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. Throughout Benson's long history on "Law & Order: SVU," she's faced tons of obstacles, from tracking down deranged serial killers to dealing . She battles evil, avenges her mother, faces her demons but refuses to date them. [5] Wolf conceived Benson as a detective in the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crimes. [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. Nick Amaro. She returns to work in the following episode, "Imprisoned Lives", which takes place two months later, but is still haunted by the experience. Cassidy leaves the precinct at the end of that episode. 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. She begins seeing a therapist to cope with the trauma. He knew about his daughter and kept track of her. [8], Hargitay has stated that her favorite SVU scene occurs in the season 7 episode "Fault", when Benson is faced with the possibility of losing Stabler: "Lou Diamond Phillips [a murderous kidnapper] has a gun to Elliot's head. Fans Debate 'Law & Order: SVU' Promotion. Comments in the episode "Disrobed" imply that the relationship continued. [21] In season 13, she is seen with Calvin and his grandparents during or right before Halloween.[22]. 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. Benson speaks some Spanish, Russian, Italian, and French. At one point, Williams convinces Stabler (and the audience) that Benson has been kidnapped and is strapped to an electric chair. NBC Insider is your all-access pass to some of your favorite NBC shows. A place to discuss one of the greatest TV Dramas, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. In Season 7's "Fault,"SVU fans are served a double whammy when Benson is knifed by a kidnapper and her partner, Stabler (Christopher Meloni), is held at gunpoint. Simon Marsden (born Simon Hollister) was the son of Joseph Hollister and Sharon Marsden, the paternal younger half-brother of Olivia Benson, the father of Olivia Marsden with his ex-wife Tracy Harrison, and adoptive uncle of Noah Porter-Benson. With more than 30 years in Hollywood, Mariska Hargitay's plastic surgery opinions have changed over time. They've been doing it for longer than that, so they feel like they're in their own world almost. 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. 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. (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 has had several past romantic relationships, with all of them ending, mostly due to work conflicts. 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. Omg that look is so bad its good, another fan added. Given the show has been on the air for over 20 years and counting, it has to shake things up to be interesting. [19], In season 12, Benson is named the legal guardian of a young boy named Calvin Arliss (Charlie Tahan). [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. The following are the medals and service awards worn by then-Lieutenant Benson, as seen in "Heartfelt Passages". Catch up nowonPeacockandNBC. In "Gone Baby Gone", it is revealed that Sheila was behind the kidnapping, and that she intends to take Noah to live with her in Derry, New Hampshire. In Season 23, the show is led by Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), a longtime detective in the SVU. I think it is a good thing that we are shedding light on darkness. Hargitay has characterized Benson and Stabler's relationship as "very complicated". Hargitay remains the only original cast member still present on the series. The following are the medals and service awards worn by then-Sergeant Benson, as seen in "Betrayal's Climax" and "Beast's Obsession". 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 has a half-brother named Simon Marsden. Tucker is eventually cleared, and he continues his relationship with Benson. The "Undercover" episode of "SVU" is particularly bleak, as Olivia Benson is nearly raped by the corrections officer she's investigating. (SVU: "I'm Going To Make You a Star"). 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. "[75], A poll on the Hallmark Channel voted her second-greatest detective in the Law & Order franchise, only being beaten by Law & Order: Criminal Intent's Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio). [46] Cragen announces that Benson has been approved to remain at SVU (it was feared she would be reassigned); at the end of the episode, Cragen reveals his impending retirement from the NYPD, making Benson SVU's acting commanding officer. Her former partner Elliot Stabler was often more skeptical of victims' accounts, which often brought the two partners into conflict. 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. 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. 'Law & Order: SVU': Octavio Pisano Says Velasco Proved Himself to 28 Apr 2023 22:20:37 In "Unintended Consequences", Benson lets Porter visit and spend time with Noah. Medical Examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) immediately tests Benson and the results come back negative. Allison on Twitter: "captain olivia benson is trying so hard not to 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. He is everything that [my character] Olivia has. Elliot Stabler. [78] UGO Networks placed "the hard-charging detective" among the "fifty greatest fictional detectives of all time". Murphy then makes Benson his second-in-command up until his transfer to an undercover assignment. Olivia Benson can't catch a break in Season 23. Here's why some people think a Benson scene from the episode "Undercover" went too far. Also, in season 6's "Rage", she shoots and wounds serial killer Gordon Rickett (Matthew Modine) to prevent Stabler from killing him in cold blood. 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. (SVU: "Justice Denied"). Benson's life has been a hard one. What It Could Mean For The Organized Crime Crossover. I want to be strong like Olivia. Rave Olivia is my favorite, the post is titled. This left her with a huge black eye. After arguing with ADA Sonya Paxton about alcoholism and seeing her drunk in court, she was moved to leave flowers at her mother's grave. The episode is heavy, to say the least, and has rippling consequences for Benson throughout the entire series. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! Regardless of their disapproval, they still supported Benson with her relationship with Tucker. 'Law & Order: SVU': Detective Olivia Benson Once Went Undercover at a Rave In "Psycho/Therapist", Lewis fires his new attorney and chooses to represent himself. What Happened to Calvin on 'SVU'? Details on the Character [79] A 2015 poll released by Trailer Park, Inc. in conjunction with QC Strategy ranked Benson as the No. While it's not a given that a person would have a breakdown in her shoes, it's not at all unlikely, either, and they've always just kind of glossed over the true mental health toll jobs like this take especially in the last few seasons.". Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) are responsible for some of the most memorable moments of the show; FBI Special Agent George Huang (BD Wong) helped piece together criminals' intent with his impressive smarts; and the show just wouldn't be the same without Sergeant Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (Ice-T) on the team. (Mariska Hargitay) is such a good actress it felt so real and the fear in her eyes seemed legit.". Hargitay has deemed the storyline which saw Benson find her paternal family "probably the biggest thing that's ever happened to Olivia". At the conclusion of the season 15 finale, Benson becomes the court-appointed custodial guardian of Noah Porter, an orphaned baby. When the series began, Benson held the rank of detective. Law & Order: SVU's Olivia Benson has been the strongest - SheKnows When the police came to the house after I was raped, The Wife asked when a female detective would be coming. Also she believes she has a very high moral compass therefore anyone who doesn't agree with her point is wrong. Soon afterward, Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) retires, and appoints Benson acting commanding officer of SVU until Lieutenant Declan Murphy (Donal Logue) comes to the squad. In 2006, she is temporarily reassigned to the Computer Crimes Unit; later that year, she does a stint undercover for the FBI's Domestic Terrorism Unit at the request of her friend, Special Agent Dana Lewis (Marcia Gay Harden). [11] A woman later reports to Benson that Lowe, who is in a 12-step program for his alcoholism, tried to make amends to her for drunkenly raping her six months earlier. Now I'm an Emmy winner. In "Scavenger," Benson and the SVU attempt to track down an active serial killer who leaves clues throughout the city in a Zodiac Killer-esque fashion. 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 . ", "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. 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. "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.'" As a result of the brutal assault towards Benson, the case was taken over by the Bronx Special Victims Unit, with Mike Duarte leading the case. The Good News Is Olivia Is Now Captain; the Bad News Is Dodds Is Though Churlish (Jasmine Batchelor) goes with him, Velasco . Olivia tries to track her down but discovers she's gone missing. Pregnancy can and has ruined women's lives - and the infuriating part is she's seen it all firsthand. Benson is completely accepting, and tells Noah she is proud of him for standing up for himself and his friend.[25]. Privacy Policy. When Kathy dies of her injuries, however, Benson puts her resentment aside to help her grieving friend get justice for his late wife. In the episode "Hunting Ground", she decides to take it slow with Haden, claiming she needs time to see if their relationship will last. In "No Good Reason", Porter brings Benson to family court, accusing her of being an unfit parent; the case is dismissed, but Benson agrees that it's in Noah's best interest that they stop fighting. (SVU: "King Of The Moon"). The investigation is dropped in "Mood". Benson's promotion is one of the more happily intense SVU episodes. Stay tuned for future episodes of "Law & Order: SVU" to see how Benson copes with the pressures of her intense job. He then rapes a teenage girl, kidnaps her younger sister, and threatens to kill her unless Benson tells the truth about her testimony. [76][77] She was included in TV Guide's list of "TV's Sexiest Crime Fighters". The team tracks the culprit down, but while they have him in the interrogation room, they learn that his latest victim is buried alive. They have a mutual respect for one another. As more evidence is found linking her to the crime, an Internal Affairs detective insinuates that she may have committed it while suffering from a flashback to the assault. Fan speculation exists over alleged sexual tension between Benson and Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March), which Baer admits to indulging: "We read the fan sites. In the season 2 episode "Taken", Serena dies falling down a flight of subway stairs outside the entrance to a bar. But it does show how far she is willing to go to help her victims. While Benson narrowly escapes her restraints and apprehends Lewis, this episode contains the first SVU moment where audiences believe Benson might snap and kill the bad guy. Vivian revokes Benson's guardianship, and sends Calvin to live with his grandparents in Vermont. With the death of Simon, her only known living biological relative is her niece Olivia Marsden. While Benson tries to keep her work and personal life separate, several cases have made her upset to the point where she has been unable to sleep or focus on enjoying her life out of work. 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. I think that the average lifespan of an SVU detective is four years because of the difficulty and stress involved. She also hates it when women, men or children lie about being raped, which is particularly shown in the April Troost and Christine Hartwell cases and shows anger and coldness towards them even if they continue to claim they were raped. 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). "The show is very fortunate to have Harry's extraordinary talent, and I'm lucky because I get to work with my friend. [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?' Olivia Benson NBC Munch may be the quintessential "SVU" detective, but Olivia Benson is its heart and soul. (SVU: "Murdered at a Bad Address", "Trick-Rolled At The Moulin'"), In 2010, Olivia was appointed to be the legal guardian of Gladys Dalton's cocaine afflicted premature daughter who passed away after Benson gave the doctors permission to perform surgery to try and save her life. He calls Benson as a witness and accuses her of assaulting him because he rejected her sexual advances. 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. The victim has only 15 hours of air from an oxygen tank, and the clock isticking. Kelli Giddish is set to return to both SVU and OC as Amanda Rollins . The scene is terrifying and inescapable until the absolute last second when Fin Tutuola saves her. 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. (SVU: "Payback") Serena was worried about Benson working in the Special Victims Unit. The journalist helping them is soon found murdererd, but evidence was found on Tito of him speaking to Jill, who says pictures were taken of her that night, and she was given drugs in exchange. She will do anything to help someone, even if that means putting herself in danger. Benson is tough but empathetic,[6] getting emotionally involved in cases. In Season 17, she is promoted to Lieutenant and becomes the squad's official commanding officer. In "Beast's Obsession", Lewis uses the distraction caused by his (self-induced) cardiac incident to escape from prison. [64], During the last months of her pregnancy in 2006, Hargitay took maternity leave from SVU, and was temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen. 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. 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. 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. Olivia Benson's 10 Most Intense Law & Order: SVU Episodes - NBC The popular NBC police procedural drama follows a unit of the NYPD focused on investigating sexually-based crimes and can often be hard to watch. Olivia Benson's Entire Law & Order: SVU Backstory Explained He once tried to call her but got Serena instead. The charges against Cassidy are later dropped when the SVU detectives discover that he was being set up. And sometimes, that isn't always a good thing (I'm not recommending you do that). [10] Benson's mother, Serena (Elizabeth Ashley), an English professor, was an alcoholic who abused Olivia emotionally and physically. (SVU: "Trophy", "Rescue", "Missing Pieces"). Benson was partnered with Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), serving as the junior member of the pair. That night, they end up sleeping together in her apartment. (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. While Benson narrowly escapes her restraints and apprehends Lewis,. [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. This makes her late for a case, which is frowned upon in the NYPD. "[40], The San Francisco Chronicle's John Carman called Hargitay "the show's weakest performer" when the series originally premiered in 1999. Hargitay nails her performance of Benson, approaching each survivor with vulnerability and tenderness while also holding each criminal accountable with resilient ferocity. [48] When Murphy returns to undercover work, he appoints her acting commander. 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. Simon was later accused of a series of break-ins and one rape, for which he was later cleared. He also told the outlet that he still has nightmares about Hargitay's performance in that scene, calling it "so haunting and intense.". Olivia Margaret Benson[2] is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. some of the most memorable moments of the show, Benson's long history on "Law & Order: SVU,". Casting for the lead characters on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit occurred in spring 1999. [1], In the Season 21 episode "Murdered at a Bad Address", Simon reaches out to Benson for the first time in years as his only remaining family, Tracy having left him and taken their children. In "Post-Mortem Blues", she is brought before a grand jury to explain her admission and Lewis' death. I dont want to wreck that. It's a dramatic and perfectly-acted episode, with Hargitay's performance at the forefront. Redditoru/malifact responded to the original post by writing, "I wouldn't be surprised. Olivia Benson | Law and Order | Fandom