Despite diminishing numbers last season, the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit TV show staved off cancellation by remaining one of NBC’s best performing scripted series. Since it is now in its 19th season, is an end-date in sight? If its Nielsen ratings keep falling, will Law & Order: SVU be cancelled or renewed for season 20? Stay tuned. *Update below.
An NBC legal drama, Law & Order: SVU stars Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, and Raúl Esparza. The police procedural centers on Lt. Olivia Benson (Hargitay) and her elite squad of New York City Police Department detectives who investigate crimes including sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence.
The ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly in the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available — usually the next day, around 11:30am EST/8:30am PST. Refresh to see the latest.
5/24 update: You can see the rest of the latest night’s ratings.
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For comparisons: The 18th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit averaged a 1.34 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.825 million viewers (live + same day ratings).
Note: These are the Live + Same Day Ratings which include “live” viewing plus delayed DVR viewing, up until 3am local time that same night. Ratings marked with an “*” are the fast affiliate ratings and will be updated with the Live+SD numbers when they are made available. Typically, networks get paid for C+3 ratings which includes DVR viewing within three days of the original airing when commercials are watched. Those numbers are rarely released to the press.
What do you think? Do you still like the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit TV series? Should it be cancelled or renewed for a 20th season on NBC?
5/9/18 update: NBC has renewed Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for a 20th season. Details here.
Renew for season 20 I love svu my favorite show been watching this for years can’t get enough. Please renew please . Best show in the world …
YES, PLEASE keep Law and Order SVU on. Love Mariska Hargitay. The only thing I would suggest is to keep it about the law. Avoid having the main characters spew left wing politics. Remember, practically the whole middle of the country do not think that way. Maybe you would increase your ratings if the writers were not so biased . On several episodes Christians were made to look stupid and foolish. That hurt me as I do love the show but I believe in Biblical principles. I do not think Jesus was stupid or foolish….nor am I for trying to… Read more »
As a “retired teacher,” I am surprised that you would make an egregious false analogy between the portrayal of religious fanatics and zealots as looking stupid or foolish (your words) to mean that the show’s writers believe that Jesus was stupid or foolish. It is an illogical jump. Furthermore The “brand” of Christianity that is espoused by” most of the middle of the country” and elsewhere is clearly a hypocritical one, a hypocritical one that is indefensible. Those that beat the I believe in “Biblical principles” and “Christian values” continue to support a pathological liar, an adulterous vulgarian, a demagogue… Read more »
Amen. Keep politics out of this. I am really disappointed in some of these characters and actors views.
I love Law & Order SVU but the writers this season have really gotten so far from reality it’s becoming some sort of bizarre unbelievable soap-opera opera they either need new writers or the old writers need to watch some old episodes from when the show was a hit please save this show I love It sorry for the typos bad hands
I absolutely love this show. This is my top favorite show. I dont want it to be cancelled.
Love SVU! But the plots hasn’t been the best lately so predictable . Hopefully writers will put the excitement and suspense back into the story line like it was when Chris Meloni (Stabler) was there. Miss him!!!!
Best show ever Renew season 20
This used to be a great show. Too many poor LIV episodes. I get she’s the longest tenured on there now with Kragen gone and Munch coming and going. They are just going through the motions now. The time jump with Noah was crazy too. Such a great show to be going down the tubes like this.
Back story of Noah taking over and becoming main story. Need to let main story be the dominant one. If not think ratings will continue to fall. Character of Olivia taking over. Not good.
Plus, with a new cast member just joining, I think that means it’ll definitely be renewed now. If they had plans to finish this season, they would keep Raúl to the end and not introduce a new cast member halfway through the season.
Its going to be renewed. It’s NBC’s 4th most rated show and that’s incredible, and it’s also beating Chicago PD and Chicago Fire. I am certain it’s going to be renewed for a 20th season as well as a 21st in the future and perhaps a 22nd season. 23 might be pushing it but you never know.
Cancel it…the writing is getting really campy and the storylines with Benson are ridiculous…it is a great advertisement for never ever adopting a child…how many more times are they going to try and take that kid a way from her….
RENEW IT !!!!
Renew it!!!! I love this new season and this show a lot.
Renew it!!!!! I love this new season, and I’m excited for next week’s episode!!!!
Drop it unless they get rid of the Noah sub-plot. I turn the channel or watch something on Netflix or Amazon when they statrt talking about him.
Me too! I used to look forward to watching SVU. Unfortunately, every episode seems to deal with Noah this season. They have turned Olivia into a sniveling victim. The sub-plot has ruined the show for me.