‘Law & Order: SVU’ season 18 premiere: What should happen

There are many shows on television at the moment that are undergoing huge changes, especially in the crime TV genre. Just take a look at “NCIS” or “Criminal Minds” as two examples of that.

Yet, through it all there is another series that continues to remain fairly consistent with not only what it is, but also what it wants to do. That show is “Law & Order: SVU.” We’re now entering the 18th season, while there are only a couple of cast members left from the early days, the likes of Raul Esparza, Peter Scanavino, and Kelli Giddish have been around for long enough that they feel like parts of the family. The core cast remains unchanged going into season 18, though there is a change behind the scenes with Rick Eid replacing Warren Leight as shworunner.

So where should we go from here, and how can this series remain popular as we press onward? That’s something we hope to analyze further within our What Should Happen article series.

Where we left off – At the end of season 17, Benson had to face some tragedy in the form of Dodds’ death, which came as a result of an extremely hostile situation. While she felt like some of the blame should be on her for it, the unit helped to rally around her, and she even had an opportunity to depart to Paris with Tucker for a little break in the action, provided that is what she wanted.

What should happen – We hope that Olivia did have that break, and season 18 begins with her recharged, but also facing new challenges as the show continues to evolve. We really don’t think we need to see anything spectacularly different in the premiere episode. There has been enough of these characters in near-death situations to last a lifetime! Therefore, we recommend that you just come back with a fairly traditional case using some big-name guest stars, and allow the performances to speak for themselves. Give the viewers a chance to know that even with a new showrunner, this is very much the show you know and love. Work on building the larger arcs up over time.

(Photo: NBC.)