SVU is basically a crime-fighting marathon. It started in 1999, a spin-off of Law and Order. It follows detectives in New York City’s Special Victims Unit. They dive into some pretty serious stuff. In 2021, it hit its 23rd season. That makes it longest-running live-action show in American TV history. It has snagged tons of awards for tackling tough topics and showcasing strong characters. So, if you want to feel good about your TV choices, SVU is your go-to.

Meet the partners from Law & Order: SVU

Elliot Stabler

Elliot is all intensity and loyalty — the kind of cop who wears his heart on his sleeve and his anger in his jaw. He’s a total family man, which makes him fierce in the field and impossibly soft when it comes to kids (and yes, he will probably cry and then punch a wall, in that order). Old-school instincts, a need for control, and this weird habit of humming to himself in the squad car when he’s thinking — true! He can be explosive but also deeply protective, kind of a walking contradiction who lives by a strict personal code and occasionally breaks it for the right reasons.

Fin Tutuola

Fin is the cool, unflappable presence who’s been through everything and somehow comes out wry and steady every time. He’s street-smart, with undercover pasts and a voice like gravel; he loves hip-hop and has opinions on shoes (sneakers, specifically) and will judge your playlist silently. You get the sense he disobeys rules quietly — not for drama, just because he knows what works — and he sings along to the radio in traffic like nobody’s watching. He’s gruff but soft, practical but secretly sentimental (don’t ask him about family photos unless you want a story).

Donald Cragen

Cragen is the grizzled, paternal captain who runs the office with a mix of weary sarcasm and unexpected warmth — he’s seen too much but he’s still got that stubborn moral compass. He keeps the bureaucracy in check and everyone in line, and then slips you a dad joke when you least expect it; also, rumor has it he does crosswords on subway rides, which somehow feels true. He’s the kind of leader who’s equal parts tired and inspirational, and he’ll protect his squad like a bulldog with soft eyes. There’s order to his chaos: his office looks immaculate until you find the stack of old case files and faded photos he’ll never throw away.

John Munch

Munch is the conspiracy-loving, sarcastic brilliant weirdo you didn’t know you needed — endless trivia, deadpan delivery, and a PhD in snark. He’ll make you question reality and then prove three of your assumptions wrong, while simultaneously collecting obscure newspaper clippings and maybe feeding pigeons on lunch break. He’s cynical, yes, but deeply loyal and oddly poetic at 3 a.m., which is maybe why people trust him; also might be slightly obsessed with rain. There’s this oddball charm where he’s both infuriatingly contrarian and the one you call when you need someone to remember a very specific weird detail.

George Huang

George is the quietly brilliant shrink who sees through people like glass — clinical, calm, and almost annoyingly perceptive. He’s the type who’ll offer a perfectly timed metaphor and then give you homework, but in a good way; and yes, he drinks tea like it’s a ritual and probably has a tiny plant on his desk that he talks to. He balances empathy with sharp analysis, so he can be gentle and somehow devastatingly blunt simultaneously (science fiction level of timing). He’s polished and slightly enigmatic, like someone who reads Nietzsche for fun and can find your childhood trauma in a 30-second conversation.

Rafael Barba

Barba is a razor-sharp courtroom assassin — polished, fearless, and maybe the only person in the room who can make you feel simultaneously judged and oddly comforted. He’s meticulous to a fault, has standards (for suits, for arguments, for coffee), and will chew you out with legal poetry if you step out of line. There’s a surprising softness under the suit — a weird fondness for animals or obscure spices — and he’ll bend rules if it means justice, which is both heroic and infuriating. He’s intense, principled, and secretly enjoys a ridiculous pop song on guilty-pleasure repeat.

Dominick Carisi, Jr.

Carisi is the earnest, big-hearted rookie-turned-detective who will argue facts with the energy of a kid on a sugar high and then bring you soup when you’re sick. He’s earnest, annoyingly optimistic sometimes, and will quote baseball trivia when you least expect it; also writes poetry? maybe, okay yes sometimes. He’s by-the-book but also prone to imaginative leaps — like he follows protocol and then improvises a little, which somehow works because he cares too much not to. He’s adorable, stubborn, and surprisingly competent, the kind of person who makes team morale spike just by existing.

Nick Amaro

Nick is the hotheaded, complicated detective — a guy with instincts, a temper, and a whole personal life that colors every decision he makes. He’s empathetic in a rough way, quick to anger and quicker to protect, especially when family is involved (and yes, he swears sometimes, a lot). He’s got good instincts, speaks Spanish, and will throw himself into a case like it’s his last cigarette; also likes grilling and probably burns things sometimes. There’s this unpredictable edge — tender with victims, tough with suspects — and it keeps you on your toes.

Amanda Rollins

Rollins is messy in the most compelling way — brilliant, resourceful, emotionally tangled, and a little bit of a risk-taker who drinks tequila like it’s a coping mechanism (which sometimes it is). She’s sarcastic, fashionable, and somehow always running late, but don’t let the chaos fool you: she has instincts and grit in spades. Family drama follows her around like a shadow, but she’s resilient and fiercely loyal to her team; also she’s got this habit of humming Broadway tunes in the elevator, which is adorable. She’s complicated in the best way — equal parts vulnerability and steel.

Olivia Benson

Benson is the moral center, the relentless protector, and honestly the emotional backbone of everything — if you need someone to stand in the gap, it’s her. She’s compassionate to a fault, fierce in court, maternal and terrifying all at once; also awkward about compliments and quietly collects meaningful little mementos (kittens not guaranteed, but possible). She leads with empathy but will absolutely go to the ends of the earth for justice, which is why people follow her without question. She’s steady, brave, and sometimes softer than she lets on, like a lion who hums lullabies in private.

Katriona Tamin

Tamin is energetic, ambitious, and a little bit hungry for recognition — the kind of detective who takes notes on everything and drinks cold brew like it’s oxygen. She’s smart, tech-savvy, and gets things done, but also has these moments of insecurity that make her relatable (and sometimes she talks way too fast when she’s excited). She’s sassy and earnest at once, organized chaos — her desk may be messy but she knows exactly where the important file is, promise. She’s the kind of teammate who’ll crack a joke in a tense moment and then deliver an arrest like she’s been doing it forever.