SVU Is Getting So Bad It Might As Well Be Renamed To Law & Order: Benson Now
After all these years the show may finally need a fresh start.
To call Law & Order: Special Victims Unit a successful television show would be an understatement. With such popularity not only with the fans of Dick Wolf's Law & Order universe but also with the general audience, the show became a true phenomenon.
With 24 seasons behind it, SVU has been renewed for another season by its home network NBC, but audiences aren't showing the same excitement as before.
Though the Special Victims Unit still holds a special place in many people's hearts, both because of the ongoing slow-burn romance between Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, and the way the show perfectly handles the sensitive topics of sexual assault and harassment, things are slowly changing.
And the reason for this change is the main character, Olivia Benson herself.
Too many fans are noticing the same trend: the show is no longer following the unit. While some characters are mostly reduced to comic relief with sudden one-liners, others are still technically present, but always sidetracked in favor of Benson.
It's fair to say that Mariska Hargitay, who portrays the commanding officer of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, is one of the keys to the show's success, but she's not the only one who deserves a spotlight. Especially not the way her character is being written these days.
Her character's arrogance is almost excused because, according to the writers, she can easily navigate the work of the entire unit by herself. No detective, ADA, lawyer, or judge could do it better than Olivia Benson, which not only makes you question the professionalism of the other characters but also makes you wonder why they are needed there at all.
At this point, many SVU viewers feel that the show would be much better if there was someone equally great and qualified who could actually challenge Benson's authority and make her position a little less comfortable.
If the show continues as it is, there is a great chance that it will lose the rest of its fans.
After all, renaming the show Law & Order: Olivia Benson Show would be a lot more honest than making people wait for someone else to show their strengths in one episode after another.
To see if Dick Wolf along with the Law & Order: SVU writers will allow someone else to shine in the upcoming season 25 of the series, stay tuned for the season release date.