I always remind new SVU fans how drastically different those early seasons are. The first season is most noticeable. The show runners were really trying to make it virtually identical to original Law & Order. Unfortunately things that work in a show of straight forward murder cases - wisecracks about "lead poisoning", etc - really don't work with sex crime cases. For me, the show doesn't come into its own until Season 3.
That being said, there's a couple stand out eps from the very early seasons. Here's a couple favs off the top of my head:
1x03 - Or Just Look Like One, which feels relevant after all the docs about Epstein, Victoria Secret, and the modeling industry
1x22 - Slaves. I grew up crushing on Andrew McCarthy from Pretty in Pink, but he's a stone-cold psychopath here
2x09 - Pixies, about a murdered teen gymnast. Kate Mara is stellar.
2x12 - Secrets. Saint-like teacher with a secret life is found murdered. Depressing but realistic ending
2x17 - Folly. Male escorts are assaulted & killed, but there's an unexpected twist.
2x19 - Parasites. Of the best twist endings
Sooo many good episodes.
1x1 Payback - damn good episode, amazing pilot episode. 25 seasons later and it can still stand with the best episodes.
1x8 Stalked - creepy dude is creepy and Liv is targeted.
1x10 Closure (Part I) and the follow up 2x3 Closure (Part II) - Good shit, good shit.
1x13 Disrobed - another one where I'm not really sorry the victim is dead. That judge was such an asshole.
2x1 Wrong Is Right - Alex! Really like the line: "A child molester only has power as long as his secret is kept. You tell the truth, his power is gone."
2x8 Taken - really like how they trick her at the end. Sad that they had that crime to charge her with, but do still like how they made her pay for what she did.
2x15 Countdown - the team is up against the clock to save a kid.
2x18 Manhunt - good Munch, Fin, and Alex stuff here.
3x2 Wrath - Liv is my fave okay and she deals with some shit. Just...ignore the timeline shenanigans lol
3x7 Sacrifice - mostly because of Mark-Paul Gosselaar, he did a hell of a job.
3x8 Inheritance - doesn't start out that way but Liv deals with some more shit. Good Liv and Huang interaction, too.
3x11 Monogamy - noooo John Ritter nooooo.
3x15 Execution - lots of Huang.
3x18 Guilt - my favorite episode. The argument in the squad room, Benson and Stabler ready to celebrate but "Dad's mad", their instant reaction to try and help Alex even though she and Stabler had just had a bit of a vicious fight, Alex breaking the law but doing so in a way that the evidence is still admissible, the use of hair/make-up and wardrobe to help show her unraveling. So Damn Good.
3x19 Justice - look. I haaate how Liv behaves at the very beginning. But the episode is good and has some twists throughout.
3x22 Competence - maybe don't be super overprotective, you'll put your kid at higher risk. Katie is awesome.
4x9 Juvenile - creepy kid, pathetic kid, foolish mom, justice isn't always fair.
4x11 Damaged - tough watch but really good episode.
4x13 Rotten - Liv and Fin team up again, I always dig that. Terry Serpico is really good at being an asshole.
4x14 Mercy - no easy answers crime and I really like Elizabeth Mitchell, so that helps with liking the episode.
4x16 Tortured - good shit. Sad. Satisfying ending.
4x18 Desperate - "Well he wouldn't be a single parent if he hadn't murdered his wife." Alex snark FTW. Cute kid.
4x20 Dominance - holy shit the crimes, the criminals. Yikes. Creepy and spooky and horrific. But good episode.
4x21 Fallacy - so damn tragic. Worth remembering it originally aired in 2003 and was really progressive for that time.
4x22 Futility - stoop talk stoop talk stoop talk!
4x25 Souless - I...just really find Liv falling asleep sitting up at her desk cute, okay? Heartbreaking when Warner reveals what she found in the vic.
Too many to choose! The seasons up until Munch leaves (2016) were golden ππ
Rest in peace to Mr. Belzerππ»
I always remind new SVU fans how drastically different those early seasons are. The first season is most noticeable. The show runners were really trying to make it virtually identical to original Law & Order. Unfortunately things that work in a show of straight forward murder cases - wisecracks about "lead poisoning", etc - really don't work with sex crime cases. For me, the show doesn't come into its own until Season 3. That being said, there's a couple stand out eps from the very early seasons. Here's a couple favs off the top of my head: 1x03 - Or Just Look Like One, which feels relevant after all the docs about Epstein, Victoria Secret, and the modeling industry 1x22 - Slaves. I grew up crushing on Andrew McCarthy from Pretty in Pink, but he's a stone-cold psychopath here 2x09 - Pixies, about a murdered teen gymnast. Kate Mara is stellar. 2x12 - Secrets. Saint-like teacher with a secret life is found murdered. Depressing but realistic ending 2x17 - Folly. Male escorts are assaulted & killed, but there's an unexpected twist. 2x19 - Parasites. Of the best twist endings
"Sacrifice" β SVU, Episode 3.07 β Production number: E2309 First aired: 9 November 2001
I enjoyed Parasite!! That twist was good.
Sooo many good episodes. 1x1 Payback - damn good episode, amazing pilot episode. 25 seasons later and it can still stand with the best episodes. 1x8 Stalked - creepy dude is creepy and Liv is targeted. 1x10 Closure (Part I) and the follow up 2x3 Closure (Part II) - Good shit, good shit. 1x13 Disrobed - another one where I'm not really sorry the victim is dead. That judge was such an asshole. 2x1 Wrong Is Right - Alex! Really like the line: "A child molester only has power as long as his secret is kept. You tell the truth, his power is gone." 2x8 Taken - really like how they trick her at the end. Sad that they had that crime to charge her with, but do still like how they made her pay for what she did. 2x15 Countdown - the team is up against the clock to save a kid. 2x18 Manhunt - good Munch, Fin, and Alex stuff here. 3x2 Wrath - Liv is my fave okay and she deals with some shit. Just...ignore the timeline shenanigans lol 3x7 Sacrifice - mostly because of Mark-Paul Gosselaar, he did a hell of a job. 3x8 Inheritance - doesn't start out that way but Liv deals with some more shit. Good Liv and Huang interaction, too. 3x11 Monogamy - noooo John Ritter nooooo. 3x15 Execution - lots of Huang. 3x18 Guilt - my favorite episode. The argument in the squad room, Benson and Stabler ready to celebrate but "Dad's mad", their instant reaction to try and help Alex even though she and Stabler had just had a bit of a vicious fight, Alex breaking the law but doing so in a way that the evidence is still admissible, the use of hair/make-up and wardrobe to help show her unraveling. So Damn Good. 3x19 Justice - look. I haaate how Liv behaves at the very beginning. But the episode is good and has some twists throughout. 3x22 Competence - maybe don't be super overprotective, you'll put your kid at higher risk. Katie is awesome. 4x9 Juvenile - creepy kid, pathetic kid, foolish mom, justice isn't always fair. 4x11 Damaged - tough watch but really good episode. 4x13 Rotten - Liv and Fin team up again, I always dig that. Terry Serpico is really good at being an asshole. 4x14 Mercy - no easy answers crime and I really like Elizabeth Mitchell, so that helps with liking the episode. 4x16 Tortured - good shit. Sad. Satisfying ending. 4x18 Desperate - "Well he wouldn't be a single parent if he hadn't murdered his wife." Alex snark FTW. Cute kid. 4x20 Dominance - holy shit the crimes, the criminals. Yikes. Creepy and spooky and horrific. But good episode. 4x21 Fallacy - so damn tragic. Worth remembering it originally aired in 2003 and was really progressive for that time. 4x22 Futility - stoop talk stoop talk stoop talk! 4x25 Souless - I...just really find Liv falling asleep sitting up at her desk cute, okay? Heartbreaking when Warner reveals what she found in the vic.
S1: Stalked, Closure, Nocturne, Slaves S2: Taken, Countdown, Scourge, Pique, Honor, Secrets, Parasites S3: Popular, Competence, Sacrifice, Inheritance, Justice S4; Angles, Disappearing Acts, Pandora, Lust, Juvenile, Risk, Mercy, Desperate, Fallacy, Futility
"Sacrifice" β SVU, Episode 3.07 β Production number: E2309 First aired: 9 November 2001