Benson is always the first to throw herself in the line of fire in the name of justice. In subsequent seasons, Lewis' name becomes a kind of code for an intensely dangerous situation, and Benson admits that her trauma and ordeal with him will always be a part of her. As a mother, Benson is caring and understanding but also strict when she needs to be. In "Scorched Earth," we see Benson crumble for a devastating reason: Stabler has left the SVU. [52], Benson is promoted to Captain in the episode "I'm Going to Make You a Star", the final act of Deputy Chief Dodds before his transfer to Staten Island.[53]. The appointment is for a trial period of one year, with the option to apply for legal adoption at the end of that period. 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. According to Dodds, naming Olivia the new captain was one of the conditions to him stepping down. In "911," the episode that earned Hargitay an Emmy, Benson is forced to stay on the phone after a kidnapped child calls 9-1-1. He then holds her hostage for four days, burning her with cigarettes and wire hangers. One of the most controversial episodes of "SVU" came in Season 9, with Benson and Detective Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) going undercover at a women's prison to investigate rape allegations against a male corrections officer. NBC. Series creator Dick Wolf named his two lead detectives after his son, Elliot, and his daughter, Olivia. What It Could Mean For The Organized Crime Crossover. In 2021, she got into a car accident and was injured, with her leg broken. Benson goes to Sheila's cabin in Franconia, New Hampshire to rescue Noah. "[74] In 2001, Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker criticized Benson and Stabler as "the most naive, bleeding heart molester busters in America. Murphy then makes Benson his second-in-command up until his transfer to an undercover assignment. Olivia Benson has caught and prosecuted more rapists in 25yrs than any RL detective. [5] Wolf conceived Benson as a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crimes. She tries to force her opinions on the victims and witnesses. It is later revealed that Lewis survived and is in jail awaiting trial. In "Post-Mortem Blues", she is brought before a grand jury to explain her admission and Lewis' death. The victim has only 15 hours of air from an oxygen tank, and the clock isticking. He again rejects Benson's attempt to help him, but first blurts out that he loves her in front of his children.[30][31]. In "Contrapasso", her lawyer Trevor Langan (Peter Hermann, Hargitay's real-life husband) returns to tell her that Noah has a grandmother, Sheila Porter (Brooke Shields), Ellie's mother. I think Olivia couldn't have asked for a better companion to take her through a new stage in her life and career." The late comedian takes a horrific turn as an audio engineer with a passion for opposing authority figures, leading Benson and Stabler on a wild game of cat-and-mouse. Benson holds a press conference and admits that she lied on the witness stand. 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. Assistant District Attorneys: Alexandra Cabot Casey Novak Kim Greylek Rafael Barba Peter Stone Dominick Carisi, Jr. After Elliot's resignation, Benson partnered primarily with Nick Amaro before she became a sergeant and took over the SVU unit from Captain Donald Cragen. Vivian revokes Benson's guardianship, and sends Calvin to live with his grandparents in Vermont. My friend did this, but I didn't do it because of Olivia.' With more than 30 years in Hollywood, Mariska Hargitay's plastic surgery opinions have changed over time. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! She subsequently breaks up the fight by holding her weapon to the back of Pruitt's head. The team tracks the culprit down, but while they have him in the interrogation room, they learn that his latest victim is buried alive. During the 15th season, Benson is promoted to sergeant and appointed as squad supervisor in the wake of the retirement of Sergeant John Munch (Richard Belzer). some of the most memorable moments of the show, Benson's long history on "Law & Order: SVU,". (SVU: "Trophy", "Rescue", "Missing Pieces"). 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. Hargitay's Olivia Benson has been the reigning queen of TV strength and power for more than 17 years. 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. As TV's longest-running detective, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) has been through the wringer more than a few times. (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 2014, after the Season 15 finale, Benson becomes the court-appointed custodial guardian of Noah Porter, an orphaned baby who she rescued from child pornographers. Alongside that, she can read the Miranda Rights in two different languages. A place to discuss one of the greatest TV Dramas, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Fans Debate 'Law & Order: SVU' Promotion. [13] While there, she held a membership in a sorority. 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). [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. "This is a home run on so many levels," she said. (SVU: "King Of The Moon"). Nobody messes with Olivia Bensonor her hair, for that matter. 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. It's the classic Benson bob, a little pop of color from the shirt, but otherwise all business. At one point in his life, Simon was nearly killed when his father lost . Drake sues for custody as a ploy to get out of prison, imperiling Benson's chances of adopting Noah. When Kathy dies of her injuries, however, Benson puts her resentment aside to help her grieving friend get justice for his late wife. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Olivia never visited her mother's grave, until a case left her shook (SVU: "Hammered"). Regardless of their disapproval, they still supported Benson with her relationship with Tucker. As a sergeant, her badge number was #01139. Her career is threatened until SVU's temporary commanding officer, Lt. Declan Murphy (Donal Logue), tells the grand jury that he instructed Benson to lie in her press conference, thus clearing her of Lewis' death and possible perjury charges. They nevertheless remain on good terms, especially after Benson gives him the courage to testify against Gary Dolan (William Sadler), the man who sexually abused him as a child.[36]. [73], Hargitay has won a number of awards for her role as Benson: 'Individual Achievement for Best Female Lead' and 'Outstanding Female Lead' Gracie Awards in 2004 and 2009 respectively, an Emmy for 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series' in 2006, a Prism Award for 'Performance in a Drama Series Episode' in 2006, and a Golden Globe for 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series' in 2005. [12], Benson is a graduate of Siena College. He then beats and tortures her, burning her with cigarettes and wire hangers, and holds her hostage for four days. Meeting Velasco in public, Benson sternly chastised Velasco for his unprofessional interrogation methods before telling him that it was not to happen again, which Velasco understood. In 2019, she was promoted to Captain by Deputy Chief William Dodds. She was born on February 7, 1968, which would make her 55 as of 2023. 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. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. She claims to be on the victims side but she's not, she's a despicable person. (SVU: "Payback") Serena was worried about Benson working in the Special Victims Unit. Of her Emmy win, Hargitay commented: "It makes me only want to be better. Cragen asks Benson to take the Sergeant's exam following the retirement of Sgt. ", Another fan named u/hannahsflora similarly wrote: "Honestly, it's long overdue that they explore this a bit more with her. Olivia Benson can't catch a break in Season 23. Olivia tries to track her down but discovers she's gone missing. Benson makes the call to request a new partner, saying, We both chose each other over the job. While one fan says, this is second to the episode where she and Stabler go to the swingers club.. Benson fought back, kicked her mother twice, hard, and ran out of the house. At the end of the season 14 finale "Her Negotiation", Benson is kidnapped by serial rapist/murderer William Lewis. She later identifies with a woman named Sarah Walsh who, like her, was sexually assaulted twice and helps both her and herself in dealing with these incidents. 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. Elliot Stabler. They toyed with going down this road with Olivia before in an earlier season when it was implied she was developing a drinking problem. Now in its 21st season, NBC's Law & Order: SVU has passed several significant milestones. [7] In 2006, however, fellow San Francisco Chronicle writer Jean Gonick deemed Benson a suitable role model for teenage girls, calling her "courageous and strong, and unspeakably gorgeous",[74] and writing that "Olivia Benson is our own special hero. Benson is forced to keep Stabler, who is now working in Rome in an organized crime task force, out of the investigation. Simon, whom she found by illegally running her DNA through the system, was a suspect in a rape case. (SVU: "Abuse") Benson said she was in love with an older man and that she "couldn't have loved him more." One fan loves how out of place Benson looked. Redditoru/malifact responded to the original post by writing, "I wouldn't be surprised. "[40], The San Francisco Chronicle's John Carman called Hargitay "the show's weakest performer" when the series originally premiered in 1999. 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. We fell in love with her courage and tenacity the minute she stepped on screen in September . The detectives go undercover, including Benson, Detective Monique Jeffries (Michelle Hurd), Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), Detective Odafin Fin Tutuola (Ice-T), and Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer) at the rave where Jill is expected to be where drugs are being passed around. You and this job are about the only things Ive got anymore. Casting for the lead characters on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit occurred in spring 1999. [14] In addition to English, Benson speaks some Italian,[15] Russian, some Spanish and French, and is able to recite the Miranda warnings in at least two other languages. When she tries to talk to him about it, however, he becomes defensive and tells her to "back off". Benson appears on five episodes of Law & Order, one episode of Law & Order: Trial by Jury, three episodes of Chicago P.D. At the end of the season 14 finale "Her Negotiation", Benson is kidnapped by serial rapist/murderer William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber). Her most notable relationship is with Ed Tucker, who she dated from 2016-17. 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. "[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. 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. She is condescending to victims and witnesses. Benson speaks some Spanish, Russian, Italian, and French. Benson is deeply sympathetic to victims of sex crimes and as a result, she is often quick to believe victims' stories. Every time I see "Blinded" (9.07), I get angry. Love the series but I can't stand Olivia Benson. Here's why some people think a Benson scene from the episode "Undercover" went too far.

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