The long-running Law & Order: Special Victims Unit returns tonight (September 23) with two back-to-back episodes titled “And The Empire Strikes Back” and “Never Turn Your Back On Them.” You can find photos from both of the episodes below, but first, here’s a description, including a few guest star listings:
SEASON PREMIERE — As the investigation into a sex-for-housing scheme expands, 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. The search for a missing witness leads Fin and Kat down a dangerous path. Guest starring Ben Rappaport, Terry Serpico, Octavio Pisano, Glenn Fleshler and Isabelle Poloner. TV-14
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Created by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” now in its 22nd season, is the longest-running primetime live-action series of all time.
This hard-hitting and emotional series from NBC’s “Law & Order” brand chronicles the lives of the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, an elite squad of detectives who investigate crimes of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence.
As commander of the SVU, Capt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) is a seasoned veteran of the unit who has seen it all. She leads with empathy and professionalism, all the while dealing with her difficult past as a product of rape and her responsibility as a trailblazer in survivor advocacy, both of which influence the way she relates to the victims and perpetrators of each case. Olivia Benson is the longest-running female character in a primetime live-action television series.
Hargitay has garnered eight Emmy Award nominations for Lead Actress in a Drama Series and won in 2006. She received two Golden Globe nominations for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, winning the award in 2005, and six SAG nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. She has won four Gracie Allen Awards for Outstanding Female Lead in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2017. In 2018 she received the Crystal Nymph Award at the Monte Carlo TV Festival and won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Drama TV Star. In 2013, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As Benson’s second-in-command, Sgt. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola (Ice T) adds a unique sense of humor and undercover investigative experience, making him a formidable match for any partner. Senior Det. Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) has earned her place as an integral part of the team while facing head-on the emotional toll it takes to work SVU, while Officer Katriona “Kat” Azar Tamin (Jamie Gray Hyder) learns the ropes and pushes boundaries in her first year on the squad. Assistant District Attorney Dominick “Sonny” Carisi (Peter Scanavino) brings a fresh outlook and distinctive style of investigation to his cases while navigating the politics of the DA’s office. Deputy Chief Christian Garland (Demore Barnes) leads his team with charisma and lives the contemporary principles he aims to apply to the entire NYPD.
“SVU” is frequently acknowledged for its guest players, with Emmy wins for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for Ann-Margret (2010), Ellen Burstyn (2009), Cynthia Nixon (2008), Leslie Caron (2007) and Amanda Plummer (2005), and nominations for such renowned talent as Brenda Blethyn, Carol Burnett, Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, Angela Lansbury, Marlee Matlin, Mare Winningham, Barbara Barrie, Martha Plimpton, Jane Alexander and Tracy Pollan.
“SVU” has won two Imagen Foundation Awards (2015 and 2020) for Best Drama Program, recognizing the positive portrayal of Latinos in the entertainment industry. The series was honored with the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2012. Fourteen episodes of “SVU” were nominated for the Prism Award and six have won, recognizing their accurate depiction of substance abuse and mental illness. Five episodes have been nominated by the GLAAD Media Awards for outstanding representation of the LGBTQ community, and the show was honored with 11 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominations and two wins for Best Television episode.
The “Law & Order” brand has tremendous global appeal and, to date, “SVU” has been sold to more than 250 territories around the world.
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment. Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer. Warren Leight, Julie Martin, Mariska Hargitay, Norberto Barba, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.
