View source for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{short description|Season of television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}
{{Infobox television season
| season_number = 1
| bgcolour      = #A41F1F
| image         = L&O SVU season 1 DVD.jpg
| image_alt     =
| caption       = Season 1 U.S. DVD cover
| starring      = {{Plainlist|
* [[Christopher Meloni]]
* [[Mariska Hargitay]]
* [[Richard Belzer]]
* [[Michelle Hurd]]
* [[Dann Florek]]
}}
| num_episodes  = 22
| network       = [[NBC]]
| first_aired   = {{start date|1999|9|20}}
| last_aired    = {{end date|2000|5|19}}
| next_season   = [[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 2|Season 2]]
| episode_list  = List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes
}}
The first season of the [[Crime fiction|crime]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] television series ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'', premiered on September 20, 1999 on [[NBC]] and concluded on May 19, 2000. Created by [[Dick Wolf]], it is the first spin-off of ''[[Law & Order]]'' and follows the detectives of a fictionalized version of the [[New York City Police Department]]'s [[Special Victims Unit]], which investigates [[Sex and the law|sexually based offenses]]. ''SVU'' originally aired on Monday nights at 9pm/8c EST, but it was moved to Friday nights at 10pm/9c after the ninth episode. Showrunner [[Robert Palm]] felt too disturbed by the subject matter and left after the season's conclusion.<ref name="GD23">[[#GD|Green and Dawn (2009)]], p.&nbsp;23</ref>
The season has been well-received, with critics praising its captivating narratives and memorable characters. The ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' first season DVD box set was released on October 21, 2003, in [[DVD region code#2|Region 1]] format.<ref name="s1dvdreg1">{{ASIN|B0000AVHCA|title=Law & Order Special Victims Unit - The First Year}}</ref>
==Production==
=== Development ===
[[File:DickWolfJan10.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Dick Wolf]] is the creator and executive producer of this series.|alt=An older man wearing a light jacket over a blue shirt. He is looking toward the camera while speaking in a microphone.]]
Inspiration for the series came from a 1986 murder in [[Central Park]] committed by [[Robert Emmet Chambers]] whose strategy in court was to sexualize the victim.<ref name="GD2">[[#GD|Green and Dawn (2009)]], p.&nbsp;2</ref> The [[Law & Order season 1|season one]] episode of ''[[Law & Order]]'', "[[Law & Order season 1#ep4|Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die]]" is based on this case. Dick Wolf wanted to continue exploring similar themes in a dedicated legal drama and hired [[Ted Kotcheff]] and Robert Palm as executive producers of the new series, as well as [[Jean de Segonzac]], the franchise director for ''Law & Order''. Robert Palm was previously an executive producer on ''Law & Order'' and was the first person to use the term "mothership" to distinguish the original from its spin-offs.<ref name="GD5">[[#GD|Green and Dawn (2009)]], p.&nbsp;5</ref> This phrase has become popular with fans of the franchise.
Unlike the original ''Law & Order'', filming for ''SVU'' began in [[North Bergen, New Jersey]] since there was not enough real estate available to get a studio in Manhattan. The production staff were still told to think of the area as being Manhattan.<ref name="GD13">[[#GD|Green and Dawn (2009)]], p.&nbsp;13</ref> As with ''Law & Order'', writers for the series primarily worked in Los Angeles. However, ''SVU'' featured more female writers with the series aiming to bring a "strong woman's perspective" to the screen.<ref name="GD5" /> Writer Dawn DeNoon has mentioned that many of the writing staff were fired during the first season because their scripts were not up to par.<ref name="GD23" />
=== Casting ===
For the lead roles, [[Christopher Meloni]] was cast as [[Elliot Stabler|Detective Elliot Stabler]] and [[Mariska Hargitay]] was cast as [[Olivia Benson|Detective Olivia Benson]] after they auditioned together.<ref name="GD11">[[#GD|Green and Dawn (2009)]], p.&nbsp;11</ref> Hargitay, who had to move from Los Angeles to New York when she got the role, said she was able to do this on short notice because she was already planning on moving to New York to pursue a [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] career.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||url=http://www.karastan.com/statement-makers/mariska-hargitay.aspx|title=Mariska Hargitay Interview|publisher=Karastan|accessdate=2013-02-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201000526/http://www.karastan.com/statement-makers/mariska-hargitay.aspx|archive-date=2012-12-01|url-status=live}}</ref> The squad commander role was filled by [[Dann Florek]], who had portrayed [[Donald Cragen|Captain Don Cragen]] for the first three seasons on the original ''Law & Order'' and later reprised his role in ''[[Exiled: A Law & Order Movie]]''. He joined the cast on the condition that he not be asked to audition.<ref name="GD23" /> [[Richard Belzer]] was cast as [[John Munch|Detective John Munch]], continuing his role from the series ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]''. In Belzer's words, he was cast because "Dick Wolf and [[Tom Fontana]] got drunk at a party".<ref>{{cite video|title=''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Beginning''|people=Dick Wolf, Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Dann Florek|url=http://www.universalchannel.co.uk/videos/special-victims-unit-behind-scenes-featurette|publisher=[[Universal Channel]]|date=2003|access-date=2012-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125035509/http://www.universalchannel.co.uk/videos/special-victims-unit-behind-scenes-featurette|archive-date=2013-01-25|url-status=live}}</ref> Halfway through the season, Richard Belzer reprised his role of Munch in ''[[Homicide: The Movie]],'' which briefly shows his character out on a case in his ''SVU'' context in New York. At Belzer's insistence, his character was partnered with [[Brian Cassidy]], who was portrayed by [[Dean Winters]]. However, Winters' contractual obligation to the [[HBO]] series ''[[Oz (TV series)|Oz]]'' forced him to leave halfway through the season. [[Michelle Hurd]], who portrayed [[Monique Jeffries|Detective Monique Jeffries]], filled Winters' void for the remainder of the season, and was at that point added to the main credits.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||last=Stewart |first=Anita |date=2022-04-17 |title=Why Dean Winters Left Law & Order: SVU - and How He Returned |url=https://www.cbr.com/law-order-svu-why-dean-winters-left/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite web||last=Anderson |first=Hayley |date=2021-07-22 |title=Law and Order SVU: Why did Michelle Hurd leave as Monique Jeffries? |url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1465630/law-and-order-svu-why-michelle-hurd-leave-detective-monique-jeffries-nbc |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Express.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
==Cast==
{{see also|List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters}}
===Main cast===
* [[Christopher Meloni]] as Senior Detective [[Elliot Stabler]]
* [[Mariska Hargitay]] as Junior Detective [[Olivia Benson]]
* [[Richard Belzer]] as Senior Detective [[John Munch]]
* [[Dann Florek]] as Captain [[Donald Cragen|Donald "Don" Cragen]]
* [[Michelle Hurd]] as Junior Detective [[Monique Jeffries]] {{Small|(episodes 14–22, recurring episodes 1–3, 6–13)}}
===Crossover stars===
* [[Jerry Orbach]] as Senior Homicide Detective [[Lennie Briscoe]] (crossing over with ''[[Law & Order]]'')
* [[Jesse L. Martin]] as Junior Homicide Detective [[Ed Green]] (crossing over with ''[[Law & Order]]'')
* [[Sam Waterston]] as Executive Assistant District Attorney [[Jack McCoy]] (crossing over with ''[[Law & Order]]'')
* [[Angie Harmon]] as Assistant District Attorney [[Abbie Carmichael]] (crossing over with ''[[Law & Order]]'')
* [[Steven Hill]] as Manhattan, District Attorney [[Adam Schiff (Law & Order)|Adam Schiff]] (crossing over with ''[[Law & Order]]'')
* [[Leslie Hendrix]] as Medical Examiner Dr. [[Elizabeth Rodgers]] (crossing over with ''[[Law & Order]]'')
===Recurring cast===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* [[Dean Winters]] as Junior Detective [[Brian Cassidy]]
* Chris Orbach as Junior Detective [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Other minor characters|Ken Briscoe]]
* [[Isabel Gillies]] as [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Kathy Stabler|Kathy Stabler]]
* [[Erin Broderick]] as [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#The Stabler family|Maureen Stabler]]
* Patricia Cook as Elizabeth Stabler
* [[Jeffrey Scaperrotta]] as Dickie Stabler
* Holiday Segal as Kathleen Stabler
* [[Reiko Aylesworth]] as Assistant District Attorney [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Assistant district attorneys|Erica Alden]]
{{Col-2}}
* [[Peter Francis James]] as Judge [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Judges|Kevin Beck]]
* [[Lance Reddick]] as Medical Examiner Dr. Taylor
* [[Jenna Stern]] as Assistant District Attorney [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Assistant district attorneys|Kathleen Eastman]]
* [[Audra McDonald]] as Dr. Audrey Jackson
* Judy Del Giudice as Judge Elizabeth Masullo
* Frank Deal as Defense Attorney [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Defense attorneys|Don Newvine]]
* [[Harvey Atkin]] as Judge [[List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit characters#Judges|Alan Ridenour]]
{{Col-end}}
===Guest stars===
[[File:Jennifer Esposito.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Jennifer Esposito]] played reporter Sarah Logan, a rape victim who is also targeted by a stalker.]]
The first season featured the highest number of crossover appearances in ''SVU''. [[Angie Harmon]] portrayed her ''Law & Order'' character [[Abbie Carmichael|ADA Abbie Carmichael]] for six episodes. [[Jerry Orbach]] ([[Lennie Briscoe|Det. Lennie Briscoe]]) and his new partner [[Jesse L. Martin]] ([[Ed Green|Det. Ed Green]]) were shown working together in the third episode. Almost the entire cast of the original series appeared in the crossover episode "Entitled." Another character establishing ties to the original was Detective Ken Briscoe, the nephew of Lennie Briscoe. He was played by Chris Orbach, the son of Jerry Orbach. The younger Orbach later said that he had mixed feelings about his role on the show, as he felt he "only got the gig because of [his] old man."<ref name="GD163">[[#GD|Green and Dawn (2009)]], p.&nbsp;163</ref> Years after that, he'd admit to friends that he was simply very nervous on set about living up to his dad, and felt out of his depth.
Family members of both lead detectives appeared in the opening episode. Kathy Stabler, Elliot Stabler's wife, was played by [[Isabel Gillies]]. Gillies continued to play Kathy Stabler over the course of the next 11 years either as a guest star or a recurring actress. She recalled that she was in the middle of buying a wedding dress when she got the call to be on ''SVU''.<ref name="GD13" /> [[Elizabeth Ashley]] was cast to play Serena Benson, Olivia's mother. Serena Benson did not appear in ''SVU'' again but was mentioned several times. Her character's history of being a rape victim who never got justice—and whose attacker was Olivia's biological father—figures in many later episodes.
[[File:Andrew McCarthy Shrek Shankbone 2010 NYC.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Andrew McCarthy]] guest starred as Randolph Morrow, a sadistic rapist who keeps a sex slave locked in his room.]]
Some of the earliest revelations about Detective Benson's personal life are found in "Stalked." In this episode, Bruce Kirkpatrick played a rapist who decides to intimidate the detectives once he learns that he is under investigation. An episode dealing with mental illness, "The Third Guy," featured a guest performance by [[Denis O'Hare]]. He played an [[intellectual disability|intellectually disabled]] rapist who elicits differing opinions in the SVU.
The episode "Closure" aired shortly before Detective [[Brian Cassidy]] left the Special Victims Unit. However, because of its nonlinear storytelling, it portrayed Cassidy as still working for the unit months later. Despite the continuity error, the producers decided to revisit this episode in the [[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 2|second season]] owing to the cliffhanger ending and [[Tracy Pollan]]'s well-received performance as Harper Anderson, a rape victim who becomes obsessed with taking revenge on her attacker. She was nominated for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series]].<ref name="emmy">{{#invoke:cite web||url=http://www.emmys.com/shows/law-order-special-victims-unit|title=SVU Emmy Nominations|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|accessdate=2012-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821162727/http://www.emmys.com/shows/law-order-special-victims-unit|archive-date=2014-08-21|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Reiko Aylesworth]] was one of the actresses who originally auditioned for the role of Olivia Benson.<ref name="GD11" /> Instead, she was cast as Assistant District Attorney Erica Alden, whom she played in the last three episodes of the season. In the season's penultimate episode, "Nocturne," [[Kent Broadhurst]] played Lawrence Holt, a piano teacher who molests his students. [[Wilson Jermaine Heredia]] played Evan, Holt's student and victim, who knows more about Holt's crimes than he lets on.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||last=Ross |first=Ty |date=May 29, 2023 |title=The 10 Best 'Law & Order: SVU' Episodes, Ranked by IMDb |url=https://collider.com/best-law-order-svu-episodes-ranked-imdb/#quot-nocturne-quot-season-1-episode-21 |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref>
==Episodes==
{{See also|List of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes}}
<onlyinclude>{{Episode table |caption=''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' season 1 episodes |show_caption=y |main|dontclose=1 |background=#A41F1F |overall=5 |season=5 |title=13 |director=16 |writer=31 |airdate=15 |prodcode=7 |viewers=8 |country=U.S. }}
{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
|-
| EpisodeNumber=1
| EpisodeNumber2=1
| Title=[[Payback (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)|Payback]]
| DirectedBy=[[Jean de Segonzac]]
| WrittenBy=[[Dick Wolf]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|09|20}}
| ProdCode=E0901
| Aux4=14.13<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41321901/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 20–26)|date=September 29, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=Two detectives from the NYPD's Special Victims Unit, Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, investigate the stabbing and castration of a cab driver, only to learn that the victim had purchased a phony hack license from an inmate (Matt Skollar) at Rikers Island. Further investigation reveals that the dead man was a Serbian soldier named Stefan Tanzic, who had been indicted on charges of ethnic cleansing. Herself a child of rape, Benson has trouble separating herself from the case after realizing that the victim was a rapist. Stabler tries to keep her from crossing the line in her attempts to protect suspects whom she feels were justified in their actions.
''Guest starring'': [[Gordana Rashovich]], [[Elizabeth Ashley]], [[Ned Eisenberg]], [[Tina Benko]], [[Ronald Guttman]], [[Mark Zimmerman (actor)|Mark Zimmerman]], [[Mili Avital]]
* Special appearance by [[Angie Harmon]] as ADA [[Abbie Carmichael]].
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
|-
| EpisodeNumber=2
| EpisodeNumber2=2
| Title=A Single Life
| DirectedBy=[[Lesli Linka Glatter]]
| WrittenBy=Miriam Kazdin
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|09|27}}
| ProdCode=E0903
| Aux4=13.06<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41309444/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 27–Oct. 3)|date=October 6, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=When the body of Gretchen Quinn is found wearing only a red slip after having been thrown out of a window, Benson and Stabler soon find out that "Gretchen Quinn" was just an alias. While trying to piece together her life, the detectives are led to the victim's psychiatrist ([[Dennis Boutsikaris]]) and a well-known television newscaster ([[Michael Nouri]]), both of whom were sleeping with her. It soon comes to light she was a young woman who changed her name and identity after graduating high school, to get away from her [[child sexual abuse|sexually abusive]] father ([[Paul Hecht]]).
''Guest starring'': [[Dennis Boutsikaris]], [[Laila Robins]], [[Paul Hecht]], [[Michael Gaston]], [[Matthew Arkin]], [[Michael Nouri]]
* Special appearance by Angie Harmon as ADA [[Abbie Carmichael]] and [[Laila Robins]] as Ellen Travis.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=3
| EpisodeNumber2=3
| Title=...Or Just Look Like One
| DirectedBy=[[Rick Rosenthal]]
| WrittenBy=[[Michael R. Perry]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|10|04}}
| ProdCode=E0907
| Aux4=12.20<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41320606/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 4-10)|date=October 13, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After teen model Jazmin Burgess is beaten, raped, and dumped in front of [[Mount Sinai West|Roosevelt Hospital]], Benson and Stabler investigate to find out why a sixteen-year-old girl was out alone after midnight. High levels of drugs in Jazmin's system lead them to take a look at not only the modelling agency with which Jazmin was signed, but also the photographer ([[Ritchie Coster]]) who was supervising her last shoot (and had booted her out because she was "too heavy"). Stabler's disgust with the whole issue is aggravated by his concern that his daughter Maureen, who has been refusing to eat, may be anorexic.
''Guest starring'': [[Bebe Neuwirth]], [[Catherine Dent]], [[Ritchie Coster]], [[Damian Young]], [[Todd Stashwick]], [[Lianna Pai]], [[Laura Poe]], [[Michael Mastro (actor)|Michael Mastro]], [[Peter Marx (actor)|Peter Marx]]
* Special appearances by [[Jerry Orbach]] as [[Lennie Briscoe|Det. Lennie Briscoe]], [[Jesse L. Martin]] as [[Ed Green|Det. Ed Green]], [[Bebe Neuwirth]] as Nina Laszlo, and [[Carolyn McCormick]] as [[Elizabeth Olivet|Dr. Elizabeth Olivet]]
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=4
| EpisodeNumber2=4
| Title=Hysteria
| DirectedBy=Richard Dobbs
| WrittenBy=Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|10|11}}
| ProdCode=E0908
| Aux4=13.72<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||url=http://articles.latimes.com/1999/oct/20/entertainment/ca-24132|title= Prime-Time TV Rankings|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 20, 1999|accessdate=March 19, 2016}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=When a young woman is found dead, she is initially believed to be a prostitute and the latest victim of a serial killer. As they look into her home life, however, Benson and Stabler realize that the victim does not fit the pattern, and may not be connected to the other deaths after all. After Munch's instincts lead the team to believe their suspect is a cop ([[Joe Lisi]]), Cragen consults his old friend [[Lennie Briscoe|Det. Lennie Briscoe]] for help.
* Special appearance by [[Jerry Orbach]] as [[Lennie Briscoe|Det. Lennie Briscoe]].
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=5
| EpisodeNumber2=5
| Title=Wanderlust
| DirectedBy=[[David Jones (director)|David Jones]]
| WrittenBy=[[Wendy West]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|10|18}}
| ProdCode=E0905
| Aux4=14.30<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41300202/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 18-24)|date=October 27, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After a travel writer (Bruce Barney) is found nude, strangled, and beaten to death with lingerie stuffed down his throat and duct tape over his mouth, Benson and Stabler initially suspect his landlady's ([[Patricia Richardson]]) boyfriend ([[John Dossett]]), a convicted child molester. But suspicion soon turns to the landlady and her daughter ([[Lynn Collins]]), who seemed far too interested in what their tenant was doing with his time. After learning the daughter had a sexual relationship with the tenant, things take an even stranger turn.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=6
| EpisodeNumber2=6
| Title=Sophomore Jinx
| DirectedBy=[[Clark Johnson]]
| WrittenBy=John Chambers
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|10|25}}
| ProdCode=E0904
| Aux4=12.48<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||url=http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/03/entertainment/ca-29430|title=Post-Series NBC Win, but Shows in Foul Territory|last=Lowry|first=Brian|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=November 3, 1999|accessdate=March 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203124205/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/03/entertainment/ca-29430|archive-date=December 3, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After a female student is found raped and murdered at a local college, Benson and Stabler turn their attention to two star players on the school's basketball team. However, the college, unwilling to risk the negative publicity that the investigation could bring to the school and the upcoming championship, blocks their investigation at every turn. But the worst secret actually lies with one of her teachers.
* Special appearance by [[Angie Harmon]] as ADA [[Abbie Carmichael]].
* Special appearance by [[Reverend]] [[Al Sharpton]] as himself.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=7
| EpisodeNumber2=7
| Title=Uncivilized
| DirectedBy=[[Michael Fields (director)|Michael Fields]]
| WrittenBy={{StoryTeleplay|t=Robert Palm & Wendy West|s=[[Robert Palm]]}}
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|11|15}}
| ProdCode=E0902
| Aux4=11.95<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41306447/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 15-21)|date=November 24, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=When a young boy is found murdered, suspicion leads Benson and Stabler to a recently paroled child molester ([[Stephen Bogardus]]), who soon becomes a test case for a new and broader application of [[involuntary commitment|civil commitment]]. Although they both hate what the man has done in the past, it is soon obvious to the detectives that the teenagers who initially steered them in the man's direction (Jerry Careccio and Dominick Charles Carbone) are hiding disturbing secrets of their own.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=8
| EpisodeNumber2=8
| Title=Stalked
| DirectedBy=[[Peter Medak]]
| WrittenBy=Roger Garrett
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|11|22}}
| ProdCode=E0911
| Aux4=10.57<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41317696/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 22-28)|date=December 1, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=When the body of an assistant district attorney is found raped and beaten in Central Park, Benson lets her emotions get the best of her as she takes it upon herself to bring the suspected rapist, a local realtor (Bruce Kirkpatrick), to justice. Stabler tries to get the man's business partner to help in the investigation, but Benson may be the one who ends up needing help.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=9
| EpisodeNumber2=9
| Title=Stocks & Bondage
| DirectedBy=[[Constantine Makris]]
| WrittenBy=Michael R. Perry
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1999|11|29}}
| ProdCode=E0914
| Aux4=10.90<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41301051/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 29-Dec. 5)|date=December 8, 1999|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=When a financial analyst and devotee of BDSM is found strangled to death in a leather harness in her bedroom, Benson and Stabler at first suspect either suicide or accidental death from autoerotic asphyxiation. However, the discovery of a large quantity of hidden diamonds leads the detectives into a shadowy world of money laundering and securities fraud.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=10
| EpisodeNumber2=10
| Title=Closure (Part I)
| DirectedBy=Stephen Wertimer
| WrittenBy=Wendy West
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|1|7}}
| ProdCode=E0915
| Aux4=13.66<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41316129/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 3-9)|date=January 12, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=Benson does her best to help a rape victim ([[Tracy Pollan]]), who is able to describe her attack, but not the attacker (Neil Maffin) in perfect detail. When the detectives revisit the case a few months later, they find the woman even less willing to talk about what happened, as she claims she has moved on. Things turn uncomfortable within the squad when Benson and Cassidy, who spent a night together, argue over whether the relationship should be continued.
* Special appearance by [[Angie Harmon]] as ADA [[Abbie Carmichael]].
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=11
| EpisodeNumber2=11
| Title=Bad Blood
| DirectedBy=Michael Fields
| WrittenBy=Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|1|14}}
| ProdCode=E0916
| Aux4=13.11<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41381605/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 10-16)|date=January 19, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
* Special appearance by [[Angie Harmon]] as ADA [[Abbie Carmichael]].
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=12
| EpisodeNumber2=12
| Title=Russian Love Poem
| DirectedBy=Rick Rosenthal
| WrittenBy=Eva Nagorski
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|1|21}}
| ProdCode=E0913
| Aux4=14.33<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41379298/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 17-23)|date=January 26, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=13
| EpisodeNumber2=13
| Title=Disrobed
| DirectedBy=[[David Platt (director)|David Platt]]
| WrittenBy=[[Janet Tamaro]]
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|2|4}}
| ProdCode=E0910
| Aux4=15.14<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41314523/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 31-Feb. 6)|date=February 9, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After a judge is found murdered in his car, the detectives begin looking into his background and learn that he often delivered special verdicts for women in return for sexual favors. The team soon turns its eye to a battered wife (Kathryn Meisle) with a secret. Detective Cassidy transfers to Narcotics feeling unable to cope with the SVU cases, leaving Munch without a partner.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=14
| EpisodeNumber2=14
| Title=Limitations
| DirectedBy=Constantine Makris
| WrittenBy=Michael R. Perry
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|2|11}}
| ProdCode=E0919
| Aux4=12.24<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41381880/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 7-13)|date=February 16, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary= At the request of a victim, the police commissioner comes to Cragen with a special request: close the case of the man who raped three women (Jenny Bacon, Judith Hawkins and [[Seana Kofoed]]) nearly five years ago before the statute of limitations expires. The detectives finally get a lead when they realize one of the victims knows the rapist, but she is not willing to talk. Following Cassidy's departure, Munch is partnered with Jeffries.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=15
| EpisodeNumber2=15
| Title=Entitled
| DirectedBy=[[Edwin Sherin|Ed Sherin]]
| WrittenBy={{StoryTeleplay|t=Robert Palm & Wendy West|s=Dick Wolf, [[René Balcer]], & Robert Palm}}
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|2|18}}
| ProdCode=E0918
| Aux4=17.13<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41381832/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 14-20)|date=February 24, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After a salesman is murdered, the detectives turn their attention to Stephanie Mulroney ([[Noelle Beck]]), the youngest daughter of a well-known family with some deep connections. But as they join forces with the officers from the 27th Precinct, they realize that their case is connected with [[Law & Order season 4#ep83|a long-unsolved case that Briscoe once handled years ago with his former partner, Detective Mike Logan]].
* This is part one of a [[Law & Order season 10#ep219|two-part episode]] that concludes on ''[[Law & Order]]''.
* Special appearances by [[Jerry Orbach]] as Det. [[Lennie Briscoe]], [[Jesse L. Martin]] as Det. [[Ed Green]], [[Sam Waterston]] as EADA [[Jack McCoy]], [[Steven Hill]] as DA [[Adam Schiff (Law & Order)|Adam Schiff]], and [[Angie Harmon]] as ADA [[Abbie Carmichael]].
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=16
| EpisodeNumber2=16
| Title=The Third Guy
| DirectedBy=[[Jud Taylor]]
| WrittenBy=Dawn DeNoon & Lisa Marie Petersen
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|2|25}}
| ProdCode=E0920
| Aux4=13.68<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41380437/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 21-27)|date=March 1, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=An elderly woman is found tied up and sexually assaulted in her apartment and suspicion is initially on the young men that had broken into her home and robbed her. Once the detectives catch the young men, they learn that there was someone else in the apartment. The offered plea bargain initially doesn't go over well, but they finally reach a deal which leaves the detectives with a new case - whether or not the person who sexually assaulted the woman ([[Denis O'Hare]]) was mentally handicapped.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=17
| EpisodeNumber2=17
| Title=Misleader
| DirectedBy=Richard Dobbs
| WrittenBy={{StoryTeleplay|t=Nick Kendrick|s=Nick Harding & Nick Kendrick}}
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|3|31}}
| ProdCode=E0912
| Aux4=12.45<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41380687/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (March 27-April 2)|date=April 5, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After the pregnant daughter-in-law of a prominent Christian right leader ([[Robert Foxworth]])  is found murdered in her hotel room, the detectives investigate a rash of hotel burglaries, only to discover that her adultery (and the probable father of her child) was what led to her death.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=18
| EpisodeNumber2=18
| Title=Chat Room
| DirectedBy=Richard Dobbs
| WrittenBy=Roger Garrett
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|4|14}}
| ProdCode=E0923
| Aux4=12.67<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41317139/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (April 10–16)|date=April 19, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=When a teenage girl ([[Paz de la Huerta]]) comes into the squad room to tell the detectives that she was raped by a man she met on the Internet, the detectives set up a special sting operation. They end up stepping on some highly-placed toes as Munch plays the kid to net the big fish.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=19
| EpisodeNumber2=19
| Title=Contact
| DirectedBy=[[Michael Zinberg]]
| WrittenBy=Robert Palm & Wendy West
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|4|28}}
| ProdCode=E0921
| Aux4=12.84<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41300818/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (April 24–30)|date=May 3, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 16, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After seven young women in a six-month time span are raped by a flash-and-dash assailant ([[Sal Viscuso]]) on the city subways, the brass calls in a psychiatrist to help the team get into the head of the perpetrator. When he is caught, all seven victims identify him in a police lineup, but the IDs are suppressed. However, the detectives find that he possesses the driver's license of a new victim who could put him away.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=20
| EpisodeNumber2=20
| Title=Remorse
| DirectedBy=Alexander Cassini
| WrittenBy=Michael R. Perry
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|5|5}}
| ProdCode=E0924
| Aux4=11.94<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41309655/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 1–7)|date=May 10, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary= Television reporter Sarah Logan ([[Jennifer Esposito]]) refuses to let her recent rape get her down, and talks about her experiences on the air, leading to the arrest of a young man that the team feels is responsible. Over the course of the investigation, Munch and Jeffries become unusually affected by the case, albeit in different ways.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=21
| EpisodeNumber2=21
| Title=Nocturne
| DirectedBy=Jean de Segonzac
| WrittenBy=Wendy West
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|5|12}}
| ProdCode=E0922
| Aux4=13.70<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41380156/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 8–14)|date=May 17, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 16, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After a pharmacy turns over some disturbing photos of a young boy, Benson and Stabler arrest a piano teacher ([[Kent Broadhurst]]) for child molestation. After the boy claims to have seen other pictures of young boys at the teacher's house, the detectives get a warrant and discover a series of videos that document the life of a young boy named Evan ([[Wilson Jermaine Heredia]]). Believing he can make or break their case, the team searches for him, only to realize that his testimony may not help at all because Evan is scarred far more deeply than they realized.
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1
| EpisodeNumber=22
| EpisodeNumber2=22
| Title=Slaves
| DirectedBy=[[Ted Kotcheff]]
| WrittenBy=Lisa Marie Petersen & Dawn DeNoon
| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2000|5|19}}
| ProdCode=E0926
| Aux4=12.16<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41303427/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (May 15–21)|date=May 24, 2000|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 2, 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>
| ShortSummary=After a shopkeeper brings a note for help to the squad, the detectives begin trying to locate a young Romanian woman named Ilena (Layla Alexander), who has not been seen in months. The squad eventually find her working as a nanny at the home of the Morrows ([[Andrew McCarthy]] and [[Susan Floyd]]), a successful yuppie couple who harbor a terrible secret. A forensic psychologist analyzes the team, and presents disturbing findings to Cragen, suggesting that one of the detectives be removed from the team immediately.
* Robert Palm leaves the show as [[executive producer]].
| LineColor=A41F1F
}}
{{End|Episode table|html=y}}</onlyinclude>
==Reception==
===Critical reception===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the season has an approval rating of 84% with an average score of 7.5 out of 10 based on 43 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, “''Special Victims Unit'' often blurs the line between socially conscious and exploitative, but Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni's terse chemistry adds a dimension of personality to the absorbing ''Law & Order'' formula.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||title=Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season 1 - TV Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/law_and_order_special_victims_unit/s01/reviews |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>  [[Metacritic]] gave the season a score a weighted average based on the impression of 22 critical reviews—of 68 signifying generally favorable reviews.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||title=Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season 1 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/law-order-special-victims-unit/season-1 |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Metacritic}}</ref> The pilot episode was generally well received however, Caryn James of ''The New York Times'' said that "the show swiftly finds its balance. Not every series lends itself to cloning, but the essential qualities of ''Law and Order'' seem made for it: headline-generated stories resolved in self-contained episodes; a no-nonsense tone; a cast large enough to vary the focus." but after a few episodes, "the show swiftly finds its balance. Not every series lends itself to cloning, but the essential qualities of ''Law and Order'' seem made for it: headline-generated stories resolved in self-contained episodes; a no-nonsense tone; a cast large enough to vary the focus."<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||last=James |first=Caryn |date=1999-09-20 |title=TELEVISION REVIEW; Sex Crimes Featured In a Spinoff Of Top Series |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/20/arts/television-review-sex-crimes-featured-in-a-spinoff-of-top-series.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Bruce Fretts of Entertainment Weekly said that season one was "refreshingly dark-hearted alternative" and that it was "top-heavy with lightweight dramedies".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Fretts |first=Bruce |date=September 30, 1999 |title=''Special Victims Unit'' divides ''Law & Order'' devotees |url=https://ew.com/article/1999/09/30/special-victims-unit-divides-law-order-devotees/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> Joyce Millman of [[Salon.com]] said the season "melodramatic and manipulative, splattered with awkward attempts at comedy", then she criticized the season progression, proclaiming "simultaneously soggy and crisp not an appealing combination however you slice it".<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||last=Millman |first=Joyce |date=October 18, 1999 |title=Busted! |url=https://www.salon.com/1999/10/18/order/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Salon |language=en}}</ref>
=== Ratings ===
The first season's ratings were consistently medium, ranking #33 in its time-slot and leading its closest competition by 12.8 million viewers per episode, making it one of NBC's top-rated shows of the year. According to ''Rotten Tomatoes'', the season holds a rating of 75% based on critic reviews, praising the performances and the series's bold approach to sensitive topics.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
== DVD release ==
''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - The First Year'' was released as a [[widescreen]] 2-disc [[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 1]] DVD [[box set]] in the USA on October 21, 2003. It was distributed by [[Universal Pictures Home Entertainment]].
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|- style="background:#A41F1F;"
| colspan="6" | <span style="color:white;"> '''''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - The First Year'''''</span>
|-  style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
|  style="width:400px;" colspan="3"| '''Set Details'''
|  style="width:400px; " colspan="3"| '''Special Features'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="3"  style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* 22 Episodes
* 6-Disc Set
* English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround), French, Spanish
| colspan="3"  style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
*''Special Victims Unit: The beginning'' Featurette.
* [[Dann Florek]] squad room walk-through.
|-
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"| '''Release Dates'''
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| '''[[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 1]]'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| '''[[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 2]]'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| '''[[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 4]]'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| colspan="2"| October 21, 2003
| colspan="2"| February 28, 2005
| colspan="2"| January 19, 2005
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
* {{Cite book | last1 = Green | first1 = Susan | last2 = Dawn | first2 = Randee | title = Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Unofficial Companion | publisher = BenBella Books | year = 2009 | location = Dallas | isbn = 978-1-933771-88-5 | ref = GD}}
==External links==
* [http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/law-order-special-victims-unit/episodes-season-1/100257 ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' Season 1] at [[TVGuide.com]]
* [http://www.tv.com/shows/law-order-special-victims-unit/season-1/ ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' Season 1] - TV.com
* [http://tviv.org/Law_%26_Order:_Special_Victims_Unit/Season_One ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' Season 1] - TV IV
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203259/episodes?season=1 Season 1 episodes] at [[IMDb.com]]
{{Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Law And Order: Special Victims Unit season 1}}
[[Category:Law & Order: Special Victims Unit seasons|01]]
[[Category:1999 American television seasons]]
[[Category:2000 American television seasons]]