Benson makes the call to request a new partner, saying, We both chose each other over the job. So it is with Olivia Benson, star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a character encompassing tragedy, triumph, and everything in between. However, Benson recoiled, stating that she wants to kiss her but she is scared that if they entered a romantic relationship with each other, it won't work out. Reddit user u/okonthefarm also noted that Mariska Hargitay herself is "a dedicated advocate for mental health," which makes the possibility of Benson addressing her mental health struggles a lot more likely from our point of view. Sometimes, she goes too far helping victims, particularly in her first year in the Special Victims Unit, which sometimes lands her in trouble. Hargitay nails her performance of Benson, approaching each survivor with vulnerability and tenderness while also holding each criminal accountable with resilient ferocity. (SVU: "Prodigy"), Benson found out about the man who raped her mother and others. She ultimately joins Stabler's children in staging an intervention for him. Her decision making skills as commanding officer have been suspect at best. Ed Tucker (Robert John Burke) of Internal Affairs. Cragen retired, due to hitting the mandatory age cap to do so, and groomed Mariska Hartigay's Olivia Benson to take the Sergeant's Exam and fill the role herself. With the death of Simon, her only known living biological relative is her niece Olivia Marsden. Benson is forced to kill a suspect on four separate occasions during her tenure on the show: in season 1's "Disrobed", she shoots and kills domestic abuser Roger Silver (Jack Gwaltney) in self-defense during a hostage situation; in season 3's "Wrath", serial killer Eric Plummer (Justin Kirk) commits suicide by cop by attacking a woman and forcing Benson to shoot him; in season 18's "Next Chapter", she shoots and kills rapist (and retired corrections officer) Tom Cole (Chris Bauer) during a hostage situation when Cole attacks her SVU colleague Detective Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino); and in season 23's "Silent Night, Hateful Night", she shoots and kills white supremacist Robert Paul Byers (Michael Laurence) to stop him from detonating a bomb in Washington Square Park. Afterward, Benson developed a severe case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but has been receiving counseling for the assault and has been seen dealing with it more constructively. Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime are on the verge of what could be the biggest multi-part event in the L&O universe since the three-parter that opened the 2022-2023 TV season (which Hugh Dancy addressed as a possible answer to a question about next fall). I have to step it up. Cookies help us deliver our Services. (SVU: "Trophy", "Rescue", "Missing Pieces"). Hargitay has deemed the storyline which saw Benson find her paternal family "probably the biggest thing that's ever happened to Olivia". As a police squad closes in, Lewis shoots himself in the head right in front of her, while making it look like she killed him in cold blood. Although Benson is typically the one solving cases and consoling victims, she's found herself in danger several times over the show's run. Cookies help us deliver our Services. From what I've seen it's kinda like she's a professional victim. "[74] In 2001, Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker criticized Benson and Stabler as "the most naive, bleeding heart molester busters in America. [28] In the Season 22 episode "Return of the Prodigal Son", Benson and Stabler see each other again for the first time in 10 years when Stabler's wife Kathy (Isabel Gillies) is severely injured in a car bombing apparently meant for Stabler. Benson helps Lowe accept responsibility for what he did, and he pleads guilty to sexual misconduct to spare his victim the trauma of a trial. The character first appeared in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit pilot episode, "Payback", which aired September 20, 1999. While one fan says, this is second to the episode where she and Stabler go to the swingers club.. Hargitay remains the only original cast member still present on the series. She claims to be on the victims side but she's not, she's a despicable person. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The NBC App is the best place to catch up on the most recent season of your favorite shows, watch live TV, and stream movies. "The show is very fortunate to have Harry's extraordinary talent, and I'm lucky because I get to work with my friend. They told her there wasn't one. Olivia Benson is the boss. [71], Since 2012, Hargitay earns approximately $400,000[72] to $500,000 per episode. Bensler Get Steamy and Almost Kiss | NBCs Law & Order: SVU, Season 15, Episode 1 ("Surrender Benson"), Season 15, Episode 20 ("Beast's Obsession"), Season 16, Episode 23 ("Surrendering Noah"), Season 21, Episode 1 ("I'm Going to Make You a Star"), Season 24 premieres Thursday, September 22. For more information, please see our She will do anything to help someone, even if that means putting herself in danger. While there, the corrections officer in question, Captain Lowell Harris (Johnny Messner), attacks her and attempts to force her to perform oral sex on him. Elliot Stabler. A place to discuss one of the greatest TV Dramas, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. "I wanted [Benson] to go undercover because I thought there's no way to fully see and understand this problem unless you experience it," he continued. He once tried to call her but got Serena instead. With Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, Kelli Giddish, Richard Belzer. It was rumored that NBC threatened to replace Hargitay and Meloni if they persisted in their demands. Even worse: Multiple people die in the fallout, and Benson's partner is injured, forcing him to leave the SVU. "[8], Born February 7, 1968, Benson was conceived by her mother's rape. I think it is a good thing that we are shedding light on darkness. [10] In the season 13 episode "Child's Welfare", Simon reveals to Benson that he is planning to marry a woman named Tracy (Nicole Beharie), with whom he has a daughter and a stepson; he named his daughter Olivia after Benson. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. As other "Law & Order: SVU" fans have noted, Benson has shown signs of breaking down previously. In an interview with Jezebel reflecting on the most controversial episodes of "SVU," writer Mark Goffman explained that "Undercover" was a challenge to create. She is rescued by SVU colleague Fin Tutuola (Ice-T), who gets there just in time to stop Harris from raping her. At one point in his life, Simon was nearly killed when his father lost . Simon makes his way into her life again in 2012, this time with a family of his own, including a daughter he named Olivia after her aunt. If watching Benson get kidnapped, escape, and then go through the grueling William Lewis trial wasn't hard enough, SVU threw fans another wrench with the episode "Beast's Obsession." It is later revealed that Lewis survived and is in prison awaiting trial. Drake sues for custody as a ploy to get out of prison, imperiling Benson's chances of adopting Noah. 28 Apr 2023 22:20:37 Dodds suffers a stroke after surgery and dies. But it can also be argued that the show might have grown stale if Olivia Benson never moved up. Murphy then makes Benson his second-in-command until he got transferred out for a undercover assignment. Olivia briefly and unfortunately dates reporter Nick Ganzner (Tom McCarthy) in Season 1, who she dumps after he tries to get her to act out a rape fantasy. On the "Law & Order: SVU" subreddit, a fan writing under the handleu/Brizbizz22 listed out the reasons they think Benson will soon reach a breaking point: "Kat and Garland leaving the squad and [Benson] becoming short staffed; Her conflict with chief McGrath; All the L's they've taken on cases so far when it comes to the victims; Everything between her and Elliot. We know that people are into the Alex-Olivia thing. Despite pushback from the network and some viewers believing that the episode goes too far, the team behind it knew they had done their research and found a story they wanted to tell without holding back(via Jezebel). With the premiere of season 21, Hargitay's Benson became the longest running prime-time live-action character of all time, surpassing the record held by Gunsmoke's Marshall Matt Dillon and Kelsey Grammer's character Frasier Crane from Cheers and Frasier, as well as Belzers John Munch, who was a regular character for 22 seasons (7 on Homicide: Life on the Street and 15 on SVU).[3][4]. She battles evil, avenges her mother, faces her demons but refuses to date them. When the police came to the house after I was raped, The Wife asked when a female detective would be coming. I dont want to wreck that. It's a dramatic and perfectly-acted episode, with Hargitay's performance at the forefront. Simon, whom she found by illegally running her DNA through the system, was a suspect in a rape case. But Stabler spots her first, calling out her name, and she runs. Another Redditor agreed, writing, "I simultaneously didn't want to see it but couldn't turn away. Cragen asks Benson to take the Sergeant's exam following the retirement of Sgt. That's why they work so well together. At the end of the season 14 finale "Her Negotiation", Benson is kidnapped by serial rapist/murderer William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber). Hargitay's Olivia Benson has been the reigning queen of TV strength and power for more than 17 years. [70] However, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt later clarified that she would be in every episode of the season. Stay tuned for future episodes of "Law & Order: SVU" to see how Benson copes with the pressures of her intense job. Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler Reunited! Paternity is packed with action, both emotionally and physically, for all the SVU characters. (SVU: "Wanderlust") Benson once told Casey Novak about an incident when she was 16, an older student of her mother asked her to marry him and when she told Serena that she was leaving, her mother who had been drinking flew into a rage and went after her with a broken bottle. She tries to force her opinions on the victims and witnesses. Other fans seemed to agree with the OP's thesis. There were plans for Benson to leave the series halfway during, Season 2: "They'll Have to Go Through Me" "The Number of Rats", Season 3: "The Song of Gregory Williams Yates". [8] Her assessment is that: Sometimes it's very much like brother and sister, and I think the reason that they're so close is that they share a passion for their jobs and for the people. Casting for the lead characters on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit occurred in spring 1999. NBC. Cassidy leaves the precinct at the end of that episode. They have a mutual respect for one another. Joins SVU as Love Interest for Mariska Hargitay, and Other Updates From NBC", "Emmy and Grammy Award-Winning Harry Connick Jr. to Guest-Star in NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit", "Law & Order SVU Mariska Hargitay & Harry Connick Jr", "Madman brutalizes Olivia Benson as 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' returns", "Mariska Hargitay on the positive effect of 'Law & Order', "Maternity Leave Looms for Mariska Hargitay", "Law & Order: SVU Scoop: Hargitay Inks New Deal, Jennifer Love Hewitt May Succeed Her", "Review - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)", "America's ideal female television character is Olivia Benson", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Olivia_Benson&oldid=1152009833, Patrol Officer, NYPD 55th Precinct (1992)16th Precinct (1993), Junior Detective, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (May 1998May 18, 2011), Senior Detective, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (September 21, 2011 January 15, 2014), Acting Commanding Officer (Sergeant), NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (January 22, 2014 April 9, 2014), SergeantSupervisor Detective Squad, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (April 9, 2014 May 21, 2014), Acting Commanding Officer (Sergeant), NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (May 21, 2014 October 7, 2015), LieutenantCommander Detective Squad, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (October 7, 2015 September 26, 2019), Captain, Commanding Officer, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (September 26, 2019Present), Detective, NYPD Computer Crimes Unit (May 2, 2006 May 9, 2006), Undercover operative, FBI Domestic Terrorism Unit (September 19, 2006 October 31, 2006), Special Deputy United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York (October 6, 2010), Public Relations Officer, NYPD One Police Plaza (Public Relations) (March 2, 2016 March 23, 2016), "Not Your Father's Organized Crime" (April 8, 2021), "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" (April 22, 2021), "Forget It Jake; It's Chinatown" (June 3, 2021), "The Outlaw Eddie Wagner" (September 30, 2021), "The Good, The Bad, and The Lovely" (October 14, 2021), "The Christmas Episode" (December 9, 2021), "Gimme Shelter Part One" (September 22, 2022), This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 16:18. Fans Debate 'Law & Order: SVU' Promotion. [37][38], In the season 9 episode "Undercover", Benson poses as an inmate in a women's prison to investigate an alleged rape by a corrections officer. The SVU keeps the frightened child on the line in their attempts to track her location. In "Manhattan Transfer", they are forced to confirm their relationship when Tucker is accused by his own cousin, a priest of being complicit with a sex trafficking ring that has ties to Vice and the Catholic Church. Following Stabler's departure at the end of the 12th season after a deadly shootout in the precinct, she is partnered with Detective Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) and becomes the senior member. As commanding officer, Benson has worked cases frequently with each of the detectives under her command: Tutuola, Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) as of 2021. In the middle of season 13, Benson enters into a relationship with a new prosecutor to the District Attorney's Office, Executive ADA David Haden (Harry Connick Jr.). While Bensler gets out alive in the end, the entire episode keeps fans on the edge of their seat. She follows the victim to her apartment, which is already way out of line, and argues with her to come back to the hospital and get a rape kit done. He knew about his daughter and kept track of her. When Lewis does not release the girl, Benson tracks him down and surrenders to him. Most of the time, Benson is running through the streets of NYC to track down the bad guys. After nearly raping Benson, Lewis suddenly changes pace to a game of Russian Roulette, encouraging a handcuffed Benson to play along. Here's just a few of things she's done. Haden and Benson begin their relationship at the end of the episode, "Official Story". Meloni and Hargitay had auditioned in the final round together and after the actors left, there was a moment of dead silence, after which Wolf blurted out, "Oh well. The detectives find Jill, but she is already dead from an overdose. She used her badge to get access to the hospital sign-in sheet to figure out the victims name and then confronts the 14 year old rape victim at her school. For more than 17 years, Mariska Hargitay has played the most badass detective in recent memory on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Before taking over SVU, Benson worked as an SVU detective and was partnered with Elliot Stabler for over twelve years. Starting in 1999, Benson and Stabler were official partners at the Special Victims Unit for over 12 years, until Stabler's abrupt departure at the end of Season 12 in 2011. The following are the medals and service awards worn by then-Sergeant Benson, as seen in "Betrayal's Climax" and "Beast's Obsession". In "Post-Mortem Blues", she is brought before a grand jury to explain her admission and Lewis' death. Regardless of their disapproval, they still supported Benson with her relationship with Tucker. Benson is deeply sympathetic to victims of sex crimes and as a result, she is often quick to believe victims' stories. For the male role Stabler the finalists were Tim Matheson, John Slattery, and Christopher Meloni. She investigates sexual offenses such as rape and child sexual abuse. Benson wears blue baggy pants, a tank top, multiple necklaces with color in her hair. Most of Season 15 follows Lewis' trial until he escapes from prison and kidnaps a 12-year-old. Benson frequently mentions Stabler in both a professional and personal context; she tells the squad's newer detectives what Stabler would do in a given situation, and says more than once that she is "getting over someone". [7] Executive producer and head writer Neal Baer has explained that Benson is "the empathetic, passionate voice for these victims,"[8] in contrast to Stabler, who embodies "the rage we feel, the 'How can this happen?' Tucker is eventually cleared, and he continues his relationship with Benson. When Kathy dies of her injuries, however, Benson puts her resentment aside to help her grieving friend get justice for his late wife. Benson's mother, Serena, was an alcoholic who emotionally and physically abused Benson. Benson appears on five episodes of Law & Order, one episode of Law & Order: Trial by Jury, three episodes of Chicago P.D. Lewis is found guilty of kidnapping and assaulting a police officer, but the jury voices doubts about Benson's story and acquits him of attempted rape. Hargitay has characterized Benson and Stabler's relationship as "very complicated". With his hostage watching, Lewis at first attempts to rape Benson, but changes his mind when she refuses to show him fear; instead, he forces her to play Russian roulette with him. In "Scorched Earth," we see Benson crumble for a devastating reason: Stabler has left the SVU. In 2019, she was promoted to Captain by Deputy Chief William Dodds. After her legal guardian rights were terminated, she is shown to still have kept in contact with Calvin, since he came over to New York on Halloween to see Olivia. All police. [5] Wolf conceived Benson as a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crimes. A 13-year-old girl raped by her stepfather and who has no support is not in a good place to have a baby and Olivia should not be lying about how great it'll be when she's an adult with the means to take care of Noah. Benson was partnered with Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), serving as the junior member of the pair. The Benson Moment On Law & Order: SVU That Went Too Far. It's always thrilling when an SVU episode features a celebrity guest star, but Robin Williams knocked his episode out of the park. (SVU: "King Of The Moon"). She is also able to read the Miranda rights in two or three other languages. Comments in the episode "Disrobed" imply that the relationship continued. Benson is always the first to throw herself in the line of fire in the name of justice. But in real life, outside of the NYPD's SVU squad, actor Peter Gallagher, who plays Chief Dodds, is leaving the show because he recently "got a pilot that went to series," according to showrunner Warren Leight. (. Olivia was born in 1968 as the product of the rape of Serena Benson in the spring of 1967 by a food salesman named Joseph Hollister, who later committed suicide. That night, they end up sleeping together in her apartment. Benson holds a press conference and admits that she lied on the witness stand. An underage girl named Jill Foster (Kelly Karbacz) ran away from home, and she happens to be the daughter of Sergeant Frank Foster (Dan Ziskie) from the Brooklyn Narcotics division who Captain Cragen (Dann Florek) knows very well. It was a painful, high-stakes scene. In the season 5 episode "Lowdown", it is revealed Benson had a relationship with a murder victim who turned out to be gay and HIV positive. The cops track down every lead, and Tito helps them along the way. But it does show how far she is willing to go to help her victims. But no worries: The action-packed episode has a surprisingly lovely ending with Benson officially adopting her son, Noah. [23] Although the year is rocky due to Noah's health issues and the demands of her job, Benson grows to love Noah and begins formal adoption proceeedings a year later. Like, read the room, dude! This 2003 look is peak Olivia Benson. Simon was born and raised in New Jersey, to Joseph Hollister and Sharon Marsden. Aside from its exciting storylines and action-packed episodes, "Law & Order: SVU" has undoubtedly remained so popular over the years thanks to its amazing cast. [68] When the thirteenth season was about to air, initial reports indicated that Hargitay would appear in only the first 13 episodes. In "Undercover", she went undercover in a women's prison to find a rapist and was almost raped herself until Detective Odafin Tutuola, also undercover there as a guard in the facility, managed to save her just moments before the man (a fellow guard) could violate her. Vivian names Benson as Calvin's legal guardian. [13] While there, she held a membership in a sorority. She is promoted to Detective 2nd Grade in 2001, and Detective 1st Grade in 2011. A rape victim does not want to press charges or have a medical exam. She was born on February 7, 1968, which would make her 55 as of 2023. Olivia did all she could to get Casey fired. Benson is forced to keep Stabler, who is now working in Rome in an organized crime task force, out of the investigation. When Warner asks Benson if she had been raped, she replies, "It was the closest I've ever come.". (SVU: "Intoxicated"), Senior Detectives: Elliot Stabler John Munch Odafin Tutuola Olivia Benson Amanda Rollins, Junior Detectives: Olivia Benson Monique Jeffries Odafin Tutuola Chester Lake Amanda Rollins Nick Amaro Dominick Carisi, Jr. Katriona Tamin Joe Velasco Grace Muncy, Squad Supervisors: John Munch Olivia Benson Odafin Tutuola, Commanding Officers: Donald Cragen Olivia Benson Christian Garland. He also told the outlet that he still has nightmares about Hargitay's performance in that scene, calling it "so haunting and intense.". Simon sought her help in keeping his family intact but this failed. When Lowe is accused of taking advantage of several young women, Benson gradually comes to believe that despite its consensual nature, their relationship was actually sexual abuse, due to the power differential and age difference. Benson has been assaulted a large number of times on the job but is usually able to bounce back with little to no injuries. Olivia Benson can't catch a break in Season 23. Here's just a few of things she's done. (SVU: "Intersection"), When Velasco came in for work and asked Benson what case they were investigating, Benson coldly replied they were investigating him, giving him a dirty look before walking away from him, who looked stunned. In the season 14 premiere, Benson shares a kiss with Cassidy after she tells him she is not the same person from 13 years before, when they had a brief sexual relationship. While a dedicated officer, Benson is more likely to go to bat for women she deals with during cases than men and has shown skepticism during cases where women are the offenders and men are the victims, or allows her sympathy for the victim to cloud her judgment and make her commit actions without thinking. In "Chicago Crossover" and "They'll Have to Go Through Me", Benson strikes up a friendship with Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) of the Chicago Police Department, despite their differing methodologies when it comes to solving crime. One of the conditions of the reduced charges is that he must give up his custody petition and agree to visit his daughter only in a supervised setting for the next three years. She is condescending to victims and witnesses. 28 Apr 2023 01:56:54 A woman named Lorna Frankel was also complicit in the exploitation of minors and filming it as well. Throughout Benson's long history on "Law & Order: SVU," she's faced tons of obstacles, from tracking down deranged serial killers to dealing with personal loss. At the end of the season 19 premiere "Gone Fishin'", Benson learns that she is being investigated by the DA's office on suspicions of abusing Noah. A man named Tito (Sean Nelson), a journalist, filmed her speaking to him. He calls Benson as a witness and accuses her of assaulting him because he rejected her sexual advances. Hargitay has said that Connick, who is a friend of hers, improved the show to a more romantic advanced stance. After Velasco was cleared of all charges, Tutuola firmly told him that he didn't have to show any of his loyalty to him or Churlish but to Benson. When Captain Cragen (Dann Florek) said his final farewell on "Law & Order: SVU" last week, Benson was promoted to sergeant and is now the acting commanding officer until a new captain arrives. Sergeant Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) then discovered a live streaming service for pedophiles and club that provides on-demand requests, while Lindsay discovered that her estranged half . Benson is completely accepting, and tells Noah she is proud of him for standing up for himself and his friend.[25].
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