• Law & Order: SVU is a very popular series
  • We compiled a list of the most-watched episodes
  • Check them out here

Since Law & Order: SVU debuted in 1999, the hit series has attracted millions of viewers to each and every episode. Especially popular in its earlier years, SVU regularly brought in over 10 million U.S. viewers per episode throughout its first 10 seasons.

The powerhouse NBC drama is now in its season 25 in the 2024 TV season. Let's take a look at SVU history and the show's most-watched episodes.

Law & Order: SVU - The Most-Watched Episodes

Thanks to the work of dedicated SVU fans and TV historians, we were able to put together this Top 10 list of the most-watched SVU episodes. The list makes one thing quite clear: SVU fandom was at its absolute highest in season 3, closely followed by season 7.

Half of the list is comprised of season 3 episodes, plus multiple season 7 episodes. But it was actually a surprise season 5 episode that came out on top as the most-watched SVU episode of all time! Here's the list:

Law & Order: SVU's Top 10 Episodes By US Viewers

  • 10: "Dolls" - Season 4, 16.80 million
  • 9: "Demons" - Season 7, 16.82 million
  • 8: "Protection" - Season 3, 17.00 million
  • 7: "Execution" - Season 3, 17.05 million
  • 6: "Rockabye" - Season 7, 17.08 million
  • 5: "Stolen" - Season 3, 17.20 million
  • 4: "Competence" - Season 3, 17.30 million
  • 3: "Storm" - Season 7, 17.54 million
  • 2: "Monogamy" - Season 3, 17.71 million
  • 1: "Head" - Season 5, 18.36 million

Season 5 finale "Head" is the only SVU episode to ever top 18 million viewers. And the episode was a suitably twisted one. It involved a criminal voyeur who catches a child molester in footage on his toilet camera. Inspired by a true case, the pedophile turns out to have a brain tumour that causes her behaviour.

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While not necessarily the "best" or even most-memorable episodes, these were the SVU moments that had fans glued to NBC at numbers close to 20 million. With 16 episodes featured in season 22, season 23 hit the incredible milestone of 500 episodes! You can catch season 25 of SVU on air now.