Exordium in Law and Order SVU

One of my favorite shows to binge watch is Law and Order SVU. Every episode has the same basic format of how it is going to go, just a different storyline. When thinking of the term exordium, I think of some type of introduction that is supposed to provoke a reaction or emotion within the audience. I believe that Law and Order SVU is a great example of this term.

For anyone who doesn’t watch the show, it is about sexually committed crimes in New York and how the Special Victims Unite handles and solves these crimes. The format of each episode is quite simple. It begins with a scene in which we see the crime being done, but doesn’t disclose who has done it. Then it skips to the part where they find the victim. After that, they show how they collect evidence and solve the crime. I believe the exordium of each episode is always the scene in which the crime is being done. It gives the viewers a taste of what this episode is going to be about without giving away too much. It serves as an introduction to the storyline but also invokes emotion in the audience because of the nature of these crimes. It is a really good way to get someone hooked on and interested in seeing the rest of the episode even if they were not planning on watching. I believe that lots of shows also follow this format.