer:Ed Zuckerman

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  24. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 19 Episode 7 - Something Happened
    7.2/10(1173 votes)

    #24 - Something Happened

    S19:E7

    Benson must disclose the secrets of her past to help a rape victim recall the details of one terrible, traumatic night.

    Director:Alex Chapple
    Writer:Michael S. Chernuchin

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  25. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 11 Episode 20 - Beef
    7.3/10(999 votes)

    #25 - Beef

    S11:E20

    After a young woman is sexually assaulted and murdered, Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler track down the woman's boyfriend - their first suspect - but learn that he is a devout vegan who wouldn't hurt a fly. They soon find that the victim had been deeply involved in the fight to expose questionable practices in the meat-packing industry, even going undercover at a large company to find out the truth. Benson goes undercover herself to retrace the woman's footsteps and to identify who the victim might have angered along the way.

    Director:Peter Leto
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Truth Embargo" is the worst rated episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". It scored 4.4/10 based on 1034 votes. Directed by Jean de Segonzac and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/25/2024. This episode scored 0.3 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Intimidation Game".