Okay, so you would probably think I am crazy for this next show I am going to recommend. But that is why you clicked on my page, so let’s see what show I will be talking about today! If you were not able to guess from the title, the show this week that I think everyone should watch is Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. This television show has earned a spot on my list of favorite shows to watch because it is just one of my comfort shows. I know that sounds weird, but trust me, once you start watching, you will want to curl up on the couch with a big blanket and not get up for a while every Thursday night too because you are glued to the screen.
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit follows a squad unit based in Manhattan, New York, as they fight crime and help all types of victims. The show follows main character Olivia Benson, who first joins the show as a junior detective and watches her grow throughout the 20+ seasons of the show to become Sargent, Lieutenant, and eventually captain of the department. Captain Benson and the other detectives in the department specialize in sex crimes, but episodes show them helping victims of all types of crime. For example, the squad is seen responding to Photo Source cases about rape, kidnapping, domestic violence, hate crimes, child abuse, homicide, and other crimes including terroristic attacks. The show not only covers the ins and outs of the work done by the police, but it also shows what happens on the legal side of things by focusing on the court proceedings as well. This, as a viewer, is very exciting to watch because as the show progresses, you feel smarter and realize what is happening and how it is like real-life proceedings, just with a bit more drama. The last aspect the show explores is the personal lives of the different characters. Getting glimpses into the lives of police officers and lawyers makes the show more enjoyable but helps to reinforce the idea that they are people too.
Now that I have told you a little bit about one of my favorite shows, here are my top reasons to watch Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.
1. Female Representation
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit does a great job at promoting female representation. When the show first aired, detective Benson was the only woman in a squad of all men that primarily handled sex crimes. She broke that barrier and joined the department to serve as an ally for women, but also for someone who understands what it is like to be a woman. In addition to this, detective Benson works her way up the ranks and eventually becomes Captain of this department. This serves as a symbol of women in high-ranking positions and how they can do anything men can do. Captain Benson is a beacon of hope for other women. She not only shows that women can be in charge and hold positions of power, but that they can do it and still maintain their femininity. She did not have to change who she was to get this position, but rather worked hard and was rewarded. For young women today, they can look to Captain Benson and see that they can be like her in their life, even if Captain Benson is a Photo Source fictional character. The central idea, however, persists and shows female representation.
2. Explores the Importance of Consent
This show also covers one of the most important issues in society today: consent. Consent is so important because it is often overlooked, and people take other signs as consent rather than a person’s word for it. Consent is also such a tricky topic to cover, but this show does a phenomenal job. One of the key points the show makes about consent is that No means No and that stop means stop. The show also teaches viewers that consent can be taken back at any second that someone is not comfortable with what they are doing. For viewers, this is extremely educational and insightful. As a college student on a college campus, there are many people who engage in sexual activity, and understanding the meaning of consent is important. Because of this, this reason makes the show worth watching.
(Video clip from Law and Order: SVU about Consent)
3. Brings Awareness to Victim Blaming
One problem society faces today is victim blaming. We are too quick to judge someone and say it was the victims fault they were assaulted. However, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit works to show how this is not the case, and that no one ever wants to be assaulted. The actors in this drama show what it is like on the side of the victim for being blamed for being assaulted. This portrayal allows viewers to understand the other side and feel sympathetic towards victims. Also, it brings the harsh reality of victim blaming to the forefront of people’s scope of view. They realize how common it is in society, but the show makes an effort to promote stopping it.
(Video: Judge Blames Victim for Being Sexually Assaulted)
4. Storylines Come from Real Cases
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit also deserves a spot on my must-watch show list because a lot of the episodes get elements for their storylines from real cases in the news. The Duke University lacrosse scandal, the Jerry Sandusky scandal, and the Anna Nicole Smith death mystery were all storylines that have had episodes dedicated to them. Specifically, I was drawn to a few episodes that followed national cases. Season 19 Episode 10 is about a girl on trial for the murder of her mom when the girl herself was a victim of her mother’s abuse where she forced her to take medicine and undergo treatments for diseases she did not have. Does this sound familiar? It should be because this episode is just like the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother DeeDee Blanchard. Again, in Season 19, this time Photo Source Episode 20, two parents are on trial for child abuse and child endangerment for keeping their 13 children locked up in chains and forcing them to practice cult-like behavior in their home. The children were not allowed to shower and were rarely allowed to leave the house. This storyline should also sound familiar because it is just like the case of David and Louise Turpin who went to jail for the exact same thing. Lastly, in Season 17 Episode 7, a large religious family with a television show and their one daughter, on the day of her purity ball, finds out she is pregnant. The cameraman is first blamed, then the daughter’s own older brother, before it is discovered that the pastor is responsible. But did you catch the part about the brother? In the show, the parents decided to send him on a mission trip to get help so the blame would not fall on him. This should sound very familiar because it was written after the Duggar Family scandal came out. These episodes that are written after real-life cases make the show much more entertaining to watch, which is why the show has earned a spot on my list of must-watch TV shows.
(Video: Episodes of Law and Order SVU Taken from Real Headlines)
Because Law and Order: Special Victims Unit covers such important topics and is just so interesting, I think people should watch it. I hope you were able to learn about one of my favorite shows and that you are more inclined to watch it if you have not seen it yet. I, personally, cannot wait for more episodes to come out.
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