The BEST episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 11

Every episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 11, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 11!

Delves into the dark side of the NYC underworld as the detectives investigate and prosecute various sexually oriented crimes, including rape, pedophilia, domestic violence, and the abuses of children, the disabled, and elderly victims of non-sexual crimes who require specialist handling, all while trying to balance the effects of the investigation on their own lives as they try not to let the dark side of these crimes affect them.

Last Updated: 11/18/2024Network: NBCStatus: Continuing
Share:
Solitary
star
7.86
426 votes

#1 - Solitary

Season 11 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/2009

When Lily Milton is reported missing, her boyfriend, Parker Hubbard, points Detectives Benson and Stabler in the direction of Callum Donovan, Lily's downstairs neighbor and convicted bank robber who spent nineteen years in solitary confinement. During the investigation into Donovan's alibi, Lily is found alive, adding a surprising twist to the case and exposing more of Donovan's dark past.

Directors: Helen Shaver
Writer: Amanda Green
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Shadow
star
7.85
367 votes

#2 - Shadow

Season 11 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/13/2010

When a rich and powerful couple with political connections is found murdered in their bedroom, Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler decide to speak to the deceased couple's daughter, Anne, for more information. After hearing Anne's account of a nefarious man who has been following her, the detectives soon discover that Anne's supposed stalker is none other than Detective Ash Ramsey of the Special Frauds division. Convinced that Anne killed her parents for their money, Ramsey becomes suspicious of Anne's business manager and is led to believe that he helped her steal money from the foundation she runs. When blackmail and embezzlement come into play, the detectives find that their lives may be at risk over a girl with some serious parent issues.

Directors: Amy Redford
Writer: Amanda Green
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Perverted
star
7.82
394 votes

#3 - Perverted

Season 11 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/18/2009

DNA links Olivia to the murder of a biker in Central Park whose gang specialized in hits and prostitution. With Munch and Fin assigned to the investigation and evidence continuing to mount against Benson, Elliot begins his own inquiry – determined to prove her innocence and save her career.

Directors: David Platt
Writer: Dawn DeNoon
Watch Now:Apple TV
Savior
star
7.79
353 votes

#4 - Savior

Season 11 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/3/2010

When a series of young prostitutes are found murdered with homemade prayer cards attached to their bodies, Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler struggle to find the common thread. However, just when they think that they've found the murderer, Captain Donald Cragen informs the detectives that another victim named Gladys has turned up with a prayer card. This time she survived. As the case unfolds, Benson finds herself getting emotionally invested in the survivor until she is forced to make a decision that she isn't ready to face.

Directors: Peter Leto
Watch Now:Apple TV
Witness
star
7.74
418 votes

#5 - Witness

Season 11 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/17/2010

Soon after a young girl, Laine McAlister, is raped in her apartment building's stairwell, Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler meet Laine in the hospital and find her extremely shaken with a large cut on her hand. After an unpleasant exchange with a man she claims is her boyfriend, the detectives become suspicious that she may have fabricated her rape to get attention. Their suspicions grow when she waits to reveal that there was an eyewitness. As the gravity of the situation intensifies, Benson and Stabler find themselves in a race to track down the witness and get a testimony before it is too late.

Directors: David Platt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sugar
star
7.72
436 votes

#6 - Sugar

Season 11 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/2009

A young woman's body is found stuffed inside a suitcase, and police believe that Mindy Keefe, the victim, was a train passenger on her way to Tampa when she was murdered. Detectives Benson and Stabler turn to Keefe's financier boyfriend, Owen Cassidy's (guest star Matt Burns) yacht to investigate. However, Cassidy claims he was on his boat during the time of the murder. After further searching, the detectives discover Keefe belonged to an online dating website. But when the CEO of the dating website, Vance Shepard (special guest star Eric McCormack), refuses to comment on the case, the detectives turn to ADA Sonya Paxton for help.

Directors: Peter Leto
Writer: Daniel Truly
Watch Now:Apple TV
P.C.
star
7.71
378 votes

#7 - P.C.

Season 11 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/3/2010

Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler find a woman bleeding from the neck and nearly dead. The woman dies before they reach the hospital, and soon the investigation leads them to the frontman of the death metal band Vampyre Sacrifyce. He bites girls, steals blood from the local blood bank and sings about violence to women all in the name of his strange, vampiric lifestyle. The singer claims he was nowhere near the scene of the crime, and soon a lesbian rights group led by Babs Duffy gets involved, claiming the victim's death was a result of police neglect. However, when more women from Babs's group are attacked, it becomes clear that the victim's case wasn't an isolated incident and that someone out there has a larger plan to bring the group down.

Writer: Daniel Truly
Watch Now:Apple TV
Turmoil
star
7.66
389 votes

#8 - Turmoil

Season 11 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/2009

Stabler is torn between a troubling rape case which victim has had pictures posted on the net and his son, whose friend's actions may endanger a life and both of their futures.

Directors: Peter Leto
Watch Now:Apple TV
Quickie
star
7.63
363 votes

#9 - Quickie

Season 11 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/6/2010

One case becomes two as a murder leads to a serial rapist who is busy spreading disease along with his assaults, and the detectives' only clue is a website set up for casual and anonymous encounters.

Directors: David Platt
Writer: Ken Storer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Hardwired
star
7.59
374 votes

#10 - Hardwired

Season 11 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/2009

After Eva Banks makes a shocking discovery about her son, Cory's behavior at school, she takes him to the doctor, only to find out that he has been the victim of sexual abuse. Detectives Benson and Stabler come onto the scene and question the victim and his family. From the boy’s frightened reaction when his stepfather, Thomas Banks, silences the investigation, it is clear to everyone in the room who the real perpetrator is. Detective Benson and Stabler are about to arrest the suspect when Thomas agrees to give up the leader of the largest pro child-adult relationship civil rights group in exchange for amnesty.

Directors: David Platt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Confidential
star
7.59
475 votes

#11 - Confidential

Season 11 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/10/2010

Benson and Stabler investigate the abduction of a woman in a building owned by a high-powered and highly protected investment banker, but when Munch's memory of an eerily similar crime proves true the focus turns toward potentially freeing an innocent man, and it may take the DA himself to shake loose the truth.

Directors: Peter Leto
Watch Now:Apple TV
Ace
star
7.54
554 votes

#12 - Ace

Season 11 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/5/2010

When a pregnant woman is raped, Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler arrive at the hospital to find that she has fled. Even when someone is arrested for a similar offense, ADA Jo Marlowe says she doesn't have a case in court unless they find the victim and get a statement from her. Soon, Benson and Stabler connect the woman to an illegal adoption operation, forcing them to go undercover and expose the truth.

Directors: David Platt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Unstable
star
7.53
387 votes

#13 - Unstable

Season 11 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/2009

Officer Nate Kendall aids a woman in trouble and becomes roped into solving a rape case. While Detectives Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson believe that Kendall is not right for the case due to his unstable personality, Executive ADA Sonya Paxton joins the team, bringing evidence of a common thread among three other rape cases. With Paxton’s help, the team might expose a serial rapist.

Directors: Arthur W. Forney
Watch Now:Apple TV
Users
star
7.49
340 votes

#14 - Users

Season 11 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/4/2009

The team investigates the father of a murdered teenager whose crime scene photo has gone viral on the web, but they believe they've found a more likely suspect when they speak with the girl's therapist. The case becomes more frustrating as alibis exclude suspects and a strange occurrence in the morgue sends them in a different direction.

Directors: David Platt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Torch
star
7.46
492 votes

#15 - Torch

Season 11 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/28/2010

After two young girls die in a fire, Stabler finds a familiar face in the prosecutor assigned to the case.

Directors: Peter Leto
Watch Now:Apple TV
Hammered
star
7.46
412 votes

#16 - Hammered

Season 11 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/2009

After a night of heavy drinking, Dalton Rindell wakes up to a bloody apartment, a terrible cut on his head and a dead woman in his bed. Unable to recall the night before, Rindell immediately calls the police. Detectives Benson and Stabler suspect the crime is the result of a deadly love triangle; however Rindell does not recognize the victim. After questioning Rindell and the victim’s family and friends, Benson and Stabler are provided with leads in several different directions. Unsure which lead to follow, the two detectives decide to return to the bar where the night began in order to piece together the gruesome truth.

Directors: Peter Leto
Writer: Dawn DeNoon
Watch Now:Apple TV
Disabled
star
7.39
469 votes

#17 - Disabled

Season 11 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/24/2010

Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler are called in to investigate when a disabled woman, Cara Benson, is beaten and raped. Though the victim's condition has rendered her unable to speak, the detectives soon deduce that someone close to her is responsible, with the lead suspects being her resentful sister and troubled nephew. As the investigation continues, Benson and Stabler strive to make Cara comfortable with coming forward to stand up for herself and illuminating some of the disturbing truths about the assisted living business.

Directors: Paul Black
Watch Now:Apple TV
Anchor
star
7.39
356 votes

#18 - Anchor

Season 11 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/9/2009

Fin's investigation into three little girl's deaths takes him into the world of immigration, anchor babies, a grassroots opposition movement, a radio talk show host who fans the hatred, and an immigration rights attorney who is somehow tied up in everything.

Directors: Jonathan Kaplan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Wannabe
star
7.37
474 votes

#19 - Wannabe

Season 11 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/12/2010

After a man flashes customers at an electronics store, it is discovered that someone who matches his description has recently raped three young girls. Captain Donald Cragen orchestrates a movement to catch the rapist, and a rookie cop makes an arrest. Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler confirm that they've found their man, but after ADA Jo Marlowe expresses some doubts, it is soon discovered that the so-called rookie may have some secrets of his own.

Directors: David Platt
Writer: Dawn DeNoon
Watch Now:Apple TV
Spooked
star
7.36
353 votes

#20 - Spooked

Season 11 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/28/2009

The FBI gets involved in a murder case when it becomes too dangerous for the SVU cops.

Directors: Peter Leto
Watch Now:Apple TV
Conned
star
7.34
422 votes

#21 - Conned

Season 11 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/7/2010

A case of mistaken identity complicates the investigation into the murder of whom most believe was an uninvited wedding guest at a hotel in which the body was found.

Directors: David Platt
Writer: Ken Storer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Shattered
star
7.34
499 votes

#22 - Shattered

Season 11 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/19/2010

The detectives end up in a dangerous situation while investigating the whereabouts of a kidnapped eight-year-old boy.

Directors: Peter Leto
Watch Now:Apple TV
Beef
star
7.33
500 votes

#23 - Beef

Season 11 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/21/2010

After a young woman is sexually assaulted and murdered, Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler track down the woman’s boyfriend – their first suspect – but learn that he is a devout vegan who wouldn’t hurt a fly. They soon find that the victim had been deeply involved in the fight to expose questionable practices in the meat-packing industry, even going undercover at a large company to find out the truth. Benson goes undercover herself to retrace the woman’s footsteps and to identify who the victim might have angered along the way.

Directors: Peter Leto
Writer: Lisa Loomer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bedtime
star
7.26
480 votes

#24 - Bedtime

Season 11 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/31/2010

When a journalist is found raped and murdered in her own bed, Cragen is able to connect this particular case to another five murders that happened thirty years ago, committed by the “Bedtime Butcher”. To uncover the truth behind the crimes, Benson goes undercover in order to find the real killer.

Directors: Helen Shaver
Watch Now:Apple TV