Over 22 seasons, Olivia Benson and the rest of the SVU team have faced countless villains. When the official “Law & Order: SVU” Instagram account recently asked fans to vote for the “most especially heinous #SVU villain of all time,” the response was almost unanimous. Despite the plethora of terrifying characters that have appeared on the NBC series, one stood out above all the rest.
William Lewis: The Most Heinous Villain
“Law & Order: SVU” viewers overwhelmingly agree that William Lewis is the show’s top villain. The Instagram post featured photos of several notorious on-screen criminals, but many commenters quickly noticed one notable omission: William Lewis.
“William. Lewis. How is this even a question?” one fan wrote.
“No one comes before William Lewis,” another agreed.
The Terror of William Lewis
For those who may need a refresher, William Lewis, played by Pablo Schreiber, was a nightmarish figure who tormented Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) throughout seasons 14 and 15. Initially arrested for flashing a woman in a park, it soon became evident that Lewis was guilty of far more serious crimes. He was ultimately revealed as a serial rapist and murderer.
Lewis’s reign of terror peaked when he kidnapped and tortured Benson, subjecting her to unspeakable horrors and forcing her to watch as he brutalized other women. His reign of terror ended in a dramatic and chilling fashion: during a game of Russian roulette, Lewis shot himself in the head in front of Benson in the season 15 episode “Beast’s Obsession.”
Other Notable Villains in SVU History
While William Lewis was the clear favorite among fans, several other frightening characters also received mentions.
One such character is Henry Mesner, a young psychopath portrayed by Ethan Cutkosky of “Shameless” fame. Introduced in the season 14 episode “Born Psychopath,” Henry was a 10-year-old who assaulted his sister and several classmates. He was eventually placed in a juvenile treatment facility. Cutkosky reprised his role in the season 22 episode “Post-Graduate Psychopath,” where an 18-year-old Henry, newly released from the facility, proves to be as dangerous as ever.
Other contenders for the ultimate villain title include Gregory Yates (Dallas Roberts), a serial killer and rapist featured in an SVU crossover episode with “Chicago P.D.,” and Carl Rudnick (Jefferson Mays), the SVU medical examiner who shockingly turned out to be a killer himself.
Conclusion
While “Law & Order: SVU” has featured many chilling villains over its long run, fans have decisively crowned William Lewis as the most especially heinous villain in the series’ history. His brutal and psychological torment of Olivia Benson left a lasting impact, securing his place as the ultimate antagonist in the minds of SVU viewers.