"This is like people trying to say The Boys went woke" — Internet reacts to Ice-T replying to critic saying Law & Order: SVU has become "woke"

On August 1, 2024, rapper Ice-T took to social media to announce that he started filming for season 26 of NBC's long-running procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, aka SVU. The actor's character, Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, has appeared in 456 episodes of SVU, second only to Olivia Benson, played by Mariska Hargitay, for 538 episodes.

While many were ecstatic to see their favorite SVU character on screen, one critic accused the show of losing its appeal over the years after it became "woke." Ice-T fired back at the tweet, claiming to be unbothered by whatever "woke" meant.

Ice-T replies to the critic (Image via X/@FINALLEVEL)

Many appreciated Ice-T's tweet and mocked the critic for their original comment. One person likened the tweet to the criticism faced by the Amazon Prime show The Boys. Many condemned the satirical superhero show for its fourth season, which premiered on June 13, for having gone "too woke."

Others joined the conversation, coming up with various definitions for what the original commenter meant by woke.

"Guaranteed that nicole uses "DEI" as an insult at least once a day," one person tweeted.

"woke is everything the right doesn't like," someone else added.

"Woke is just a term mummy's boys use to express their confusion," another person tweeted.

"Woke means tearing down my John Wayne statues and forcing me to erect a Spider-Man fountain that sprays gay beer on my lawn that turns it into astroturf," another user wrote.

Many defended the show, raising awareness that SVU has always been conscious of societal issues.

"It’s always been woke aka aware of societal issues and masterfully placing them on screen. It’s why I love the show so much for so long!" one person commented.

"SVU has always followed real life s**t. The haters are heavy in the comment today," another person added.

"Tell em Ice!! Best show on TV!!!!" someone else enthused.

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Ice-T referred to SVU as a "special show" during its 25th anniversary

In a January 2024 interview with People Magazine, Ice-T shared his experience working at Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for over two decades. The rapper-turned-actor said he "hit the jackpot" with the procedural crime show.

“I think SVU is a special show because it's the first time I've ever done something where people walk up in the street and say thank you. And I found out that SVU is as much entertainment as it is therapy for a lot of women because a lot of women that watch the show are survivors — guys too. So it has a different feeling versus just normal entertainment,” he added.

Ice-T's character, Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, joined the SVU team in the show's second season. During the interview, Ice-T revealed that his character was only supposed to appear in four episodes. The rapper now holds the honor of the longest-running male actor in a television series.

SVU's 25th season ran on NBC between January 18 and May 16, 2024. With 13 episodes, it became the shortest season in the show's history due to the SAG-AFTRA writer's strike in 2023.

The show was renewed for its 26th season, with the first episode scheduled to air on October 3, 2024.