LAW & ORDER SVU: Confidential: Everything We Love about the Show We Can't Stop Watching, a terrific fandom-service gift

LAW & ORDER SVU: Confidential: Everything We Love about the Show We Can't Stop Watching
NEAL E. FISCHER
Epic Ink (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$24.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 4.75* of five

The Publisher Says: Indulge in the nostalgia of one of the most celebrated shows in television history, Law & Order SVU. This enthusiast's SVU handbook is packed with interesting facts covering the creation of the show all the way to the evolution of the cast, delightful insights into years of star-studded guest appearances, reminiscent recaps, and much more.

Step behind the scenes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in this unofficial and unauthorized companion for SVU superfans.

Through exclusive photographs, filming locations, and insights from cast and crew interviews, Law & Order SVU: Confidential solves the mystery of what makes Law & Order: SVU one of television’s most enduring series. Open its vibrantly illustrated pages to revisit the characters and cases that have made SVU unforgettable, from powerhouse detective Olivia Benson to quick-witted interrogation expert Fin Tutuola. Alongside pop art illustrations of iconic moments and characters, you’ll find:

A detailed map of SVU filming locations

Everything there is to know about over 450 episodes of this hit crime TV show

Complete character arcs of fan-favorite detectives and recurring figures

A breakdown of the irresistible formula that defines every SVU episode

Deep dives into real-life cases that inspired the show’s storylines

Spotlights on celebrity guest stars and their memorable roles

For fans who can’t get enough of the long-running crime drama, this unofficial and unauthorized edition celebrates the legacy of Law & Order: SVU while offering fresh insights and insider details.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Season 27 is airing now. Yes, that's right, season twenty-seven. If, like me, you watch the occasional episode and think, "good show...I'll forget it tomorrow," you'll wonder at the superfans who keep it on the air for decades now.

We're wrong; they're right. This show's fanbase, after a bit of poking around, is vocal and eloquent about their love for the way this show represents justice for the powerless and hope for victims and families. I suspect the ones who float the idea that true-crime podcasting and its notable successes were in part inspired by the show could very well be correct. It's been around since before podcasting was possible, still less A Thing like it is now.

It tracks with the personality that gets deep into this show.

The actors and their characters all get deep dives:

...there are games and trivia:

...and there are the episode rankings, though how they ever came to any conclusions given how many there are I do not know:

It's a wonderland for the serious fan! I'm sure, given their numbers, we all know one...I don't know any who're out, so to speak, but I bet there's some hiding for fear of being misunderstood.

I'm getting surer we should join them. At the least give them this relatively inexpensive source of joy for Yule.