Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Episode Ratings Heatmap
1999 · 28 Seasons · 595 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.9/10 (593 rated)
Season 27 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 27 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.39), maintaining an average of 8.4.
Complete Episode Rating Matrix
Interactive score chart by season and episode number. Darker green indicates higher ratings; amber and red denote lower reception.
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 28 seasons and 595 episodes, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has earned an overall series rating of 7.9 out of 10. The series demonstrates an upward quality trajectory, with later seasons sustaining higher viewer acclaim than its debut.
The single highest-rated hour of television in the series is Season 21, Episode 14 ("I Deserve Some Loving Too"), rated at an extraordinary 10.0/10 with 3 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 20, Episode 15 ("Brothel"), landing at 3.0/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 11 between Episode 12 ("Shadow", 8.6) and Episode 13 ("P.C.", 4.5), a swing of 4.1 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 21, Ep 14 | I Deserve Some Loving Too | 10.0 | 3 | Feb 13, 2020 |
| #2 | Season 27, Ep 17 | Deep Under | 10.0 | 3 | Apr 9, 2026 |
| #3 | Season 24, Ep 1 | Gimme Shelter (II) | 10.0 | 1 | Sep 22, 2022 |
| #4 | Season 25, Ep 9 | Children of Wolves | 9.7 | 6 | Apr 11, 2024 |
| #5 | Season 20, Ep 10 | Alta Kockers | 9.7 | 3 | Nov 22, 2018 |
| #6 | Season 22, Ep 14 | Post-Graduate Psychopath | 9.6 | 7 | May 20, 2021 |
| #7 | Season 19, Ep 9 | Gone Baby Gone | 9.6 | 5 | Jan 3, 2018 |
| #8 | Season 21, Ep 12 | The Longest Night of Rain | 9.5 | 4 | Jan 30, 2020 |
| #9 | Season 25, Ep 4 | Duty to Report | 9.5 | 4 | Feb 8, 2024 |
| #10 | Season 27, Ep 13 | Corrosive | 9.5 | 3 | Feb 26, 2026 |