The show was SO MUCH BETTER AND LESS PREACHY in the Elliott Stabler Era.
Even though the show was ALREADY starting to go downhill before Christopher Meloni left and was already starting to go down that route where this show's liberal agenda became more and more obvious...it really went of the cliff when Christopher Meloni left and just because turned into the "All White Men Are Evil And BAD AND Women Are NEVER WRONG" TV Show.
Then again, as much as I LOVE the older episodes of this show, BOTH the original Law And Order AND Criminal Intent were still SUPERIOR.