How Law & Order: SVU features the heroism of Sonny Carisi

In today’s edition of our ongoing TV Heroes article series at CarterMatt, we are heading back into the world of Law & Order: SVU for a character who remains one of our favorites in the franchise. Sonny Carisi is many different things, from a beloved friend and family member to a hard-nosed detective who at times isn’t afraid to be abrasive or ask tough questions. He often follows his own path towards getting results and while he does not always make the right decision, he constantly makes them with justice in mind. He’s one of the best representatives of the show’s greatness we can offer from the past few years.

What was great with Carisi almost from the get-go was that he was somewhat of a firebrand. When you introduce characters into a world like SVU, you want them to have moments of disruption. If he was just to fall in with the rank and file and never question anything, that would make him less exciting as a character. He’s interesting because he always carries with him his own perspective and feelings regarding a case. At times, this does lead to disagreements with other members of the squad and they have to work through them.

We often think that a little bit of conflict goes a long way given that this is what often spawns the best results. Carisi’s life experience enables him to think a little bit differently than anyone else — he makes the squad better. We also appreciate him more just because at one point, he was considering other options when it comes to his future. Watching someone actively make a choice to stay with the Special Victims Unit is worth seeing since it indicates more that it’s a labor of love and something that they are passionate about doing.

Aside from work, we also value Carisi for some of the relationships that he’s got with other members of the team. Regardless of whether or not they are romantically intertwined, there is always something magnetic about seeing him together with Rollins. Peter Scanavino and Kelli Giddish have such a fantastic dynamic that they play so many different relationships really well. There’s also a great push-and-pull there and that makes the duo serve as a great focal point for storytelling.

In conclusion, we love seeing Carisi around his family, fighting for victims on the job, and even getting that one rare moment when he gets to relax. He’s one of the best new additions to SVU in quite some time and hopefully, he’s a character we’ll get to see a lot more of for many years to come. Scanavino, through and through, remains one of network television’s most-underrated performers.

What do you think makes Sonny Carisi a hero on Law & Order: SVU? Be sure to share right now in the comments!

Photo: NBC