Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 18

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File:LawAndOrder, Season 18.jpg
Season 18 U.S. DVD cover
Starring <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
No. of episodes 21
Release
Original network NBC
Original release September 21, 2016 (2016-09-21) – May 24, 2017 (2017-05-24)
List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes

The eighteenth season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit debuted on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, on NBC[1] and finished on Wednesday, May 24, 2017, with a two-hour season finale.

Rick Eid, who previously worked on Law & Order and Law & Order: Trial by Jury, became the executive producer and showrunner, following Warren Leight's departure from the series at the conclusion of the seventeenth season. Eid himself departed the series at the end of the eighteenth season and was replaced by Michael S. Chernuchin.

Production

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was renewed for an eighteenth season on February 1, 2016, by NBC.[2] It was announced in March 2015 that season seventeen would be showrunner/executive producer Warren Leight's last season on the show; he signed a three-year deal with Sony Pictures Television, his contract allowing him to work on SVU for one final season.[3] On March 10, 2016, it was announced that Rick Eid would replace Leight as showrunner on this season.[4]

The 400th episode of the series aired this season. "Motherly Love," directed by Mariska Hargitay, was filmed and billed as the 400th episode. However, due to the shuffling of episodes during the season, it aired as the 399th episode. The 400th episode was the eleventh episode of the season, "Great Expectations," which aired on NBC on February 15, 2017 (after being moved from its initial air date of November 9, 2016, and a second air date of January 4, 2017).

At the end of production of the season, during upfronts SVU was renewed for a nineteenth season. Following the renewal announcement, it was revealed that show runner/executive producer Rick Eid had departed the show. He took over Chicago P.D. as showrunner/EP starting with its fifth season, replacing C.P.D. co-creator/EP Matt Olmstead.[5] Michael Chernuchin, former showrunner and executive producer for Dick Wolf's Chicago Justice series, as well as a former executive producer and writer for many past incarnations of the Law & Order franchise, was selected as SVU's new showrunner.

Storylines and cast changes

It was announced at the end of the seventeenth season that recurring star Andy Karl (who portrayed Sergeant Mike Dodds) would be departing the cast due to his Broadway work. He was killed off on the season finale by corrupt corrections officer Gary Munson.[6]

It was announced on July 22, 2016, that SVU would do a ripped from the headlines episode based on Netflix documentary Making a Murderer. Henry Thomas appeared alongside Kelli Williams in the episode about a convicted rapist who is exonerated after DNA is freshly tested. Ice-T's character, Fin Tutuola, originally arrested Thomas' character 16 years earlier and then begins investigating him again when he is linked to a deadly crime. Williams played Melanie, a rape victim who initially identified Thomas' character. On August 20, 2016, it was announced that the season premiere would pit ADA Rafael Barba (Raúl Esparza) against Lt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) on opposing sides of the verdict.[7] The episode "Rape Interrupted" (which guest stars Anthony Edwards), was ripped from the headlines based on the Brock Turner sexual assault case, where Turner sexually assaulted an unconscious girl and was later convicted of three felony sexual assault charges. Turner was leniently punished as he only served three months of his six-month sentence, though he originally faced 14 years in prison based on charges. Executive producer Julie Martin told The Huffington Post, "It is a phenomenon. Unfortunately, there have been several cases like that over the spring and the summer." Hargitay pondered if a similar case were to happen on the show: "Like if I was the detective on that case? It could be healing to somebody to see what should happen. [Seeing] justice," Hargitay continued, "If a judge would do a different sentence. You know, that's healing for people to see the right thing, the just thing happen."[8]

Cast

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See also: List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Guest stars

On July 29, 2016, it was announced that then-Vice President Joe Biden would appear in the September 28 episode ("Making a Rapist") as himself to talk about the backlog of rape kits.[9][10][11] Henry Thomas also appeared alongside Kelli Williams in the episode, Thomas portraying a convicted rapist who is exonerated after DNA is freshly retested.

On September 8, 2016, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Anthony Edwards would guest star on SVU. Edwards starred on the NBC medical drama ER as Dr. Mark Greene; in season four of the medical series, Mariska Hargitay guest starred as Greene's love interest, Desk Clerk Cynthia Hooper.[12] Later, TV Guide announced that Edwards would be portraying Benson's very first partner out of the Academy, Sgt. Patrick Griffin in "Rape Interrupted". Griffin's son is the suspect in a rape investigation that puts Benson at odds with ADA Barba and Griffin.[13] Hollywood Reporter announced that rapper-actor Wyclef Jean was guest starring in the episode "Broken Rhymes" (originally titled "Bad Rap") as a famed music producer whose client is embroiled in an assault case. Mitchell Edwards portrayed Hype in the episode as well.[14]

On October 11, 2016, Hollywood Reporter reported that Gary Cole would guest star as a politician whose campaign goes haywire when several women go public with damaging accusations.[15] The character and the episode, titled "Unstoppable," drew comparisons to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. The episode was originally scheduled to air on October 26, but was then delayed until November 16 after the election finished. The episode was pulled from the schedule a second time and is indefinitely shelved.[16]

Episodes

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See also: List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes
No.
overall		 No. in
season		 Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod.
code		 U.S. viewers
(millions)
390 1 "Terrorized" Alik Sakharov Rick Eid & Julie Martin September 21, 2016 (2016-09-21) 1801 7.83[17]
391 2 "Making a Rapist" Michael Pressman Kevin Fox September 28, 2016 (2016-09-28) 1802 6.09[18]
392 3 "Imposter" Jean de Segonzac Rick Eid & Gavin Harris October 5, 2016 (2016-10-05) 1803 5.76[19]
393 4 "Heightened Emotions" Alex Chapple Julie Martin & Céline C. Robinson October 12, 2016 (2016-10-12) 1805 5.88[20]
394 5 "Rape Interrupted" Michael Pressman Julie Martin & Brianna Yellen October 26, 2016 (2016-10-26) 1806 5.85[21]
395 6 "Broken Rhymes" Adam Bernstein Rick Eid & Jeffrey Baker November 9, 2016 (2016-11-09) 1807 5.55[22]
396 7 "Next Chapter" Fred Berner Rick Eid & Gavin Harris January 4, 2017 (2017-01-04) 1809 5.82[23]
397 8 "Chasing Theo" Jean de Segonzac Julie Martin & Robert Brooks Cohen January 11, 2017 (2017-01-11) 1810 6.05[24]
398 9 "Decline and Fall" Jean de Segonzac Ed Zuckerman & Robert Brooks Cohen January 18, 2017 (2017-01-18) 1811 6.46[25]
399 10 "Motherly Love" Mariska Hargitay Rick Eid & Julie Martin February 8, 2017 (2017-02-08) 1812 6.93[26]
400 11 "Great Expectations" Martha Mitchell Kevin Fox & Brendan Feeney February 15, 2017 (2017-02-15) 1808 6.00[27]
401 12 "No Surrender" Stephanie Marquardt Gavin Harris & Kinan Copen February 22, 2017 (2017-02-22) 1813 5.76[28]
402 13 "Genes" Michael Pressman Rick Eid & Céline C. Robinson March 22, 2017 (2017-03-22) 1815 5.19[29]
403 14 "Net Worth" Alex Chapple Rick Eid & Jeffrey Baker March 29, 2017 (2017-03-29) 1816 5.00[30]
404 15 "Know It All" Jonathan Herron Ed Zuckerman & Kevin Fox April 5, 2017 (2017-04-05) 1814 5.07[31]
405 16 "The Newsroom" Jono Oliver Story by: Warren Leight & Julie Martin
Teleplay by: Julie Martin & Brianna Yellen		 April 26, 2017 (2017-04-26) 1817 5.22[32]
406 17 "Real Fake News" Martha Mitchell Ed Zuckerman May 3, 2017 (2017-05-03) 1818 5.06[33]
407 18 "Spellbound" Jean de Segonzac Gavin Harris & Kinan Copen May 10, 2017 (2017-05-10) 1819 5.01[34]
408 19 "Conversion" Alex Chapple Kevin Fox & Brendan Feeney May 17, 2017 (2017-05-17) 1820 5.56[35]
409 20 "American Dream" Jean de Segonzac Rick Eid & Julie Martin May 24, 2017 (2017-05-24) 1821 5.80[36]
410 21 "Sanctuary" Michael Pressman Rick Eid & Julie Martin May 24, 2017 (2017-05-24) 1822 6.22[36]

Shelved episode

"Unstoppable", written by Julie Martin and Rick Eid,[37] inspired by the sexual misconduct allegations against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and starring Gary Cole, was originally scheduled to air on October 26, 2016,[38] but it was pulled from the schedule[39][40][41] and has since been shelved.[42] At the 2017 Television Critics Association winter press tour, Dick Wolf expressed his belief that the episode might air that spring.[43] NBC currently has no plans to air the episode.[37]

Reception

No. Title Air date Ratings/share
(18–49)		 Viewers
(millions)		 DVR
18–49		 DVR viewers
(millions)		 Total
18–49		 Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Terrorized" September 21, 2016 (2016-09-21) 1.8/6[17] 7.83[17] 1.3 3.46 3.1 11.28[44]
2 "Making a Rapist" September 28, 2016 (2016-09-28) 1.6/5[18] 6.09[18] 1.1 3.23 2.7 9.28[45]
3 "Imposter" October 5, 2016 (2016-10-05) 1.4/5[19] 5.76[19] 1.1 3.24 2.5 9.00[46]
4 "Heightened Emotions" October 12, 2016 (2016-10-12) 1.4/5[20] 5.88[20] 1.1 3.00 2.5 8.87[47]
5 "Rape Interrupted" October 26, 2016 (2016-10-26) 1.5/5[21] 5.85[21] 1.1 2.96 2.6 8.82[48]
6 "Broken Rhymes" November 9, 2016 (2016-11-09) 1.3/4[22] 5.55[22] 0.8 2.20 2.1 7.75[49]
7 "Next Chapter" January 4, 2017 (2017-01-04) 1.5/5[23] 5.82[23] 1.0 2.99 2.5 8.86[50]
8 "Chasing Theo" January 11, 2017 (2017-01-11) 1.4/5[24] 6.05[24] 1.1 3.00 2.5 9.04[51]
9 "Decline and Fall" January 18, 2017 (2017-01-18) 1.4/5[25] 6.46[25] 1.1 3.16 2.5 9.62[52]
10 "Motherly Love" February 8, 2017 (2017-02-08) 1.6/6[26] 6.93[26] 1.2 3.23 2.8 10.15[53]
11 "Great Expectations" February 15, 2017 (2017-02-15) 1.4/5[27] 6.00[27] 0.8 2.20 2.2 8.20[54]
12 "No Surrender" February 22, 2017 (2017-02-22) 1.3/5[28] 5.76[28] 1.0 3.00 2.3 8.76[55]
13 "Genes" March 22, 2017 (2017-03-22) 1.2/4[29] 5.19[29] 1.1 3.16 2.3 8.35[56]
14 "Net Worth" March 29, 2017 (2017-03-29) 1.1/4[30] 5.00[30] 0.9 2.67 2.0 7.67[57]
15 "Know It All" April 5, 2017 (2017-04-05) 1.2/4[31] 5.07[31] 0.9 2.83 2.1 7.90[58]
16 "The Newsroom" April 26, 2017 (2017-04-26) 1.1/4[32] 5.22[32] N/A N/A N/A N/A
17 "Real Fake News" May 3, 2017 (2017-05-03) 1.0/4[33] 5.06[33] 1.0 2.87 2.0 7.93[59]
18 "Spellbound" May 10, 2017 (2017-05-10) 1.1/4[34] 5.01[34] 0.9 2.78 2.0 7.79[60]
19 "Conversion" May 17, 2017 (2017-05-17) 1.2/5[35] 5.56[35] 1.0 2.88 2.2 8.43[61]
20 "American Dream" May 24, 2017 (2017-05-24) 1.3/5[36] 5.80[36] N/A N/A N/A N/A
21 "Sanctuary" May 24, 2017 (2017-05-24) 1.4/5[36] 6.22[36] N/A N/A N/A N/A

References

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  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

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