Olivia Benson's Booty Calls, In Order Of Author Preference

[Primetimer]

Sarah D. Bunting tried to class up that headline, buuuut she didn't try that hard. (Heh, 'hard.')

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[Girl in a Cardigan]

Liv hooking back up with Cassidy got me back into the show after the Stabler-ectomy, but the subsequent crap they continued to put Liv through just turned me off. Cassidy/Benson 5EVA!

[Snookums]

Tucker 4-EVA. I mean I get that people wanted her and Cassidy to work it out (can you believe how young he looks back in the S1 episodes? He makes Carisi look positively grizzled) but once they moved in together Liz seemed to actually be dating Wine more than him, and they were hardly ever in the same room together, even, so that ship has sailed, I think.

 

But TUCKER. MMMPH. That is a sex tape I would pay to watch. You know he knows what he's doing. Yes yes.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Clearly, I am in complete agreement.

[Kasey H]

Bayard Ellis forever! Because both of them recognized it, and it would have been great to see Olivia deal with the challenges of dating interracially.

The thing about Mariska, she has chemistry with so many people that some see things that aren't there (like I never got the Cabenson stans, seemed like wishful thinking)

And, as one who hated Liv and Cassidy in s1 and barely survived them together in s14/15, I see why Liv had more of a relationship with her wine than Cassidy. The man has little self-awareness, has a Peter Pan complex, and doesn't have the emotional capacity of a gnat. I don't know what I'll do if they put her with either Dodds (who seem to be the same).

[Kristen]

I think I like Cabot/Benson best because I ship myself with both of them. Rawwwr!

[CleoCaesar]

I can't watch her scenes with Cassidy without thinking of Liz Lemon and Dennis Duffy. (Shoutout to fellow 30 Rock-ers.) It's like anti-romantic chemistry to me.

[Princess Lucky]

Tucker is clearly the best one.

 

My interpretation of their relationship is that they totally had sex that night after they left the bar, but for Benson it was a one night stand and for Tucker it ~meant more~. That's why the next time he showed up he was nicer and she was dismissive as always. Like, to her he was just a hook-up, but Tucker is a little sweet on her. It could still happen, is what I'm saying.

 

I also agree with the Bill Pullman love-slash-disappointment that he didn't look better in his one episode.

 

And Ellis! That moment, when Benson basically said "um, I hope you're not jealous"? And he was like "busted, but also HOW DARE YOU?" That's the most interested I've ever been in her personal life. Like, she knew he was into her, and she verbalised it, in a shitty way but still. I'd like to see more moments like that. I'd like her to call Tucker out, or Dodds, even. Barba, too, maybe? We gotta know what these guys are thinking, but also what Benson is thinking.

 

Honorary mention goes to sweet Cassidy. The dumber he was, the more I loved him.

[MorbidPet]

This list is just disgusting. Ewww. Hargitay may be a good actress but she has zero chemistry with any potential hookup we've seen so far. Not even with her IRL hookup.

And not that I saw it myself but erhm Stabler? With all the * you put on the list surely he should've been on it as well... or I may be tainted by the many - many - Bensler shippers still trolling the comments field on social media

[Everleigh]

I always thought Olivia and Hank Voight from Chicago PD had great chemistry the few times we've seen them together. Their scenes are always a bright spot for me during those dreaded cross-over episodes. Not sure what Voight's deal is cause I don't watch Chicago PD but I'd totally buy that they hook up whenever they're in the same town.   

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Benson and Tucker give it a go either. It seems like such a random out of nowhere thing because he really was such a prick in earlier season and they genuinely could not stand each other, but now he seems totally into her and it makes no sense but it's kind of funny so I'm here for it anyway. 

 

I was always glad they never went the Benson/Stabler route. I loved them as best friends and since Elliot was the closest thing Olivia ever had to family, I felt she needed him more as a brother figure than anything else, so I was always put off by thoughts of them together romantically. I was actually kind of disappointed when Warren had Olivia admit to being in love with her old partner in that episode where the female cop covers for her rapist partner because she's in love with him, it tainted their relationship for me. 

 

I also enjoy Benson and Barba's relationship but again, as a friendship not a romantic pairing. I like that they kind of get under each other's skins but still respect each other. 

 

Could take or leave Cassidy. He never bothered me but he never interested me either. 

Edited December 18, 2015 by Everleigh

[pancake bacon]

I have an eternal crush on Dean Winters, all the way back from Oz. But I also one for Robert John Burke. Before he was a silver fox, he was a FOX fox. He played a sweetie convict way back in Hal Hartley's debut, The Unbelievable Truth.

[braziliangirl]

No Barba?

[RafaelBarbas]

Barba belongs on this list!

[Sarah D. Bunting]

I KNEW y'all Barbians would clock me for that! And I also know the show was trying to maaaaaybe kind of go there, but to paraphrase Ocean's 11, "Liv? She's too tall for him!"

...Understand, I love Barba and took him in the EHG draft and all that. But based on recent events I think they're barely speaking, and certainly his reaction the explosion of toddler gear in her apartment last season wouldn't indicate that's a going concern.

[TV Diva Queen]

I can't watch her scenes with Cassidy without thinking of Liz Lemon and Dennis Duffy. (Shoutout to fellow 30 Rock-ers.) It's like anti-romantic chemistry to me.

Me too.  I keep looking for his beeper. 

[Zoe]

I feel like FBI handler guy deserves at least a mention.

[RafaelBarbas]

This seems like the best place for it so here are my overly detailed thoughts about Tuckson. Some of this is good, some of this is bad- these are basically my pros and cons. As of now the list seems more on the con side, but that doesn’t mean I wii never approve. It’s more like some points need to be addressed before I can get on board.

As I’ve pointed out, Tucker has tried to take away Olivia’s job. And this isn’t just a job for her; it’s her purpose in life. She could never be happy doing something that doesn’t involve advocating for survivors. It’s how she reconciles the fact that she is a child of rape, by ensuring that it’s harder for the Serenas of the world to be in the situation Serena Benson was in.

Yes, Tucker was right. Absolutely! Most of the SVU team deserved to be fired at one point or another. Especially Elliot. In fact, he deserved to be in jail, straight-up. But the thing is, that isn’t enough. If someone is in a position where they try to take away something important to you, it is extremely difficult to trust that person again.

Now, it is of course possible to forgive and move on... but that person isn’t Olivia Benson. Warren Leight himself said that Olivia holds grudges, especially when she’s accused of misconduct or incompetence.

Further, I feel like Olivia’s friendliness with Tucker came out of nowhere. Just a few seasons ago, when Nick asked her who Tucker was, she said he had been after them all from the start. Nothing explains their newfound civility. We’ve seen them drinking on friendly terms, yes, but there’s never been any hints of them talking out their issues.

These are my main reservations against Tuckson- I certainly find him an interesting character, and I might even come around to the ship if this all were given some sort of explanation.

My problem with Tuckson is mostly symbolic of a larger problem I have with Warren Leight’s SVU: there is little to no consistency of character. Olivia holds grudges like no one’s business for a few episodes and arcs to add drama (Depravity Standard, Community Policing) and “it’s my job” isn’t a thought for her (George questioning her interrogation tactics, Barba putting the NYPD on blast). But then Tucker comes along, and suddenly she has that shades-of-grey vision and can understand that it wasn’t personal, and can be not just his friend but his love interest. Olivia goes from “Noah is the only man she needs in her life” to “Tucker, yeah, I’m all over this.”

And what happened to her spiel about how you have to process trauma before easing back into things? Remember how she fussed at Nick after Amaro’s 180 about wanting to go back to work, and then she takes barely any time off before insisting she’s fine, and now she’s starting a relationship to boot? That can’t end well at all, and surely by now she would realize it? If she really wants a life with Tucker, shouldn’t she be waiting until she is recovered from being held hostage yet again?

People change, yes... but this isn’t a change or character development, this is a sloppily-written character pendulum that sways back and forth as the plot demands. Pick one or the other and STAY THERE.

That said, I do see some pros to Tuckson as well. Like I said, I do find Tucker to be an interesting guy, and he is attractive as well. Since he has a kid, he could be very good for Noah, and as a lieutenant he knows a lot of what Olivia’s going through. He does have a heart and it could be sweet to see Olivia bring that out. Also, in their scenes together, Tucker does seem to draw Olivia out a bit, bringing out something more fun in her. Cassidy never did that for her, which is one of the reasons I was never on board with the Bensidy ship. (I’ve never seen anyone look so unhappy at being kissed on the forehead!)

Tucker is on her level in terms of maturity (again, another trait Brian lacked) and intellectualism. Tucker is a guy who would actually bring her to the museum on a Saturday morning, and would be fine with the domestic routine. Further, Olivia clearly feels safe with him- knowing he was someone she could rely on while she was held hostage- and that security is a huge deal for her at this point in her life, where safety is a rare feeling. She seems more willing to listen to him than others, which could work in favor of her getting the help she needs from Lindstrom instead of just playing tough.

Tucker seems a lot more stable than Cassidy ever was. During the Bensidy era it was always clear it was just a port in the storm, a one-night stand that lasted a year. Tucker, unlike Cassidy, is actually decent husband material, and someone Olivia could grow old with.

Those are my thoughts on the ship.

Edited February 19, 2016 by RafaelBarbas

[MorbidPet]

Excellent thoughts @RafaelBarbas, not only on the ship but on the character of Benson. This is the one I idolized for 12 years but then dropped like a hot potato and I think you hit the head of the nail to why, she just went too out of character, and that was even before Lewis came along. She's become two-faced. In a recent episode she used the "I'm fine" line to Rollins but last season she didn't buy that when Rollins used it on her, did the writers forget or are they doing it on purpose? I dunno, all I know is I want a new showrunner stat.

 

Regarding this Tuckson ship I can't help but feel like it's a bit of a betrayal, a betrayal to SVU and to me as a viewer. Tucker is the foil. It's part of his job to be hated so as a viewer I want to hate him too and I can't do that if I'm going to know he's doing the nasty with Liv off hours. 

[Everleigh]

I don't mind Benson and Tucker because, for one, because they have good chemistry together, and also because I've long thought Tucker had worn out his foil role. He basically did the same thing in every episode he appeared in. He'd pop up all angry and raring to go, and try to get either Olivia or Elliot fired. That grew tired a long time ago. I could never get on board with the idea of Olivia and the old Tucker who seemed to be on a personal mission to ruin her career, but Tucker doesn't seem like the same person he was back then. Some may consider that inconsistent characterization, but it's also possible the man changed, it happens. Maybe he's softened as he got older. Maybe a particular SVU case got to him and caused him regard what they do with more respect. Maybe someone he cares about was the victim of a sex crime and so he's more sympathetic. Who knows. He's a minor character who has appeared sporadically throughout the series so any personal change he may have undergone could have easily happened off screen. If they do go down the Benson/Tucker route all it would take to clear up the issue is a conversation. 

[Princess Lucky]

I never would have considered Tucker for Benson, not until Amaro's 180. When he said something like "I'd do the same". I don't remember him ever showing sympathy before that. That was the first indication he had changed for me. And then he tried to help Benson with the William Lewis case, which was an indication that a) he had softened up in general and b) he cared about Benson  specifically.

 

And then we had that hot scene, when they had that drink and they were undressing each other with their eyes and that's all she wrote. That scene showed me that Benson is attracted to him (because she has eyes). Like, with someone like Barba, I see warm friendship from her (or her leading him on, in the earlier seasons, before the writers dropped that ship). Even with Cassidy, I saw warmth, companionship, but no spark. With Papa Dodds, I saw a playful flirtation. With Tucker, I see Olivia flat-out wanting to bang him, you know?

 

Sure, respect and emotions and, like, compatibility are factors. And I think Benson becoming a Lieutenant may have made her reconsider quite a few things, maybe even see things from Tucker/IAB's perspective. She knows now what it means to hold others accountable, to have to call them out on their mistakes, to have to punish them instead of having their back or help them cover it up (like she did as a detective). But, on top of that, with Tucker, unlike any other potential suitors, I see Benson wanting to jump his bones and I am here for that.

 

And I also think that Tucker is seriously in love with her. In Townhouse Incident you can see how badly he was freaking out. His reactions in that episode sealed it for me. And then, this week, when he told her "whenever, wherever"? And she liked what she was hearing? I'm totally onboard.

[MorbidPet]

I find this article, and the comments, very intriguing http://www.eonline.com/news/741310/law-and-order-svu-s-big-benson-romance-reveal-is-proving-to-be-divisive
 

And Kevin Fox just became as big of a cry baby as Warren Leight on Twitter. How pitiful to whine about ppl getting upset over this ship. How about stop catering to the diehards and just listen to us normal fans who wants you guys to focus on the crime show and stop wasting time (and hashtags!!) on relationships/ships!? Problem solved.

[Princess Lucky]

I find this article, and the comments, very intriguing http://www.eonline.com/news/741310/law-and-order-svu-s-big-benson-romance-reveal-is-proving-to-be-divisive

 

And Kevin Fox just became as big of a cry baby as Warren Leight on Twitter. How pitiful to whine about ppl getting upset over this ship. How about stop catering to the diehards and just listen to us normal fans who wants you guys to focus on the crime show and stop wasting time (and hashtags!!) on relationships/ships!? Problem solved.

 

On the actual show, Tucker and Benson took up maybe 20 seconds of screentime, though. This episode especially, and this entire season, i would say, they have totally been about the crimes. The only relationships/personal stuff we've seen develop at length are Rollins and her pregnancy (which I actually liked) but also Rollins and her horrendous family, and Dodds and his boring daddy issues (both of which I could do without, and both of which do a disservice to these characters if you ask me). Like, when I think back to last season and the 2389583984309 appearances of Noah? I'll take 20 seconds of Benson's love life in an instant.

 

I did see that hashtag, Mystery Man or whatever, and that was silly (to me, because SVU-wise I only use twitter to look for spoilers or pictures of Carisi) but that's the type of silly stuff you see online to hype up an episode. And probably to get more tweets, or trends etc. On the show itself, there was so little build-up that I saw casual viewers who were totally surprised by the fact Benson even had a boyfriend, let alone that it was Tucker (me, as a Tucker fan, well, I was both looking for it and expecting it).

 

That said, I totally agree that the writers whining about the fans not liking their new ship is ridiculous. When you play it up on twitter, when you try to incite fan reaction, you should be willing to accept it even when it's negative.

 

I do wonder what would happen if they did Rollins/Carisi. Reaction seemed more positive overall, after that one scene, though not many people seemed to actually "ship" it (it was more like, "oh, okay, that'd be cute I guess"). I wonder if the writers don't choose controversial ships on purpose. If a less divisive ship happens and all the reaction it gets is a lukewarm "aw", maybe that's bad/useless for the show in terms of hype. Or, I don't know. Maybe the controversy can't be avoided when it comes to Benson, because people will react strongly to anything that happens to her.

[WendyCR72]

Whining about 'ships is ridiculous. Especially since neither the Mothership nor CI nor TBJ, etc. ever played up romance in the first place. If anything of the sort was there (as the characters weren't robots), it was always, always peripheral/implied and did not ever become the focus.

 

Maybe it's an inevitable pitfall for being on so damned long, but these writers can just stop and focus on police work. And crime! There's a novel idea.

[Princess Lucky]

Whining about 'ships is ridiculous. Especially since neither the Mothership nor CI nor TBJ, etc. ever played up romance in the first place.

 

Maybe it's an inevitable pitfall for being on so damned long, but these writers can just stop and focus on police work. And crime! There's a novel idea.

 

Excuse me but my torn-in-half heart (between Connie/Lupo and Connie/Cutter) begs to differ.

[WendyCR72]

Excuse me but my torn-in-half heart (between Connie/Lupo and Connie/Cutter) begs to differ.

 

Hee. To be fair, I barely watched the latter seasons, so maybe it changed. But even when Jack/Claire had something going on, it was never so "in your face". But then, all of Wolf's new shows, i.e. the Chicago franchise, are almost glorified soaps in the midst of the jobs now.

 

Which is kind of jarring as the early years and 90% of the L&O franchise didn't hang its hat on whom was screwing who. I much prefer the old "implied" formula the L&O franchise used to go for. Guess all of the old-guard writers have gone on to other things.

[Princess Lucky]

Hee. To be fair, I barely watched the latter seasons, so maybe it changed. But even when Jack/Claire had something going on, it was never so "in your face". But then, all of Wolf's new shows, i.e. the Chicago franchise, are almost glorified soaps in the midst of the jobs now.

 

Which is kind of jarring as the early years and 90% of the L&O franchise didn't hang its hat on whom was screwing who. I much prefer the old "implied" formula the L&O franchise used to go for. Guess all of the old-guard writers have gone on to other things.

 

Nah, there were 'moments' (watch how I say that casually, heh) but they were still implied, like you said. And I totally agree on the 'implied' formula being the most appealing. But maybe twitter (for all its positives), or even the internet in general has messed with that formula. Shippers tend to be more vocal, and showrunners now may feel a need to cater to them.

 

But you're spot on about the Chicago shows. Compared to those (what little I've seen), SVU is practically a whodunnit.

[Gigi43]

Yeah, I'm not fully on board with Tucker because of the past. I think it was during the Lewis mess that was the first time he was ever on her side (in fact, didn't he even say at one point she should have just killed him?) I worry this could turn into that Liv is just latching on to this guy who is just still around unlike certain other guys that have been actually important to her. However, I'm much happier seeing Liv drinking with a Silver Fox than alone in her apartment, so, for now, it's a win. But I worry about where it could go.

Edited February 21, 2016 by Gigi43

[GarnetGirl]

Excuse me but my torn-in-half heart (between Connie/Lupo and Connie/Cutter) begs to differ.

Connie/Lupo Forever! 

 

Love, 

Someone who can't let go a barely mentioned ship from a show that hasn't even been on the air in five years

[Princess Lucky]

Connie/Lupo Forever! 

 

Love, 

Someone who can't let go a barely mentioned ship from a show that hasn't even been on the air in five years

 

My people!

 

My heart preferred Connie/Lupo too, completely, but my loins made a strong argument in favour of Connie/Cutter, you know?

 

By the way, I only recently made the connection that my two favourite detectives (at least from the later years of their respective L&O shows), Carisi and Lupo, are both law students. And sweethearts. And hilarious in their own quirky way. Now Carisi just has to get a dog for the parallel to be complete.

 

Topic: Tucker is hot.

 

Also, watch me as I try to ignore the fact that I, too, am clearly still hung up on a barely-there ship from forever ago that didn't really happen, and yet I judge the SVU writers for focusing on 'silly' ships. Ahem.

[blxckbird]

I actually liked her and David Haden, I don't think their chemistry was anything extraordinary but I liked the storyline with them..

[Princess Lucky]

I KNEW y'all Barbians would clock me for that! And I also know the show was trying to maaaaaybe kind of go there, but to paraphrase Ocean's 11, "Liv? She's too tall for him!"

 

I was rewatching Manhattan Transfer, too bored by the hiatus already, and this one frame reminded me of this comment.