Fans of “Law & Order: SVU” know that each season feels a bit different, especially from the first episode. It’s easy to tell which era we are in just by looking at Olivia Benson’s (Mariska Hargitay) hairstyle and the cast members in the theme song. This season, some themes are relevant to today’s issues, but they seem different from what we saw a few years ago, and not in a good way.
What Is ‘SVU’ Season 26’s First Case About?
The premiere of Season 26 features a case that feels pretty standard for the show. It starts with four law students at the University of New York who are reminiscing about missing out on being teenagers because of COVID.
One student, Teddy (Jeremy Gill), leaves for a date, while the more outgoing students, Elodie (Lexi Minetree) and Damon (August Blanco), invite the shy Shelley (Larkin Reilly) to join their throuple. Teddy unexpectedly comes home early and sees this through a crack in the door.
Later, police arrive to find Damon injured with a head wound, Elodie showing signs of sexual assault, and Shelley dead with blood everywhere. The signs seem to point to Teddy, who felt left out of their secret, but the situation quickly becomes complicated.
A hidden camera in Shelley’s smoke detector gets found, an alibi about playing chess in a park at two in the morning comes into play, and a women’s empowerment group gets involved.
The case isn’t bad, but it also isn’t very memorable. The housemates have good chemistry, and there are some funny moments in the opening scene, typical for SVU. However, while there are a few twists and details, it feels odd to start the season this way.
Sometimes, starting a plot that continues over multiple episodes works, but this time, it lacks urgency and personal stakes for the characters. The courtroom scene is enjoyable as it shows Carisi (Peter Scanavino) in action, but the journey to get there feels flat and similar to many other stories we’ve seen on the show.
‘SVU’ Season 26 Adds Another New Squad Member
In Season 26, we meet Kate Silva (Juliana Aidén Martinez), a new squad member who has been with the team for three weeks. She comes from a family of cops, as her father is a Deputy Commissioner with 35 years of experience. Kate previously worked in homicide and believes Benson is testing her.
In recent years, SVU has struggled with keeping characters. Just as viewers start to care about new characters, they often leave the show. This has happened with characters like Kat Tamin (Jamie Gray) and Grace Muncy (Molly Burnett), who brought fresh energy to the team but were gone after one or two seasons.
Kate seems to follow the same ambitious rookie pattern, raising the question of why the show doesn’t keep existing characters. Instead, it creates new ones that feel similar each season. This makes it frustrating for viewers. Kate’s character doesn’t immediately stand out in her detective work or background.
Her decision to join the force after 9/11 feels familiar, and her coming from a cop family adds little depth. So far, her character is simple and lacks uniqueness. Hopefully, she will develop into someone more interesting as the season goes on.
‘SVU’ Season 26 Doubles Down on the Copaganda
“SVU” faces challenges, especially regarding current issues with policing, including racism and police brutality. The aggressive response to protests, particularly on college campuses, has gained attention recently.
Historically, “SVU” has not always handled these issues well, but it seemed to make some effort in the past. Characters like Deputy Chief Garland (Demore Barnes) and DA Bayard Ellis (Andre Braugher) added complexity to these discussions.
Unfortunately, “SVU” seems to have moved away from this, portraying the police as heroes and anyone who questions them as overly sensitive. During an arrest at the University of New York, students gather to record the situation, leading to ten arrests.
A Civil Liberties group files a lawsuit, but Benson only mentions that it’s not a good look, without addressing whether her squad was too aggressive. One character complains about how college students dislike cops without exploring the reasons behind it. Carisi even worries that the jury might share the protesters’ negative views of the police.
There’s a troubling lack of accountability from the squad, which feels careless and risky. The episode ends with Carisi remarking on how unusual it is for twelve strangers in America to agree on anything.
This message feels cowardly and neutral, especially after the rest of the episode portrays critics of the police as one-dimensional without valid points. It’s surprising that Benson, who has seen police corruption firsthand, does not show any empathy toward this group.
Season 26 of “SVU” begins weakly. While previous risks have not always succeeded, they at least showed an effort to stay current and creative. This premiere feels like a regression, suggesting that the show wants to return to a safer formula that is no longer engaging or acceptable. I hope the rest of the season proves me wrong.
“SVU” Season 26 starts with a typical case involving law students and a murder, but it lacks memorable elements. New squad member Kate Silva raises concerns about character turnover. The season also disappoints by avoiding serious discussions on policing issues, leading to a weak and repetitive narrative.
New episodes of “SVU” air every Thursday at 9 PM ET on NBC and can be streamed on Peacock.
