"Law and Order: SVU" The Drinking Game
Yesterday it snowed, and it sleeted, and it iced, and my wife and I were stuck inside the house, unwilling and uninterested in braving the elements. So—as we’ve been wont to do lately—we started watching Law and Order: Special Victims Unit reruns at noon and concluded the marathon-binge at 11 p.m.
To say we’re both captivated by Captain Olivia Benson and the “dedicated detectives” of “an elite squad known as The Special Victims Unit” is an egregious understatement. We can’t get enough of the show that is likely to torpedo my writing career.
While mired on the couch, I decided to pass the commercial breaks on Peacock by inventing an SVU drinking game—yes, I’m on the cusp of 47 years old and still feeding that inner-frat-boy.
The rules are simple: If anything from this rather extensive list of tropes below occurs in an episode, you drink. However, prepare yourself to get rather intoxicated, and have an Uber ready if you’re partaking while away from your home.
A detective chases a perp/suspect on foot.
Detectives chase a perp/suspect(s) in a car.
The word “perp” is used in the episode.
A detective tells a victim that “It’s not your fault.”
Munch provides unsolicited trivia, a conspiracy theory or background information.
Fin drops a one-liner.
Stabler or Amaro pops off on a suspect.
Olivia hugs a victim.
Cassidy acts like a dick.
An SVU detective calls for a “bus” into their walkie-talkie.
Rollins fucks up.
A detective draws their gun.
A detective flashes their badge.
Barba gets terse with a witness.
The head juror reads the verdict.
A suspect or perp escapes to the roof.
They get “the wrong guy.”
Cragen or (later) Olivia calls someone to their office and closes the door.
Rollins mentions that she’s from Georgia (or The South) or breaks into a Southern accent.
Carisi mentions he’s from New York or references being Italian.
A rape kit is ordered.
“Dun-dun” plays.
The detectives visit a strip club.
A perp/suspect is cuffed.
A victim is raped or killed at a party or a nightclub (a strip club counts, too).
The detectives consult the crime board with the suspects/victims' headshots.
An ADA is summoned to the judge’s chambers.
Hudson University is mentioned or visited.
Mercy Hospital is mentioned or visited.
A door is kicked in.
A DNA test is consulted or ordered.
A perp/suspect is read their Miranda Rights.
There’s a conversation on the hidden side of the double-mirror.
A detective says, “I’m on my way.”
The “good cop/bad cop” technique is used an interrogation.
A victim thanks a detective from SVU (drink two if it’s Olivia being thanked)
A judge says, "I'll allow it." (credit: Michael Kasdan)
“Executive Producer Dick Wolf” flashes on the screen.
