Given the show has been on the air for over 20 years and counting, it has to shake things up to be interesting. [65][66], In May 2009, after the show's tenth season, Hargitay and Meloni's contracts expired when they were reportedly making $375,000[67]$385,000 per episode. After nearly raping Benson, Lewis suddenly changes pace to a game of Russian Roulette, encouraging a handcuffed Benson to play along. Elliot Stabler. When she tries to talk to him about it, however, he becomes defensive and tells her to "back off". In 2021, she got into a car accident and was injured, with her leg broken. Benson takes Munson's children out of the house and Dodds tried to resolve the situation, but Munson shoots Dodds while the latter is trying to take his weapon. Benson is fluent in several languages, such as Italian, Spanish, Russian, and French. Benson's mother, Serena, was an alcoholic who emotionally and physically abused Benson. [19], In season 12, Benson is named the legal guardian of a young boy named Calvin Arliss (Charlie Tahan). (SVU: "Abuse") Benson said she was in love with an older man and that she "couldn't have loved him more." [68] When the thirteenth season was about to air, initial reports indicated that Hargitay would appear in only the first 13 episodes. Privacy Policy. Another Redditor agreed, writing, "I simultaneously didn't want to see it but couldn't turn away. Here's just a few of things she's done. 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". As a mother, Benson is caring and understanding but also strict when she needs to be. (, Benson and Stabler were partners for 13 years, not 12 as commonly referred to. It's all musical chairs, nobody is getting too much time to bond with just one person. In the season 9 episode "Closet", the SVU squad are surprised to find out that Benson has been in a relationship with journalist Kurt Moss (Bill Pullman) for several months. In a later episode, "Intoxicated", Benson mentions being engaged briefly when she was 16 to one of her mother's students; when her mother found out, she broke a bottle of vodka and went after her with it. For more information, please see our [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. 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. Serena died from injuries sustained in a fall in 2000 when she was drunk, which left Benson deeply saddened. He is everything that [my character] Olivia has. "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. 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. Love the series but I can't stand Olivia Benson. 28 Apr 2023 22:20:37 While one fan says, this is second to the episode where she and Stabler go to the swingers club.. The midseason premiere . Law & Order: SVU Season 24 premieres Thursday, September 22 at 9/8c on NBC. 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 . "[26] In an episode in which Stabler goes undercover to catch an animal-smuggling ring, Benson shows up at his house and tries to talk him out of it; when they are interrupted by Stabler's targets, she undresses and pretends to be a prostitute. "When I decided to write the scene of the attempted rape, we just said, 'Well, you know we're going to have to go as close as possible.'" Benson clearly deserves the title; fans watched as she climbed the workplace ladder and tackled any case that came her way for many years. [8], Baer agrees that a romantic relationship between the two is unlikely, though commented: "You never can say never". All police. While Benson has only been portrayed in relationships with men, she has, according to lesbian entertainment website AfterEllen.com, "attracted a large lesbian following". However, Benson and Tucker broke up in 2017 after Tucker planned on retiring, which he convinced Benson to do as well. She has a strong hatred for rapists, domestic and child abusers, pedophiles and child molesters, which she never hides. Now, on Law & Order: SVU, Captain Olivia Benson ( Mariska Hargitay) orders Velasco to bring Chilly (Joseph Castillo-Midyett) to justice. Alongside that, she can read the Miranda Rights in two different languages. Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler Reunited! (SVU: "Blood Out"), When Muncy found a recording of Velasco confessing to murder, she showed Benson the recording, who told Muncy to take a week off as well as to not to respond to any phone calls or texts from Velasco before firmly warning her that if she told Velasco that she or Benson knew about the recording, she would be heavily demoted to a low ranking law enforcement job, which Muncy understood. While Bensler gets out alive in the end, the entire episode keeps fans on the edge of their seat. When she was a detective, her badge number was #4015. 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. One fan loves how out of place Benson looked. I'm negotiating [with him to drop the gun]. After completing her probationary period, Smythe recommended that Benson be transferred to the Sex Crimes Unit (later renamed the Special Victims Unit) because of her talent for dealing with victims. 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. Simon was born and raised in New Jersey, to Joseph Hollister and Sharon Marsden. The detectives learn that underage kids are being offered money and drugs and sexually exploited. She has arrested three of Noah's biological relatives (his parents. ", "Speaking Your Truth: Why Noah Benson's Coming Out Moment on Law & Order: SVU is so Important", "Law & Order: Organized Crime's Stabler Tells Benson He Loves Her (Yes, Really) in Emotional SVU Crossover", "With hot 'Law & Order' squad's focus on sex crime, suddenly everybody's watching the detectives", "Harry Connick Jr. Benson is tough but empathetic,[6] getting emotionally involved in cases. Cragen asks Benson to take the Sergeant's exam following the retirement of Sgt. During the season 15 premiere "Surrender Benson", Lewis makes her watch while he rapes and tortures the mother of his own attorney and kills a police officer who attempted to pull him over. Over the last two decades, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has tackled various taboo subjects. 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. Tito is then shot while filming their conversation, and Lance Kanick then appears on the screen as the murderer. [12], Benson is a graduate of Siena College. 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. In an episode from season 2, Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) went undercover at a rave, which fans recently talked about on Reddit. Here's just a few of things she's done. Fans of the former Chief should stay . At the end of the season 14 finale "Her Negotiation", Benson is kidnapped by serial rapist/murderer William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber). 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. [51], In "Heartfelt Passages", Benson and Mike Dodds, on the latter's last day at SVU, are involved in a hostage situation involving corrupt Rikers Island corrections officer Gary Munson (Brad Garrett) holding his wife hostage. She ultimately joins Stabler's children in staging an intervention for him. As a police squad closes in, Lewis taunts her one last time before committing suicide right in front of her. The midseason finale saw Olivia Benson's ( Mariska Hargitay) son Noah ( Ryan Buggle) disappear from a store on his biological grandma Sheila's ( Brooke Shields) watch. Having overcome a history of abuse and addiction within her family, Detective Lindsay is a compassionate and sensitive character with a knack for connecting with victims and earning their trust. In the episode "PTSD," while investigating the rape and murder of a female Marine, she is pushed against a wall while trying to break up a fight between suspect Master Sergeant Dominic Pruitt (Ryan Kwanten) and Lieutenant Gary Rosten (Dominic Fumusa), who is eventually revealed to be the killer. Of her Emmy win, Hargitay commented: "It makes me only want to be better. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! In "Scorched Earth," we see Benson crumble for a devastating reason: Stabler has left the SVU. He also told the outlet that he still has nightmares about Hargitay's performance in that scene, calling it "so haunting and intense.". [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. Lewis makes her watch while he rapes and tortures the mother of his attorney and kills a police officer who attempted to pull him over. By May 1998, she had received her detective's shield and was assigned to the 16th Precinct as a Detective 3rd Grade,[43] and was partnered with Det. [63] Hargitay trained as a rape crisis advocate to prepare for the role of Benson. The duo, who Wolf believed had the perfect chemistry from the first time he saw them together, were his first choice. The investigation is dropped in "Mood". At the time of the rape, Serena had been working in the cafeteria of Columbia University. [50], Following the events of "Manhattan Transfer", Benson is relieved of her duties as Commanding Officer of SVU, largely due to her (personal) involvement with now-Captain Tucker, who becomes a person of interest in a complex sex trafficking case SVU stumbled upon. I'm actually kind of worried for her.". (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. Cassidy leaves the precinct at the end of that episode. Scan this QR code to download the app now. But it can also be argued that the show might have grown stale if Olivia Benson never moved up. 4. 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. Calvin's mother, Vivian (Maria Bello), abandons him and flees when Benson's investigation uncovers that Vivian (also a child of rape) may have killed her mother's rapist, Walter Burlock (R. Lee Ermey). Benson walks off by herself looking for Jill. 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. (SVU: "Child's Welfare") In 2019, Olivia bumps into Simon after a few years and wanted him to have lunch with her and Noah but died of an overdose. A woman named Lorna Frankel was also complicit in the exploitation of minors and filming it as well. Despite her tenacity, some fans think that Season 23 has Benson on a path toward a mental breakdown from all the current stress she's dealing with. This 2003 look is peak Olivia Benson. Medical Examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) immediately tests Benson and the results come back negative. Benson is well-accustomed to saving kidnapped victims, but in "Surrender Benson," we see the tables turn on our SVU star very dramatically. The following are the medals and service awards worn by then-Sergeant Benson, as seen in "Betrayal's Climax" and "Beast's Obsession". 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. [24] After taking custody of Noah, Benson learns that Noah's biological father is a pimp and serial rapist named John "Johnny D" Drake (Charles Halford), who trafficked, raped and murdered Noah's mother, Ellie Porter (Emma Greenwell). Her career is threatened until Declan Murphy tells the grand jury that he instructed Benson to lie in her press conference, thus clearing her of Lewis' death and possible perjury charges. That night, they end up sleeping together in her apartment. (SVU: "Philadelphia", "Florida") Benson was a graduate of Siena College. Published Oct 9, 2019 Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson has led Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999, and here are some surprising facts about the detective. When the police came to the house after I was raped, The Wife asked when a female detective would be coming. When she returns to the squad room, the detective is shocked to discover Calvin waiting for her. Series creator Dick Wolf named his two lead detectives after his son, Elliot, and his daughter, Olivia. While Benson and Stabler end the episode relatively unscathed, the kidnapper kills a child while the partners protect one another, forcing them to reevaluate their working relationship. Regardless of their disapproval, they still supported Benson with her relationship with Tucker. In "Beast's Obsession", Lewis uses the distraction caused by his (self-induced) cardiac incident to escape from prison. It was a painful, high-stakes scene. Benson wears blue baggy pants, a tank top, multiple necklaces with color in her hair. In "Psycho/Therapist", a visibly injured and still-recovering Lewis fires his new attorney and chooses to represent himself. (SVU: "Trophy", "Rescue", "Missing Pieces"). Even worse: Multiple people die in the fallout, and Benson's partner is injured, forcing him to leave the SVU. 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. Benson and Stabler work together for over 12 years, until Stabler quits SVU in 2011 after he is forced to kill a 16-year-old girl who shot up the SVU squad room. 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. Hargitay's Olivia Benson has been the reigning queen of TV strength and power for more than 17 years. You and this job are about the only things Ive got anymore. According to Dodds, naming Olivia the new captain was one of the conditions to him stepping down. [78] UGO Networks placed "the hard-charging detective" among the "fifty greatest fictional detectives of all time". Williams encourages people to commit heinous acts by questioning their responses to authority. They have a mutual respect for one another. [48] When Murphy returns to undercover work, he appoints her acting commander. Benson has been part of the "Law & Order: SVU" team since the show first aired, so it makes sense that she'd be a fan favorite to this day. Before taking over SVU, Benson worked as an SVU detective and was partnered with Elliot Stabler for over twelve years. Jill has been doing drugs and hanging out on the street. During a heated exchange with Amaro, he pointedly asks her whether she can ever forgive Lewis; she does not answer, and he apologizes. 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. She was still able to work but mainly in the office. He calls Benson as a witness and accuses her of assaulting him because he rejected her sexual advances. Despite her request being denied, a judge granted permanent custody of Noah to Benson after both of Noah's biological parents were killed, with his mother being murdered and his father being shot to death by Amaro in defense after a courtroom shoot off. Benson was violently physically assaulted on the streets one night by gang members in front of a terrified Noah, with the gang members also attempting to murder both her and Noah but failing at this. "[40], The San Francisco Chronicle's John Carman called Hargitay "the show's weakest performer" when the series originally premiered in 1999. 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. Olivia treated Casey worse than dirt. Benson told Tutuola to tell Churlish to see her about a job, eventually hiring Churlish to take the position previously held by Rollins. After 20 seasons and over 400 episodes, SVU fans everywhere cheered when Benson was finally announced as Captain of the SVU. I think Olivia Benson has a lot of good moments that make her a role model for other women. She tries to force her opinions on the victims and witnesses. 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. I think it is a good thing to make teenage girls aware. NBC Insider is your all-access pass to some of your favorite NBC shows. The following are the medals and service awards worn by then-Lieutenant Benson, as seen in "Heartfelt Passages". [10] Benson's mother, Serena (Elizabeth Ashley), an English professor, was an alcoholic who abused Olivia emotionally and physically. In "Beast's Obsession", Lewis uses the distraction caused by his (self-induced) cardiac incident to escape from prison. 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. (. While initially thinking of it, Benson changed her mind about retirement, stating she still had so much work to do, resulting in her and Tucker breaking up due to their differences in near future life aspirations. When a judge denies the Marsdens custody of their children, Simon panics and kidnaps them. ", Another fan named u/hannahsflora similarly wrote: "Honestly, it's long overdue that they explore this a bit more with her. Later that season, in the episode "Undercover Blue", it is revealed that Cassidy and Benson had been seeing each other for quite some time. This was exemplified when she interrogated a man until he confessed to a crime which he was later found to be innocent of and sending him to prison for life, which could have been avoided if she was thinking clearly enough to check on the evidence. The two women get into a life-threatening car crash, which causes Kathy to go into labor prematurely. Benson is a fan-favorite character and was described by the show's technical advisor, producer, and writer Amanda Green as "the wish fulfillment of every victim, someone who believes you, who you can trust, who has empathy and a heart the size of Chicago" (via Jezebel). She is the longest-running character in the, Benson is one of two main characters in the, Benson has been assaulted more than any other main character in the, She has had more on-screen promotions than any other main character in the. (SVU: "Savior"), Olivia is appointed Calvin Arliss' legal guardian too, but her legal guardian rights were then terminated by Calvin's mother through his paternal grandparents. Benson has been assaulted a large number of times on the job but is usually able to bounce back with little to no injuries. Benson appeared in Comcast's list of TV's Most Intriguing Characters and also in the website's list of TV's Top Cops. [27], Benson takes it hard when Stabler resigns from SVU (offscreen) in the 13th season opener, "Scorched Earth", and takes a while to warm up to her new partner, Nick Amaro. As TV's longest-running detective, Benson has been through it. When he taunts her, she loses control and beats him within an inch of his life with an iron rod. 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. They have a brief, quietly emotional conversation in which Benson tells him how hurt she was over the way he left SVU. People ask me if they'll ever get togetherand people want that, and sometimes I think even Olivia wants thatbut I don't think that will ever happen. [39] She returns to work in the following episode, "Imprisoned Lives", which takes place two months later, but is still haunted by the experience. For the first 12 seasons of the show, she is partnered with Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni); after he resigns (offscreen) at the beginning of season 13, she is partnered with Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) until season 15, where Benson becomes the commanding officer of Manhattan SVU; first as Sergeant, then Lieutenant, and finally Captain. (SVU: "Smut"). She is also able to read the Miranda rights in two or three other languages. Surrender Benson: Directed by Michael Smith. During one case, Stabler noticed that Benson was bothered by a case involving stolen embryos and tried to mention bringing up having a child, which bothered and irritated Benson. By the end of the episode, she breaks up with Moss. Here's why some people think a Benson scene from the episode "Undercover" went too far. But no task is too much for Benson to handle: She takes matters into her own hands (literally) by delivering the baby. In "Psycho/Therapist", Lewis fires his new attorney and chooses to represent himself. [47] Benson remains in command until Lieutenant Declan Murphy (Donal Logue) takes over the squad; he makes her his second-in-command. A rape victim does not want to press charges or have a medical exam. She was best when paired with a strong male partner. Also she believes she has a very high moral compass therefore anyone who doesn't agree with her point is wrong. Even worse? With more than 30 years in Hollywood, Mariska Hargitay's plastic surgery opinions have changed over time. Captain Olivia Margaret "Liv" Benson (born February 7, 1968) is the commanding officer of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. Paternity is packed with action, both emotionally and physically, for all the SVU characters. Benson's long-time partner and best friend leaves without notice; she receives the surprising news at work. As other "Law & Order: SVU" fans have noted, Benson has shown signs of breaking down previously. In the season 23 episode "Burning With Rage Forever", Noah comes out to Benson as bisexual after standing up to a bully who is picking on him and a non-binary classmate. Hargitay nails her performance of Benson, approaching each survivor with vulnerability and tenderness while also holding each criminal accountable with resilient ferocity. Benson had wanted Detective Fin Tutuola as her second-in-command, but Dodds arranges for the politically unsavvy Benson to be assigned a Sergeant who does know how to play the game his own son, Mike (Andy Karl). At the end of the episode, after Rosten is imprisoned, Benson apologizes to Pruitt, admitting that she was a victim of sexual assault. Both Calvin and Benson are devastated by the separation. Hargitay has said that Connick, who is a friend of hers, improved the show to a more romantic advanced stance. When he taunts her that she doesn't "have the balls" to kill him, she loses control and beats him within an inch of his life with an iron rod. Cragen gets five days taken off his vacation for punishment for the way the case was handled. In season 1, Benson has a drunken one-night stand with one of her SVU colleagues, Detective Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters). She investigates sexual offenses such as rape and child sexual abuse. When Sheila attacks her, Benson subdues her, arrests her, and takes Noah home. That hair and outfit was a hot mess even by 2000s standards.. However, he lied for her, as he had not actually been with her in the same room at the time.[42]. 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. Kelli Giddish is set to return to both SVU and OC as Amanda Rollins . Casting for the lead characters on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit occurred in spring 1999. We know that people are into the Alex-Olivia thing. In the episode "Hunting Ground", she decides to take it slow with Haden, claiming she needs time to see if their relationship will last. Olivia did all she could to get Casey fired. Assistant District Attorneys: Alexandra Cabot Casey Novak Kim Greylek Rafael Barba Peter Stone Dominick Carisi, Jr. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). The character first appeared in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit pilot episode, "Payback", which aired September 20, 1999. At one point, Williams convinces Stabler (and the audience) that Benson has been kidnapped and is strapped to an electric chair. Sometimes, she goes too far helping victims, particularly in her first year in the Special Victims Unit, which sometimes lands her in trouble. Other fans seemed to agree with the OP's thesis. Benson holds the rank and pay-grade of Captain and is the Commanding Officer of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, which operates out of the 16th Precinct. When Lewis does not release the girl, Benson tracks him down and surrenders to him. As a result, Benson breaks up with Tucker at the end of the episode "Chasing Theo". Simon, whom she found by illegally running her DNA through the system, was a suspect in a rape case. She often worries about how Noah will turn out due to his biological parents dodgy past as criminals but is frequently reassured that he will turn out fine due to her great parenting and having custody of Noah since he was a baby. I dont want to wreck that. It's a dramatic and perfectly-acted episode, with Hargitay's performance at the forefront. Photo : NBC Season 1, Episode 1 Can you believe SVU has been on almost two decades? Before adopting Noah, Benson wished for a child but due to her career which gave her lack of time for relationships, she was unable to ever conceive a child. Simon is reluctant, but Benson tells him that the deal is better than his daughter visiting him in jail. I think that the average lifespan of an SVU detective is four years because of the difficulty and stress involved. It's always thrilling when an SVU episode features a celebrity guest star, but Robin Williams knocked his episode out of the park. Benson fought back, kicked her mother twice, hard, and ran out of the house. Benson appears on five episodes of Law & Order, one episode of Law & Order: Trial by Jury, three episodes of Chicago P.D. [23], Lt. Ed Tucker (Robert John Burke), representing 1 Police Plaza, asks Benson to take the Lieutenant's exam in order to officially take command of SVU before the NYPD appoints another officer to the position. There have been a number of episodes ofLaw & Order: SVUwhere the detectives have needed to go undercover. [71], Since 2012, Hargitay earns approximately $400,000[72] to $500,000 per episode. 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. Later, Benson helps convict Harris by questioning his earlier victim about distinguishing features on his penis, prompting the victim to recall a mole on it, which Benson later explains to medical examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) that she had also seen. She later confided in Stabler that she had tried to adopt a child years ago but due to her career, her request to adopt was denied. The victim has only 15 hours of air from an oxygen tank, and the clock isticking.