Dick Wolf Had An Interesting Rule About Law & Order: SVU's Primary Characters

The "Law and Order" franchise is beloved by many viewers for its focus on well-defined characters, with the cast of detectives from "Law and Order: SVU" in particular some of the biggest fan favorites. Mariska Hartigay's Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni's Elliott Stabler have a legitimate claim as the most popular characters over the course of nearly three decades of broadcast TV storytelling.

But there is another bit of secret sauce that makes the mix of personalities on "Law and Order: SVU" work so well, and creator Dick Wolf pushed for this hard and fast rule to always be top of mind when it comes to "SVU." As executive producer Judy McCreary explained to Marie Claire, "Dick had a rule: Every character must have a different point of view, and everybody has to be right. We always knew we were onto something when we started arguing with each other, with raised voices, in the writer's room."

This bit of information makes it clear that not only do the writers on "Law and Order: SVU" not always agree, but this mandate to understand each of the detectives on their own merits creates a certain amount of friction when dealing with the complicated subject matter that each individual case brings about.

Rarely are the cases in an episode of "Law and Order: SVU" open and shut. There are twists and turns, usually accompanied by massive reveals that make the audience second-guess what they assumed heading into the meat of a case. That dynamic repeats itself among the detectives in many of the best "SVU" episodes of all time.

It's no secret that a lot of the audience has been heavily invested in Benson and Stabler's relationship throughout the lifespan of "SVU," but it isn't always slightly flirty looks — or more recently, direct expressions of love — between the two detectives. They disagree in some very notable instances, with Judy McCreary mentioning that the "no one is wrong rule" is instrumental in powering that partnership. She explained to Marie Claire, "[Dick Wolf's] rule is why Benson and [Stabler] worked so well as partners: Benson was so empathetic, and Stabler's brutishness complemented that."

Just like in the real world, you're going to have coworkers who disagree on the best methods to solve a problem. This little rule makes "Law and Order: SVU" feel even more immediate and true-to-life, and the show is better for it.