10 Zebras

Season 10, Episode 22

This episode, while most notable for one of Law & Order: SVU‘s most shocking plot twists, involving Dale Stuckey (Noel Fisher) as the perpetrator of multiple murders, SVU viewers a first look at a mostly unexplored Munch story thread outside of Homicide: Life on the Street. Carol Kane, reprising her role as Munch’s ex-wife, Gwen, appears as part of an investigation into a conspiracy theorist accused of murder.

Munch’s interaction with his ex-wife, appearing to be suffering from an unnamed mental illness, gave context to a part of his story that started in the Baltimore Police Department. Although it came ten seasons in, we loved learning more about Munch, and seeing how deeply he cared for Gwen, even if those wounds were deep.

9 Parts

Season 6, Episode 22

After the events of “Painless”, Munch becomes connected with Solwey and her well-being, having convinced her to stay alive. In the aftermath of “Parts”, her future is uncertain, but it shows Munch taking steps that would be considered outside the law to help someone who helped him, adding more complexity to an already deeply complex character.

8 American Tragedy

Season 15, Episode 3

In an episode of Law & Order: SVU that was “ripped from the headlines,” the Special Victims Unit is involved in the case of the murder of an unarmed black man by a white assailant that captures the interest of the country. In the wake of the jury’s not guilty verdict at trial, the shock becomes too much for Munch, who finds himself questioning his position in law enforcement.

For over two decades, Munch stayed the course with his work in homicide and special victims, but this case was the final blow for him in a world where he sometimes felt out of place. It’s a final touchpoint for Munch, who announces his retirement shortly after, setting up a fitting tribute for the character two episodes later.

7 Painless

Season 5, Episode 22

An episode focused solely on assisted suicide, Munch becomes involved in the case against Amy Solwey, the main suspect in a case where the victim learns how to take her own life. Munch makes a major reveal for the first time in Law & Order: SVU: the truth about his father’s death, a suicide, one that occurred after he had a fight with him.

Munch’s take on the case is cathartic and personal, feeling a deep guilt about his father’s suicide, and uses this to help convince Amy to stay alive. It’s an emotional and personal dip into Munch’s psyche and approach, and among the best dramatic and deeply moving performances Belzer gave in the role.

Season 2, Episode 18

One of the best fully centered John Munch episodes in Law & Order: SVU history, this season two masterpiece involves both Munch and Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) on the hunt for a serial killer from Munch’s past. In the search for the killer, Munch dives deep into his own failures in successfully capturing him previously.

His work in the interrogation of Darryl Kern (R.E. Rodgers) was exceptional and a reminder that whenever the ball was given to Munch as a main character, he ran it into the end zone. In its final compassionate scene, where he tells Sarah Kimmel (Anna Belknap) she can finally turn her light off, his skill was never more prevalent than in “Manhunt”.

5 Raw

Season 7, Episode 6

Munch’s Jewish heritage became front of mind in his interaction with Morrison/Lewis, and the interactions between him and the Aryan group members brought a level of palpable animosity to the episode. Although ending up with a bullet in his rear end after a bloody courtroom shooting, the episode ends with a touching moment between him and Tutuola, grateful he made it through.

4 Wonderland Story

Season 15, Episode 5

As Captain Don Cragen (Dann Florek) told Olivia Benson at the end of episode 4 of season 15, “nothing changes, unless it has to,” and a big change came to Law & Order: SVU. “Wonderland Story” was the end of an era for Detective John Munch in his final episode as a main cast member.

3 Uncle

Season 8, Episode 7

Rarely do viewers get to see two comedy legends together on the small screen, but Law & Order: SVU viewers get to experience Jerry Lewis and Richard Belzer together. Lewis played Munch’s uncle Andrew, suffering from dementia and shows up unexpectedly in New York and becomes part of an investigation into the murder of a mother and her daughter.

Lewis and Belzer were dynamic together, shedding their comedic backgrounds for a darker story that gained Lewis a Satellite Award nomination. Adding a familial depth to Munch’s story that hadn’t previously been discussed or explored, “Uncle” was among Belzer’s best work in his role as a nephew deeply concerned about his uncle’s well-being.

2 Legacy

Season 2, Episode 4

In this season two episode of Law & Order: SVU, Benson and Stabler work to solve a case that involves a comatose seven-year-old who has been abused. When it’s revealed that her mother was the one responsible for the abuse, Munch shares a story about a girl who lived across the street from him who was murdered by her mother, still holding guilt for not being able to help her.

The episode is a heavy one, due to its subject matter and its remembrance by Munch of his adolescence, giving additional context to his “why” in the pursuit of justice. The episode ends with an emotional moment between Munch and the victim, where he reads her a Dr. Seuss book, giving himself the opportunity to grieve his past and fix the future.

1 Remorse

Season 1, Episode 20

In arguably his best performance on Law & Order: SVU, John Munch went in search of justice for a television reporter who becomes a sexual assault victim in the season 1 episode titled “Remorse”. After she is killed by a bomb during the investigation, Munch makes it his personal mission to bring the perpetrator to justice.

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