Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 20)
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (season 20) | |
|---|---|
.png) Season 20 promotional poster | |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | September 27, 2018 – present |
| Season chronology | |
The twentieth season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered on Thursday, September 27, 2018, at 9PM ET with a two-part premiere episode. The following Thursday, the series started airing new episodes at 10PM ET.
This landmark season of SVU tied it with both the original Law & Order series and Gunsmoke as longest-running scripted non-animated U.S. primetime TV series.
Production
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was renewed for a twentieth season on May 9, 2018.[1] Production started on July 16, 2018.[2] On July 12, 2018, Executive Producer Julie Martin posted a photo of a script on Twitter, teasing that the first hour of the two-hour season premiere is tentatively titled "Man Up".[3] Martin teased on August 14, 2018, that the fourth episode of the season (titled "Revenge") would be "a devious twist and turn edge-of-your-seater". The episode is also set to feature Callie Thorne as Defense Attorney Nikki Stanies.[4] A deleted scene featuring Benson and Noah from the previous season will be re-shot and placed into an episode this season.[5] This season is also set to feature an introduction of the latest franchise installment Law & Order: Hate Crimes which will occur in the latter part of the season.[6]
Cast
Main cast
Recurring cast
- Ryan Buggle as Noah Porter-Benson
- Vivian and Charlotte Cabell as Jesse Rollins
- George Newbern as Dr. Al Pollack
- Sandrine Holt as Psychologist Lisa Abernathy
- Ami Brabson as Judge Karyn Blake
- Lauren Noble as Carmen
- Mark Tallman as Deputy Chief Gavin Riley
- Yvonna Kopacz-Wright as Dr. Darby Wilder
- Carl Weathers as State’s Attorney Mark Jefferies
- Callie Thorne as Defense Attorney Nikki Staines
- Tom Titone as Judge Joshua Goldfarb
Guest stars
On July 13, 2018, Deadline announced that Scandal's George Newbern would be guest starring over the course of the season in a recurring role as Dr. Al Pollack. Pollack is described as a charming, handsome, and wealthy doctor who is set to be a future as well as past love interest to Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish). Rollins mentions him cheating on her with a prostitute in the previous season.[7] Days later it was reported that Dylan Walsh would also have a recurring role on the series this season. Walsh played John Conway in the season premiere, an abusive father who sexually and physically abused his son. Walsh previously guest starred in the eighth season of SVU.[8] Mark Tallman portrays Gavin Riley in a recurring role, who is the new political ambitious chief of detectives who isn't afraid to step on toes and is looking to make his name known.[9]
Carl Weathers reprised his role as Chicago Justice character, State's Attorney Mark Jefferies in the episode "Zero Tolerance".[10] On August 16, 2018, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Homeland actress Sandrine Holt would be cast in a recurring role this season, as Dr. Lisa Abernathy, a clinical psychologist that consults on cases for the district attorney's office. Holt previously guest starred in the seventeenth season.[11] On September 27, 2018, Entertainment Weekly broke that Sebastian Roché will guest star as Arlo Beck, the charismatic leader of a female empowerment group in a ripped from the headlines episode set to air October 18, 2018. Roché previously made two guest appearances on the flagship Law & Order.[12]
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 435 | 1 | "Man Up" | Alex Chapple | Michael Chernuchin & Julie Martin | September 27, 2018 | 2001 | 5.09[13] |
| The Special Victims Unit are called in after a fifteen year old boy is sexually assaulted. Despite having evidence, he is too scared to name his attackers and therefore refuses to name them, making things complicated for the detectives. Meanwhile, Rollins talks things out with her ex boyfriend who cheated on her with an escort and also confides in Benson that she is pregnant, who worries that she is not as strong or fast as she used to be. | |||||||
| 436 | 2 | "Man Down" | Alex Chapple | Michael Chernuchin & Julie Martin | September 27, 2018 | 2004 | 5.09[13] |
| The case involving a teenage sexual assault continues and Stone takes the suspect to court. However, an unexpected verdict comes back in, shocking everyone. The victim ends up making a tragic decision which results in several people dead or injured and the Special Victims Unit must charge the victim. An upset Stone along with the rest of the squad decide to try their best to charge the boy's rapist as well in order to get justice for all the victims. | |||||||
| 437 | 3 | "Zero Tolerance" | Michael Pressman | Céline C. Robinson & Richard Sweren | October 4, 2018 | 2002 | 4.21[14] |
| A nine year old girl is taken from her mother at the US Mexico border and ends up in a child sex trafficking ring in New York, which quickly comes to the attention of the Special Victims Unit. Benson and Stone fight their hardest to try and reunite the girl with her family with the court system but meet many obstacles. Meanwhile, Rollins decides to give her rocky relationship with Pollack another chance. | |||||||
| 438 | 4 | "Revenge" | Martha Mitchell | Michael Chernuchin & Lawrence Kaplow | October 11, 2018 | 2003 | 4.44[15] |
| The Special Victims Unit are called in after a seemingly random young couple is brutally assaulted by a masked pizza delivery man in their apartment. The detectives soon realise they are dealing with a serial rapist when another couple is assaulted. Eventually, the detectives discover a complicated revenge plot from one of the victims and the criminals past and they must stop the criminal before he attacks any more innocent people. | |||||||
| 439 | 5 | "Accredo"[16] | TBA | TBA | October 18, 2018 | 2005 | TBD |
| 440 | 6 | "Exile"[17] | TBA | TBA | October 25, 2018 | 2006 | TBD |
| 441 | 7 | "Caretaker"[18] | TBA | TBA | November 1, 2018 | 2007 | TBD |
Ratings
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Man Up" | September 27, 2018 | 1.1/4 | 5.09[13] | 1.1 | 3.33 | 2.1 | 8.42[19] |
| 2 | "Man Down" | September 27, 2018 | 1.1/4 | 5.09[13] | 1.1 | 3.33 | 2.1 | 8.42[19] |
| 3 | "Zero Tolerance" | October 4, 2018 | 1.0/4 | 4.21[14] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 4 | "Revenge" | October 11, 2018 | 0.9/4 | 4.44[20] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 5 | "Accredo" | October 18, 2018 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | "Exile" | October 25, 2018 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | "Caretaker" | November 1, 2018 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
References
- ↑ Roots, Kimberly (May 9, 2018). "SVU Renewed for Season 20 at NBC". TVLine. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ↑ "ICE T (@FINALLEVEL): "Back on the set...!"". Twitter/ICE T. July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ↑ "Julie Martin (@JulieMartinSVU): "#SVU20 #SoItBegins"". Twitter/Julie Martin. July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ↑ "Julie Martin (@JulieMartinSVU): "The return of Nikki Staines..."". Twitter/Julie Martin. August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ↑ "Julie Martin (@JulieMartinSVU): "This scene will be in an upcoming episode..."". Twitter/Julie Martin. August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (September 4, 2018). "NBC Orders 'Law & Order: Hate Crimes' Series From Dick Wolf & Warren Leight". Deadline. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (July 13, 2018). "'Scandal's George Newbern Joins 'Law & Order: SVU' As Recurring". Deadline. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ↑ Nemetz, Dave (July 17, 2018). "Law & Order: SVU Taps Dylan Walsh for Season 20 Recurring Role". TV Line. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (August 8, 2018). "'Law & Order: SVU': Mark Tallman To Recur On NBC Drama Series". Deadline. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ↑ Carter, Matthew (August 10, 2018). "Law & Order: SVU season 20: Carl Weathers to reprise Chicago Justice character". Matt Carter Media. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (August 16, 2018). "'Law & Order: SVU' Puts Sandrine Holt on the Case". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ↑ Derschowitz, Jessica (September 27, 2018). "The Originals star Sebastian Roché to appear on Law & Order: SVU". Entertainemnt Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 Welch, Alex (September 28, 2018). "'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Big Bang Theory,' and 'Thursday Night Football' adjust up: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- 1 2 Welch, Alex (October 5, 2018). "'Thursday Night Football' adjusts up: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
- ↑ Welch, Alex (October 12, 2018). "'Big Bang Theory' and 'Thursday Night Football' adjust up, 'I Feel Bad' adjusts down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
- ↑ http://www.michaelluggio.com/news/michaelluggiocom. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ https://twitter.com/Samarq521/status/1041164236083355650. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20181008nbc17/. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - 1 2 Pucci, Douglas (October 10, 2018). "Live+7 Weekly Ratings: 'Manifest' is Most-Watched NBC Drama Series Premiere in 19 Years". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ↑ Welch, Alex (October 12, 2018). "'Big Bang Theory' and 'Thursday Night Football' adjust up, 'I Feel Bad' adjusts down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 12, 2018.