What episode introduced John Munch on SVU?

“What episode introduced John Munch on SVU?” — The answer is “Payback.” The episode is the pilot and series premiere of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, first broadcast on NBC on September 20, 1999.

Richard Belzer played Detective John Munch, who joined the new Special Victims Unit alongside Olivia Benson, Elliot Stabler, and Captain Donald Cragen. “Payback” follows the squad’s investigation into the murder and castration of a taxi driver, while Benson becomes personally invested after learning about the victim’s own crimes.

Munch was not created specifically for SVU. The character originated on Homicide: Life on the Street, where Belzer first played him, and later appeared in several Law & Order crossover stories. His move to SVU made him one of television’s most recognizable recurring detective characters.

A common mix-up is choosing “A Single Life,” which is the second episode of SVU, not Munch’s introduction. “Payback” is both the show’s first episode and Munch’s first appearance in the SVU setting.