: The premiere, "Guardians and Gladiators," forces Captain Benson and her squad to confront their own racial biases and police methods following a high-profile incident in Central Park.

: Sergeant Fin Tutuola (Ice T) faces a legal battle and deposition related to a past lawsuit, while Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Officer Kat Tamin (Jamie Gray Hyder) handle a series of domestic and undercover cases. Main Cast & Characters

: The season features the highly anticipated return of Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler in the crossover episode "Return of the Prodigal Son." This served as the launchpad for the spin-off, Law & Order: Organized Crime .