The iconic TV show Sydney Sweeney would watch forever: “I have seen every episode multiple times”
Although they used to exist as completely separate entities, the line between film and television has begun to disappear due to adjustments within the streaming era.
Where films traditionally were considered to be more prestigious and important, television shows like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad showed that the small screen, too, could host incredible acting, writing, and directing. Even big-budget spectacles, which would traditionally be reserved for summer blockbusters, can now be seen on television thanks to massive shows like The Last of Us and Fallout.
What is considered a cinematic or a streaming release is also hotly contested, especially when ‘Best Picture’-nominated films like Marriage Story, The Power of the Dog, and Maestro are only available in limited theaters before becoming more widely available on Netflix; conversely, some television shows like Stranger Things and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power have debuted key episodes on the big screen.
Even if the formats have become interchangeable, there is a cultural perception of the differences between the two, given that being a ‘movie star’ is considered to be more significant, and Sydney Sweeney is the latest example of a prominent actress on television who hasn’t quite been able to make the transition to the big screen.
Sweeney earned significant acclaim for her dramatic performances in shows like Euphoria, The White Lotus, and The Handmaid’s Tale, but her film roles have left something to be desired, with 2025 alone seeing her starring in independent films Christy, Americana, and Eden, all of which were massive bombs.
Although she managed to headline a hit with this winter’s The Housemaid, it’s unclear if her name should be credited for the film’s performance, considering that it was already based on a popular novel with an established fanbase.
Sticking with television might not be a bad thing for Sweeney, as she has admitted to being a massive fan of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a show that has been on the air for 27 seasons.
“I have seen every single episode multiple times,” she said, adding that she enjoyed seasons eight to 20 the most. “They have the most iconic cast, and I think those are probably some of the best seasons, but I still love the recent ones, too.”
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit may not be considered prestige in the way that something like Euphoria or The White Lotus are, but it’s certainly pulled in far greater viewership. A show does not manage to air for nearly three decades if it does not have a passionate following, and fans like Sweeney have allowed it to become one of the most popular procedural shows of all time.
What’s fascinating about the young actor’s affection for the show is how radically different it is from anything that she has appeared in; while there has been a four-year gap between seasons two and three of Euphoria, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit manages to put out an entire season’s worth of 22 episodes on a yearly basis. Whether that type of working schedule would be appealing to Sweeney remains to be seen, but if she has a few more big flops, she might be in need of a job where there’s a reliable degree of consistency.
