Premiere Date and Time: Tuesday, September 25, 10pm

Network: NBC

Time Slot Competition: Boston Legal, Cane

Cast: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Richard Belzer, Ice-T, Dann Florek, Diane Neal, B.D. Wong, Tamara Tunie, Adam Beach

The durable Law & Order: SVU enters its ninth season on the air September 25 as Detectives Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Stabler (Christopher Meloni) investiagates sexually-based offenses. As usually, they'll be aided by a trusty team, with one notable addition. Adam Beach, who guest starred as a Brooklyn detective in an episode last season, is joining the Special Victims Unit.

With its harsh crimes, often involving children or rape, Law & Order: SVU has surpassed the original Law & Order in terms of both quality ratings. Hargitay is the highest paid actress on television, and won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series last year. As a crime procedural, it's a surprise the show does so well with both audiences and the awards circuit, but Law & Order: SVU has found a way to straddle that line.


Get all the scoop and features on the Fall 2007 new and returning shows at BuddyTV's Fall TV Guide >>


-John Kubicek, BuddyTV
(Photo courtesy of NBC)