The best season of L&O SVU and a great moment of TV
After three seasons of improving and polishing their product, the creators of L&O SVU achieved in this fourth season the perfection. There is no weak spots in those 25 episodes and there is nothing that could be added or should be removed. Period. Usually, at that moment in a review, there is a "but". Well, in this case, there will be no "buts". This is a perfect show and a perfect cop drama. Period.
The principal cast remains the same as in the third season and all actors perform at their best. The creators took a wise decision to drop completely the topic of Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) dark secret from the past and this was a very good decision. The growing strains on marriage of Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and the first serious difficulties he is having with his older daughter (he has four kids in all) appear very subtly and very discreetly in the background - and this subtle, but upsetting presence give an additional flavour to the series.

Two characters are taking an increased importance in the show, providing also some more ethnically mixed cast. Dr George Huang (B.D. Wong, a Chinese-American, is an FBI agent and a forensic psychiatrist assigned to co-operate with the SVU team - his appearances are now more numerous and his importance in the cases grows. He is an asset to this series by his calm authority and the realistic scientific information he provides. Dr Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie), an African American, is the medical examiner assigned to most of the cases of the SVU - she is a very tough lady (she made two battle turns in Iraq as military doctor) but also a wife and a mother. A non-nonsense person with caustical sense of humour she is nevertheless a pleasant sight to the eyes and has a kind and optimist nature. Her increased visibility is another good point of this season.
All the episodes are very good and in almost every case they reserve some serious surprises and twists, often inspired from the real events.
It immediately begins with the first episode, "Chameleon", in which a person switches the roles of the victim and the suspect so many times, that the ending can not be guessed before the very last minute. "Deception", in which Sherilyn Fenn guest stars, is even more twisted and mysterious - and the solution is chillingly horrible. "Vulnerable" treats about victims as defenseless as children, but less well protected by society - old people suffering from Alzheimer and living in a home, often abandoned by the family.
There is no place here to mention all the episodes, but some are so remarkable, they merit a special attention. "Juvenile" is the best - and the most horrible. No, seriously, this is probably the single most shocking thing I ever saw on TV! Be warned! This thing is going to mark you and for a long time. "Fallacy" and "Waste" are almost as good (or bad, if you prefere). In "Disappearing Acts" the guest star is Pam Grier and she is as always a pleasure to watch. Finally, the season finale is called "Soulless" - and the principal culprit (once finally identified) fully deserves this description.

I believe this is the best season of L&O SVU ever and it gains being rewatched a second and then a third time. It is one of my most prized DVD box sets. And I value it even more because in the next season, following a bad career choice of one of the actors, this show was hurt - and although it finally recovered, it never regained all of the splendor of the fourth season...

Words can't describe...
...but they'll have to, or this wouldn't be a very good review.
The previous three seasons of SVU have been great, yes. But season 4 just takes the show to a new level. With 25 episodes this year, instead of previous 22, 23 or 21. Every episode is as good as each other, this DVD is a must buy, trust me!

Does it have subtitle tracks?
I bought Series 3 of this set and was disappointed to find that it has no subtitles. In fact it says on the back of the box: Subtitles: none. Why is this? And if this is the case you are entitled to let Amazon customers know in advance. You have a list of specifications so please include subtitles information in the future.

Alternatively show an image of the back of the box so that it can be enlarged and the specifications seen.

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