Olivia Benson supremacy is coming to an end.
Like many other Law & Order shows, Special Victims Unit has its own group of very loyal fans who enjoy this setting the most of any spin-off of the legendary franchise.
Since its inception in 1999, the show has received 91 award nominations and won more than one third of them, taking home 33 awards.
The show’s success is tied not only to its impressive plots and cases, but also to the characters who work on them. With such a strong cast of regulars, fans know they are in for some quality drama with each episode.
However, one particular character turned out to be more of a disappointment than anyone thought, and now fans are left wondering exactly when everything went wrong.
Olivia Benson, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay, has been a fan favorite from the beginning.
Thanks to the amazing talent of the actress, who was the first regular cast member of any Law & Order series to win an Emmy Award back in 2006, Olivia stole many hearts and became a woman that fans wanted to see represented on screen.
Strong, smart, career-driven, and a loyal fighter for justice, she was everything the system needed in a productive detective.
This played out well in her career, as she was promoted several times throughout the series, eventually becoming the commanding officer of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit.
Fans believe that these promotions played a larger role in her character becoming worse with each episode.
Today’s Olivia Benson is not the character that many viewers have adored for many years.
Though she still serves her country and seeks justice for victims, it’s not uncommon for Benson to make things ten times worse for everyone involved before she turns things around.
An honest mistake would be easily forgiven, but being a hypocrite and condemning her colleagues for doing the exact same thing doesn’t help her case at all.
While some fans are genuinely tired of her behavior, others feel that this problematic side is what makes her so interesting to watch.
Since there are no flawless people in real life, there should be none on the show. However, exaggerating her flaws makes for great storytelling and shows just how much power she still has.
If you are interested in checking out Law & Order Special Victims Unit for yourself, you can do so by streaming the earlier episodes of the show on Peacock Premium, Hulu, or fuboTV.
To catch up on the latest episodes, tune in to NBC on Thursdays.
