Oh, my sweet summer children. I need to take a moment here.
If there’s one thing this girl knows from even passingly belonging to the Law & Order Franchise fandom, Bensler will always be a hot topic.
Here’s the thing: I’m not a diehard shipper myself, and many who follow my work can attest, I’m a fairweather shipper at best on any given day for any given series. But even I have to break away from my lovely colleague Jack Ori on this one and say Bensler needs to do something.
Olivia’s Love Life is Rarely My Cup of Tea, But C’mon Now!
Here’s the thing: Olivia’s love life is as messy as it gets, and I’ve never found it appealing.
Most of the guys in her life weren’t my cup of tea or hovered on disaster; most of the time, their chemistry paled compared to that of her former partner.
The only time I could’ve rocked with a ship was with Barba.
Yes, Rafael Barber is one of Law & Order: SVU‘s most elite lawyers in the show’s history. He’s also one of the only men with the swagger, devotion, and more to match Olivia’s energy. Argue with me if you must.
That may be why I waffled back and forth like a fish out of water when some of us TV Fanatics convened many seasons ago to argue our case for which guy should win Olivia’s heart.
Alas, that’s neither here nor there.
Because the L&O franchise has a problem, and it’s their refusal to pull the trigger on Bensler.
The Bensler Teases Need to PRODUCE Something
I’m not even a diehard fan who has spent 30 years rooting for them to be together. I’m just someone with eyes who likes reasonable storytelling, begging them to DO SOMETHING with this pairing instead of constantly leaving us in limbo.
The teasing isn’t cute anymore.
A nice tease is great when they can go back and forth on a slow burn for a season or two before delivering some sweet, sexy, loving, or, at the very least, a nice little kiss.
But damn! We’ve been at this for literal decades now. Have they surpassed some great romance on a soap opera with this type of teasing? It feels like it.
At this point, we’ll be telling the fourth generation about how these former partners and soul mates kept missing one another in real-time instead of just submitting to the love they felt for one another.
SUBMIT ALREADY! Ahem, my bad.
Bensler Corners the Market on Middle-Aged Love Stories — Those are Rare and JUST as Hot
I have a soft spot for middle-aged couples finding their second chance at love again. They’re some of the most compelling love stories because it’s not all about a bunch of young, hot, pretty people boning each other without properly earning it.
Bensler delivers the sexy-as-hell aspect of it, as they’re definitely hot, and a girl lowkey needs a little boning. Come on, Organized Crime. You’re on Peacock now, take advantage.
But more importantly, they don’t seem to have the energy to further this relationship on Law & Order: SVU. The series is struggling with its own set of issues anyway, and Stabler doesn’t exactly fit into the show anymore.
But that’s why Law & Order: Organized Crime is so important.
It’s Time for the Next Stage in the Bensler Dance
As a grounding force for Stabler — this safe place he cherishes and holds dear, Olivia fits into his life easily.
She’s the person he turns to when he gets lost in a case and forgets who and what he is. She has a way of bringing him back.
Olivia is the safe place he turns to when he’s most vulnerable, a fact that has become increasingly prominent as he ages and learns to cherish the people around him.
This woman is immersed in so many factions of his life, professionally and personally, so if there is ever a time or place for Bensler to thrive in any capacity, it’s during Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5.
Frustratingly, both shows have shied away from addressing their connection head-on.
What started with us taking a step forward and then constant ones sideways as they embarked on this tantalizing dance that had us on edge has now regressed with them taking steps backward.
The Lack of Followup with Bensler Isn’t Cute; It’s Frustrating
Despite their grand gestures and powerful sentiments, they have not given us a crumb to properly address where they are in their relationship.
We’ve had soul-baring letters, late-night, near-kiss confessions, and accidental public admissions.
We have the freaking compass necklace, and then, nothing.
Respectfully, Olivia and Elliot are too old to play all of these games, sidestepping each other and not having an open line of communication to acknowledge where they are in each other’s lives.
It’s not standard fare for most procedurals to fixate so much on romance.
However, when you have two iconic, legendary television characters like this who have seen and done it all, it’s simply a natural progression to delve into all facets of their most personal lives and innermost feelings and thoughts.
That continues to make them appealing, accessible, and resonant to the masses.
A Little Loving is a Bonus for the New Season
While I’m not often a diehard shipper on most series, I also find the aversion to romance altogether on television unsettling.
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be all there is to a series, but there’s nothing wrong with it being a part of one. After all, love is the most valuable thing we have to offer, along with humanity, and sometimes that includes romantic love, too.
I follow the storytelling and what serves it best and happens organically.
They’ve tugged on this Bensler string too many times to not follow through with it in some capacity. Even if it’s a matter of shutting it down, it will devastate long-time fans, no doubt, but it’ll at least provide some form of closure.
However, leaving viewers in this decades-long limbo isn’t and shouldn’t be sustainable.
Hopefully, This Season Will Either Deliver Bensler or Resolve It
On that note, thanks to Chris Meloni and his comments about the second installment of the new season, we know that it may bear some Bensler fruit.
Is it more teasing to keep fans hooked, or will they finally do something with his pairing?
I have no idea. However, in the many things I look forward to in the upcoming season, the series properly addresses Bensler, so we, at the very least, know where we stand with them, which is something I even require.
Over to you, L&O: OC Fanatics.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
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