Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) 911 (2005) User Reviews

By far the best SVU I've ever seen

[larry-411 · 10/10 · 18 December 2007]

I've never come on here to post a comment about this series before. I just saw this episode tonight for the first time. It's not at all unusual for one of their shows to end with me shaking my head or with my jaw dropped in wonder, but as the screen faded to black I said out loud, "that was the best SVU I've ever seen." My next thought was, "wow, I'll bet this episode won an Emmy -- I'll have to go on IMDb and look it up." What an incredible tour de force for Mariska Hargitay. Her performance was so real, so moving -- I have no doubt her tears were real. She so invested herself in this story.

This is one I'll watch for again. I've seen hundreds of Law & Orders and this episode set a new standard for me.

Superb

[rmcampo · 10/10 · 20 April 2009]

This is one of the best episodes of this great series.(I think the first one is also one of the greatest too). I can feel the tension growing and my heart pounding. It was also so well direct. The shot of Hargitay's face are great. They help built the tension and the heartache. There was a moment when Olivia has to decide whom to believe: her instinct or the technology. You have to see it to know what she decided but I am sure you can already guest. Olivia is at her most in terms of empathy, determination and intelligence. Hargitay has done a great job performing one of the most beautiful characters on television. What a great 10 years and still counting. Keep the good work. Few more season please...

A real tour de force for Mariska

[alexandrajade · 10/10 · 5 August 2009]

An amazing episode all around, but especially so for the acting prowess of the unparalleled Mariska Hargitay as Detective Benson. With nothing but a voice to play off for most of the episode (and I kind of wonder if she even had ' 'that' ' - it could have easily been dubbed in later, with a script supervisor reading the lines during filming for timing), we see every side of the Benson character in this episode - sadness, compassion, pleading, rage, hope, relief, and about a million micro-emotions it's hard to even describe with words.

Formula TV can be great fun - goodness knows the Law & Order franchise depends on it - but this show really achieves its highest heights when it tells a story in a different, unique sort of way. This episode definitely constituted taking a chance, and it paid off big time.

Transcedant

[JTLott · 10/10 · 1 June 2014]

This episode had me crying at the end. And I don't cry easily. It. The fight to keep going for Olivia was excruciating to watch because who's to say whether we would have given up after it seemed the 911 call was a hoax. This is what makes this particular episode so engrossing, resonant, and relevant. A generation a thousand years from now can see it and see it applies in any era. It's not just a white-knuckle roller coaster because the stakes are so high. It crystallizes the famous quote by the great Albert Einstein; "The world is a dangerous place to live: not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." Olivia Benson and the SVU squad did something about it. And God bless them and their real-life counterparts in law enforcement, who too often get a bad rap.

Best SVU Episode Yet, In My Opinion

[allan1969 · 10/10 · 4 October 2006]

Not only do you learn a great deal about electronic equipment and other technical aspects, but the plot is masterfully crafted, with many twists and turns. Your interest never wanes. The detectives' investigations often turn on the minutest pieces of evidence, found either by accident or good hard police work, take your pick. The drama and suspense never waver and build up until the final breathless half-minute. The only thing missing is Det. Olivia Benson being decorated for sticking with a case that her colleagues were all too ready to give up on, and persevering until a child's life was saved -- and one more minute could have been too late.

Simply brilliant!

[Hurtyn · 10/10 · 16 January 2007]

I agree that this is the best Special Victims Unit episode yet. I've been a fan of SVU ever since I first discovered it about a year ago and although I love both the original Law and Order and Criminal Intent, I believe that SVU is the best of all. The acting is always great and the stories - though tough going at times - are never less than absorbing. I don't say this lightly but this particular episode really had me on the edge of my seat until the astonishing ending, it's fantastic television. To think that this episode is in season 7 is amazing, the show just seems to get better and better. Full marks - 10/10 - to the cast and crew and please let's have the DVD box sets released a bit faster!

Oh...my...gosh...The best television show I've ever seen.

[jch0066 · 10/10 · 7 August 2007]

I have never been so engaged in a show. I found myself talking to the little girl in my head, baffled by the twists and turns, thrilled, and horrified. Even though I kept reminding myself that this was fiction, I was terrified of an ending where they found the little girl dead and overjoyed and relieved when they found her unharmed. The acting was top notch and I think both the writers and Mariska Hargitay deserve acknowledgement. I would love a follow-up episode where the scumbag gets a just sentence, more victims are spared and Det. Benson is decorated for her role. I think an episode showing Maria's safe return to her mother in Honduras, after boldly testifying against her molester would make a wonderful episode. All in all- the is the best TV episode I have ever seen.

Dial H for help

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 7 April 2021]

On first watch some years back, "911" blew me away in a way that few other 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' episodes did and have done to this extent. Even back then it struck me as a tremendously powerful and moving episode and Mariska Hargitay bowled me over (have always loved her as Olivia Benson, even when the show declined). It just amazed me at how scaled down it was in location yet still managed to be a lot more absorbing than most episodes with a larger cast and that are more opened up.

"911" is widely considered a fan favourite, with many considering it one of the best 'Special Victims Unit' episodes and in some cases the best. It is very difficult to disagree. In my mind and have felt this way on all subsequent re-watches, "911" is easily the best Season 7 episode and very, very high up in the list of the show's best ever. There are many brilliant episodes of 'Special Victims Unit', a vast majority of them in the earlier seasons (Seasons 1-10) and calling "911" brilliant doesn't do it justice enough. Anybody wondering what the fuss is about, if not sure about the show's popularity from watching the later seasons look no further than this as an episode that embodies its appeal.

This is a fine example of an episode of 'Special Victims Unit' where everything works. It's well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse. The writing doesn't ramble, although as usual there is a lot of dialogue to digest, and really provokes thought, disturbs and brings a lump to the throat. Maria's imploring is just heart-wrenching.

Have never seen an episode that is mostly a 2 people (with only one seen) phone conversation that is this riveting or emotional impactful. The tension is non stop and edge of the seat and have always on all my viewings of "911" rooted for the outcome to be a good one. The tension is not just in what is said over the phone but also in the tensions that ensue within the team (the rest being apprehensive of the validity of the call). Both Olivia and Maria are rootable characters, despite Maria being heard in voice there is so much pain and desperation in the way she speaks it is impossible for not root for her. Olivia's determination and refusal to give up was inspiring.

Mariska Hargitay is absolutely extraordinary in her best performance of the show, the performance that got her an Emmy and a more than richly deserved one. The wide range of emotions she shows in her voice, face, eyes and body language is a masterclass. Jeanine Monterozza's voicing for Maria is truly heartfelt and made me cry. Everyone else is great, but the episode belongs to Hargitay.

In summary, amazing. 10/10.

Most Dramatic I've Seen

[abenavidez79 · 10/10 · 1 November 2007]

When I saw this episode, I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Usually I'll be doing something else...but when I saw this episode, it really got my attention. Seeing the connection Olivia had with this child, that she really believed that she was kidnapped while others thought it was a hoax really made this episode "a race against time"; you could see her maternal instincts play a big role in keeping that girl on the phone, trying really hard to keep her talking and trying to describe anything that could help them find her, and Olivia finally convincing the others that the girl is real and that they need to find her.....it was a very compelling episode. Mariska Hargitay excelled in her role, in fact it was award worthy. She a favorite of mine. Good job SVU Cast & Crew. The BEST episode by far.

Total agreement on this being the best episode

[harl-windwolf · 10/10 · 28 June 2009]

I think most of what I'd want to say was already said by one of the other commenters for this episode anyway, so basically all I want to say is that I totally agree with this being the best of all Law & Order episodes, at least as far as I've had the chance to watch any of the show. - It's been very stirring with this episode and made myself feel with that obvious and then nearly unscalable helplessness and resulting emotional rage Olivia understandably has with these cruel things happenings especially to children so much, that it left me in tears when in the end they finally managed to find the girl literally in her last seconds ever imaginable, buried and not breathing, when Olivia practically revives her from the brink of death and she starts to breath again, lying there weak and then starting to smile when she recognized Olivia, probably for the first time really since she was sold by her parents (if I remember that correctly), considering what she'd been through. - All the fear, anger, disgust and then the hope and relief all come through together at that point. - I'm a rather introverted and withdrawn type and in an every-day picture of me, I'm not exactly the one others take note as for his emotional commiseration - but sometimes things I read, see or hear kind of 'break' me and cause everything in me to become mixed up and chaotic for a while somehow, like it's been with this episode. - Although some may say it wasn't the most typical episode for the show, I think it's the best or one of the best examples for what Law & Order is about.

This episode gave me goosebumps!

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 2 December 2020]

I was captivated with this Law and Order: SVU episode from to start to finish! Mariska Hargety's performance was so great definitely deserves her Emmy award! A little bit of the time you wonder if the call from the girl was from a voice changer device; I won't say whether it was or not because the suspense made everything better. I've been taken advantage of before it's horrible, Olivia makes everything seem worth it. Powerful one season 7 has really made improvements!

Surprised at the many excellent ratings

[amek33 · 4/10 · 3 February 2018]

I found this episode irritating. The child's annoying voice, her bratty responses, the number of detectives working so hard to find her, the 2+ hour long phone call on a cell phone... My battery would have died. The whole episode was grating and unrealistic.

Best episode yet.

[alexiastonehocker · 10/10 · 13 April 2019]

I have so many things to say for this episode. This is one of my favorite shows but this episode is the most gratifying to watch so far by far. I go back and forth on favorite characters often but I have nothing but love for Olivia. This is her best episode thus far and I love how persistent she is through the whole thing. I have no words of distaste for this episode it is executed so well and really shows off the queen herself. I love it so much.

This episode immediately got me hooked

[tofu_princesss · 10/10 · 15 April 2019]

I will try to avoid real spoilers. So back somewhere in 2005-2006 I first saw this episode. I believe it was my first real introduction to SVU.. and what an introduction!! This episode got me immediately hooked on SVU. That's all it took.. Hadn't really heard of this show.. only had 5 channels (weird but true) and got sucked into it, 60 minutes later I was a fan of the show, just like that. and over 13 years later it's still my favorite show and my favorite episode (if I had to pick) Every episode of SVU is good (and I've seen almost all) but this one is special. If you haven't seen it do yourself a favor.. Most seasons of SVU are on Amazon Prime. Even if you don't have a subscription $2.99 would be a steal of a deal for being able to watch it even once

What's great about the episode.. Benson's determination and desperation to help Maria.. you can feel it so strongly, you almost feel like you ARE Benson. Let's just say there's no surprise Mariska won an Emmy for it. Maria's story is so gripping, sad, and intense it will bring you to tears.

Best SVU episode I've seen.

[artpoopist · 10/10 · 19 April 2014]

Never have I ever been this compelled to get out of my bed at 6 in the morning after having worked my 4th long and difficult 3pm - 12am nursing shift in a row just to write a review about an episode.

I've probably seen more than half of all the SVU episodes out there, but this one is definitely the best I've seen so far, even though almost all episodes are amazing. I have to give the applause to Mariska as usual. Glad she won an Emmy for this episode; very well deserved. Her acting is always so convincing and moving, but especially in this one. From the time she curses at Munch and had me laughing in bed; to when she she breaks the speaker phone out of frustration and hopelessness; to when she and bashes a window into a store and knocks the culprit's nose in; and to finally discovering the girl she spoke hours on the phone with; this episode has every side to Benson in it. Mariska never ceases to amaze us all. It's funny because the narration was ironically different from the usual SVU episode and most of it occurs through the phone, but the whole time you are hooked and at the edge of your seat with every twist and turn. The way the camera moved so sharply to mimic the tension in the SVU office, and how it zoomed in on Benson's face just to push the audience's empathy to another level, I could go on and on rambling. Every single tear, blood, and plot twist shed was worth it. No minute of film was wasted. This is THAT episode of SVU where you recommend anyone, fan or not, to watch.

Guess it's time to pick my jaw up from the floor and go back to bed!

Possibly the best Episode of an outstanding series

[jeremyryanhowell · 10/10 · 15 December 2014]

I've been watching recorded re-runs of Law and Order SVU for the past couple of months now. The series is good, but normally most episodes follow a similar formula and are mostly forgettable. I watch the show during the day while working. This episode was amazing though, I had to stop my work and watch as this episode made me anxious to the point where I was getting goosebumps. The episode was 90% just Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay) talking into a phone but it really was an edge of your seat adventure. Any fan of the series should watch this episode and rate as well, this episode should go down as one of the best episodes in TV history.

Amazing

[harristakira · 10/10 · 10 March 2019]

This episode was so amazing it have my on edge the whole time. I didn't know what to think or who to believe it was amazing. The ending was perfect, I've been watching SVU for the longest but I made an account just to review this episode.

I don't normally give a 10-rating, but this is as close to perfect as I could expect.

[akicork · 10/10 · 3 May 2020]

I have to say that Olivia's elbow-strike on the baddy towards the end rates for me as one of the most satisfying moments in all the seventeen years I've seen so far. For the whole episode, what a tour de force for Mariska Hargitay! I had a huge crush on her mother when I was very young, and had assumed that her acting talent came from those genes, but having seen Mickey Hargitay's gentle, understated performance a few episodes back, I've revised that opinion. There may be at least as much nurture as nature in Mariska's skill. Many thanks for all you give us.

Best episode... Olivia at her best

[niranjan-g · 10/10 · 10 February 2013]

This is one of the best episodes we have seen so for... Olivia is at her best in her acting... And an edgy thriller... Makes you confuse the call is hoax or not Olivia performs to the best of her emotional abilities... SVU always in top 5 list .... Gotto give a lot of credit to the actors And the writer dick wolf And the director as well. I admire every well made scene iin SVU .. Makes you feel like the drama is really happening.... No jokes, no hardpunch dialogues. I don't want to give out spoilers about this 911 episode... Watch it to feel it. Watch it with low expectations, and you will definitely appreciate performance of Olivia Benson.

Best episode ever

[KizzyD · 10/10 · 26 July 2016]

When I first saw the list of IMDb of best episodes ever, the title sounded intriguing but didn't think anything more of it. When I was finally in this episode, I did not realise until halfway in that it was this particular episode. Why did I not realise? Because I was too busy clinging to every word being said on this episode. It really is an amazing episode where everything they do and say make you wonder what is real and what is not. Mariska truly excels herself in this episode and acted wonderfully. I don't watch every single episode of this series, but believe me when I tell you that this one is definitely worth watching! And just a 10th line to fulfill the requirements :)

The most annoying episode

[jbkgmrxhr · 1/10 · 18 September 2023]

The whole episode is just Olivia talking to the most annoying child. The fact that she's all dressed up and skips out on her date is just giving her a chance to have a different wardrobe. Nothing interesting happens. I just couldn't wait for the episode to be over. I wish Olivia had believed Cragen when he said it was a fake call. Maybe it was Olivia's best moment doing her job but it's just her and the speaker phone. It's completely unbelievable. The girls voice sounded fake and her not telling the truth or avoiding questions was obvious. It doesn't deserve to be the highest rated. Definitely one I will skip in the future.

Best SVU Episode Ever

[ryanb006 · 10/10 · 3 January 2007]

I think this is one of the best SVU episodes that have ever been made. The suspense is awesome. Props to Det. Benson for sticking with the girl. Like one of the other people that commented, Mariska should have received an award for this EXCELLENT job. Her enthusiasm was amazing as was her determination. I always enjoy watching SVU because of the detail with which the episodes are carefully crafted. This episode was unlike others in that it wasn't the typical rape-homicide. There actually was a living person they had to track down in time. I also loved how they tied in the sound loop and the tower virus. If you get a chance to watch this episode, don't miss it!

Awesome SVU episode. One of my all time favorites.

[birdgirl-49240 · 10/10 · 7 October 2020]

First SVU episode that brought tears (happy) to my eyes at the end. I admit I got sucked in at the beginning being a skeptic like everyone else at the station was. Olivia's "gut" won out in the end. This episode moved so quickly with the suspense building as each minute ticked by. I know there are many "Olivia Bensons" out there and I send my sincere thanks to all.

One of the best

[viridiansoul · 10/10 · 17 July 2019]

Kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through

Mariska's Finest Hour

[patrickphair · 10/10 · 10 April 2021]

Mariska is this episode! She never gives up and you can see how deeply her job affects her. When she smashes the phone you can feel the frustration. When they drive the cars through the fence it was great. Emmy winner well deserved.