...These Are Their Stories: The Law & Order Podcast

We're declaring a national emergency. Halfway through season 20, we hear from listeners and past guests about what's working and what isn't on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Then we'll ask the question: should SVU be renewed for a 21st season? We'll hear from Rebecca Lavoie, Vaya Pashos, Margo Donohue, Henry Lavoie, Kimberly, and Sarah D. Bunting, plus Kevin Flynn will give the State of the Unit Address.   We're sponsored by Third Love. Go to thirdlove.com/lawandorder for 15% off.

How do you find a vanished woman whose online avatar is teen stripper Vixy Platinum? Go INTO the game and locate the kidnapper's virtual cabin by making the sun come out at night. Also there's a sleepwalking rapist and a girl who's been missing for 25 years and still carries a torch for her pedophile kidnapper. We turn the bat-shit-crazy to 11 with Sarah D. Bunting as we talk about SVU season 9 episode 2 "Avatar." The story takes plot points from the online world of Second Life. We're sponsored by Joybird. Go to joybird.com/ORDER and receive an exclusive offer for 25% off your first order by using the code ORDER. We're also brought to you by the podcast "First Day Back."

A co-ed is found dead in her dorm. The computer geek with the rape-and-murder fantasies and a pair of the victim's panties seems like a good suspect, but Briscoe and Curtis home in on her paranoid roommate. Instead of homicide, McCoy and Kincaid charge her with fraud for lying on her college application. Thank goodness her lawyer Sandy Duncan is willing the throw the case. We're talking about original recipe season 6 episode 6 "Paranoia" with Lawrence Tucker of the Awesome 80s podcast. This episode was inspired by the ripped from the headlines story of Gina Grant.  We're sponsored by Third Love. Get 15% off your first purchase at ThirdLove.com/lawandorder. We're also brought to you by Madison Reed. Listen in for our special promo to save 10% on your first purchase at Madison-Reed.com.

The Hudson University president is murdered, but who convinced the grad student to do the deed? The answer is Goren’s new nemesis: Nicole Wallace! We’re talking about Criminal Intent season 2 episode 3 “Anti-Thesis.” We’re joined by returning guest, from Undisclosed and the Office Hours podcasts, Dr. Marcia Chatelain. This episode takes some of its cues from the real-life squabble between Harvard President Larry Summers and Dr. Cornel West. Our sponsor is Madison Reed. Listen in for our special promo code to get 10% off plus free shipping on your first color kit.

Hard-drinking, hard-loving ADA Peter Stone is accused by a woman of raping her 12 years ago, an assault he has no memory of. No one in the SVU squad wants to believe it…and maybe that’s the bigger problem. We’re talking about SVU season 20 episode 9 Mea Culpa. We’re joined by three-time guest (and TATS Triple Crown winner) Lani Diane Rich of Chipperish Media. This episode is inspired by the sexual assault accusation against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. We’re brought to you by Poshmark. Get $5 off your first purchase when you enter the invite code STORIES5 when you sign up. We’re also sponsored by HelloFresh. For a total of $60 off visit HelloFresh.com/THEIRSTORIES60 and enter code THEIRSTORIES60.

Why did two fat kids beat up little Rooney Mara? Because she beat up their fat brother. Why did she beat up their fat brother? Because she used to be fat herself. (Wait, WTF?) Also, Anthony Anderson appears - not as L&O's Bernard - but as Stabler's hot-headed temporary partner. We’re talking about SVU season 7 episode 20 “Fat.” Our guest is Jason Alme from the Shit Happens When you Party Naked podcast. This episode is inspired by two teens who sued McDonalds for making them obese.  Our sponsors this episode include Poshmark. Download the Poshmark app and get $5 off your first purchase when you enter code STORIES5 at sign up. We're also brought to you by ThirdLove. Get 15% off your first order at ThirdLove.com/lawandorder.

A shady adoption agency! A child smothered during “rebirthing” therapy! Foster kids kept in cages! Elliot gets stabbed with a pen! And 8-year-old Elle Fanning attempts a murder-suicide by setting fire to the apartment of Elliot's wannabe lover Dani Beck! We’re looking at SVU season 8 episode 8 “Cage.” We’re joined by returning guest Vaya Pashos from the Buddywatch podcast. This episode is inspired by the rebirthing death of Candace Newmaker. Our sponsor is Madison Reed. Listen in for our special promo code.

A crazy man bashes in a woman's head on the subway. McCoy isn't satisfied putting the lunatic in jail. He also charges the health insurance executive who kept him from getting his medicine in the first place. This time we're looking at Law & Order season 11 episode 2 "Turnstile Justice." Our guest is Lara Bricker from "Crime Writers On." This story is based on the 1999 killing of Kendra Webdale. We're brought to you by Third Love. Go to ThirdLove.com/lawandorder to get 15% off your first purchase. We're also sponsored this week by Hello Fresh. For a total of $60 off your first 3 boxes of Hello Fresh, visit hellofresh.com/theirstories60 and enter the code THEIRSTORIES60.

John Ritter guest stars in SVU as a husband who gets rid of his wife's lover's baby by cutting it out.

She’s a grifter.  He’s a washed-up celebrity. She wound up dead on the sidewalk. Who did it? Well, Gary Busey appears in the first 30 seconds of this episode, so you tell us. We’re looking at a classic Law & Order, season 12 episode 6 “Formerly Famous.” Our guest is John Davenport from the Hollywood Outsider podcast. This episode was based on the murder trial of Robert Blake. This episode is sponsored by Krave Jerky. Get 20% off when you use the code STORIES at kravejerky.com. We're also brought to you by Third Love. Go to ThirdLove.com/lawandorder to get 15% off your first purchase.

A boy is abducted from his school. The kidnapper later says his Mom paid to have him taken. Or was it the Dad? We’re looking at SVU season 16 episode 22 “Parents’ Nightmare.” Our guest is Maureen McMurray from the new Bear Brook podcast. This episode is based on the ripped-from-the-headlines story of a family who faked a kidnapping to teach their boy about “stranger danger.” This episode is sponsored by Krave Jerky. Get 20% off when you use the code STORIES at kravejerky.com. Additional support comes from Kopari's Coconut Deodorant. Go to KopariBeauty.com/stories to save $5 off your first order. We're also sponsored this week by Backblaze data storage service provider. Receive a fully featured 15-day free trial at: Backblaze.com/stories.

Benson and Stabler go undercover in a sex club [swoon] to catch a pair of con artist swingers who have a surprising amount in common. Like the same mother. Like they're doing it. Like they're twins and they're doing it. We're looking at SVU season 12 episode 19 "Bombshell." Our guest is Toronto Sun sex & relationship columnist Simone Paget. The inspiration for one of the characters is burlesque star Dita von Teese.  This episode is sponsored by Krave Jerky. Get 20% off when you use the code STORIES at kravejerky.com. Additional support comes from Teami. Go to Teamiblends.com and use code STORIES for 20% off at checkout. We're also brought to you by Third Love. Go to ThirdLove.com/lawandorder to get 15% off your first purchase.

A financier dies of a Viagra overdose! A billionaire wants a football stadium! Briscoe makes dick jokes...blah blah blah.... IT'S JULIA ROBERTS! Julia guest stars as a femme fatale who wants to get it in with her then-boyfriend Benjamin Bratt. We're talking about Law & Order season 9 episode 20 "Empire." Our guest is Aaron Peterson of the Hollywood Outsider and The Blacklist Exposed podcasts (the bastard who beat us for Best TV/Film Podcast of 2017). This episode is inspired in part by the plans of George Steinbrenner, Rudy Giuliani, and Donald Trump to build a new Yankee Stadium.  This episode is brought to you by Kopari's Coconut Deodorant. Go to KopariBeauty.com/stories to save $5 off your first order. We're also sponsored this week by Hello Fresh. For a total of $60 off your first 3 boxes of Hello Fresh, visit hellofresh.com/theirstories60 and enter the code THEIRSTORIES60. Addition support comes from Backblaze data storage service provider. Receive a fully featured 15-day free trial at: Backblaze.com/stories.

After joining a police foot chase, Amaro shoots an unarmed teen. Now IAB is after him. But it's Cragen who turns in his badge, as the iconic character retires after 400 L&O and SVU episodes. We're talking with Kimmie Smith of Athleisure Mag about Special Victims Unit season 15 episode 10 (sometimes listed as episode 11) "Amaro's One-eighty." This story is inspired by the real life case of Ramarley Graham. This episode is brought to you by Kopari's Coconut Deodorant. Go to KopariBeauty.com/stories to save $5 off your first order. We're also sponsored by Madison Reed. Listen for our special promo code to get 10% off plus free shipping.

The oversexed victim was buggered by fruit. The trail leads Benson and Stabler to a Turkish bath house, high-priced Russian hookers, the mysterious second floor loft in the squad room, and a male porn star named “Bull Dozer.” We’re looking at SVU S1 E12 “Russian Love Poem” with Brittni Liyanage from the D20 Dames podcast. This episode’s ripped-from-the-headline story deals with the Russian mob. Our sponsor this week is Madison Reed. Listen in for our newest promo code to get $10 off and free shipping on your first color kit.