Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent features LGBTQ+ characters in various capacities, often as part of crime narratives. While prejudice is sometimes depicted as a negative external force, queer identity is generally presented incidentally, neither consistently uplifting nor denigrating, aligning with the show's procedural format.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent has included transsexual characters in its crime narratives, often as victims or individuals whose identity is relevant to the case. While the show generally avoids overt mockery and depicts external prejudice as negative, trans identity typically functions as a plot device rather than a central, affirming exploration. This results in a largely neutral portrayal where positive and negative elements tend to balance out.

The show often features Christian characters whose faith provides a moral compass or who are victims of bigotry, with the narrative condemning such prejudice. While individual Christian institutions or adherents may be portrayed negatively due to criminal actions, the show consistently frames these as abuses of faith rather than indictments of Christianity itself.

When Islam is featured, it is often through characters navigating prejudice or through communities facing Islamophobia, which the narrative unequivocally condemns. The show focuses on individual actions and societal challenges rather than portraying the faith itself as problematic.

Judaism is frequently depicted through characters whose faith is a source of community and resilience, or through communities that are targets of antisemitism. The narrative consistently condemns bigotry against Jewish people, positioning the audience to sympathize with the victimized faith.