Mariska Hargitay considers hanging up her badge

first alex, then casey -- if they lose olivia too, i'm out. 

 say it ain't so. as much as i love svu i even have a hard time watch the episodes she's not in on occassion. whille all the actors on the show are very good Mariska is just well magical if she goes i go. even the new HOT ada might not get me to stay. i mean geez when are kids going to learn to raise themselves?

 

 

 

"But I dream of flight, not to be as the angels are, but to rise above te smallness of it all. The smallness that I am. Against the daily death the iconography of wings."

"Bad juju? Is that a voodoo-thing?"

This is the one show on TV (ok, besides House, but that is completely different) that I can actually stand to watch episodes of multiple times and they never get boring! Does anyone remember when Mariska was on maternity leave and they replaced Olivia with "Dani Beck"? No offense to that actress, but it was TERRIBLE! Forcing chemistry with a new partner when there's already so much sexual tension between the two existing partners was just wrong. I love both Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay, but I have a hard time seeing the series without both of them together: they're a package deal. That would be like an iPod without earbuds, it would still be pretty and interesting, but there would be no connection.

"It might make Elizabeth Hasselbeck cry, but we're gonna do it." - Tina Fey

I used to be crazy obsessed with SVU but it's sorta lost my interest the last few seasons.  It's a great show and I love all the actors but it doesn't work as well without both Olivia and Elliot in the episodes.  If Olivia runs off to have a passionate romance with Cabot I wouldn't mind if Mariska left the show.  Other than that they should just stop making it because it won't be the same.

If Mariska leaves the show, I think the show itself should end.  The time is coming anyways, but to loose such an important character like her, would ruin the show for me. 

It hasn't been the same since Stephanie March left anyways.

I LOVE all that is Mariska..A woman who used her onscreen personality to help abused women..All I want is for Alex to come back, and whisk Olivia away ala An Officer and a Gentlewoman!

Well, I've always had a love-hate relationship with Hargitay ... sure, she's totally swoony, and my ovaries go all aquiver whenever she appears.

However, after she pushed so hard to make the character overtly and incessantly heterosexual, seemingly in relation to the large fan-base wanting the character lesbian, that spoke to some issues she has about gay and lesbian matters. Which honestly, makes me uncomfortable. I don't really care if they do decide to make a character straight that so could be gay, or at least not care too much (have to in order to simply survive), but the way in which it was done was that 'Benson' virtually all but ran screaming from any possibility of being gay.

That all said mind you ... does anyone seriously want to steal that leather jacket off her from that first pic? *drool*

Sarah 

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http://kiwi-grrl.livejournal.com/

She can't leave...i'm not watching it anymore if she leaves. There's barely any good T.V. on as is.

 By the way,  I totally agree w/ Bridget McManus when she talks about the term "trying to have a baby." :P

I would HATE for her to leave the show. I don't know if I could keep watching it without her. I agree with the person who said they had a hard time watching the episodes she's not in. She totally makes the show for me. Although I definitely understand her wanting to spend more time with her family, I still wouldn't like it if she left lol.

At this point I'm all about the re-runs anyways.  Though, I have never been an avid watcher of the series my family is so I have watched my fair share.  Of all the L&O franchise SVU has def been my favorite but I'm pretty sure Alex and Casey had a lot to do with that too. 

I admit I watched a lot of L&O when Stephanie March and Angie Harmon were around (who went to the same high school in Dallas. i love pointless imdb trivia.)

Benson has been an amazing character.  If they do cont. with the spin-off series then they need to give the new girl a different partner than Stabler.  Or bring in a couple new detectives.  Of course, this is all spun off a few comments Mariska made to a "middle america" stay-at-home-mom audience it may not have much weight behind it, just a nice bit of PR.   

eta: I very much agree with an above poster... If Alex swoops in and whisks Olivia away I'm all for it!  If Stephanie can verbally shut down Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith then she can certainly knock Benson off her feet and carry her away.

Mariska at GLAAD this year... http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com/archive/2008/03/18/the_glaad_media_awards.php

the show has survived without either her or her partner.  I stopped watching when she took time off for her new baby and I only tune in once in a while since she's come back.  I'm a huge fan of Mariska's but I think the time for Law & Order SVU has come and gone.  The last episode I watched she was on but her partner wasn't.  The episode ended with her being told to take some time off.  I wondered was that was about, so maybe she's going to really take some time off.  Having a major crush on Olivia Bensen will always be a fond memory.

I wouldn't watch it if she left.  I agree, I wasnt crazy abot Dani Beck.

What has she said about her lesbian fanbase?  I must have missed those remarks?

"So, could SVU survive without Mariska?" No. And neither could I. Also, what is all this about Olivia being overtly heterosexual and Mariska being uneasy about her lesbian/gay fanbase. What depressing news have I missed? Dare I ask someone to clue me in?

I'm not sure what the chung chung is supposed to be, but it plays a major part in what I consider to be one of the funniest spoofs ever...

Sesame Street's: The Special Letters Unit

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=5121VjLwqZM

 

Mariska loves her lesbian fanbase..I have never heard anything about her dissing them..She recently gave an award at the GLAAD media awards and was introduced as "LOVED by the men and the ladies". I think what people are refering to is Dick Wolfs reluctance to have gay and lesbian main characters..I don't for one minute believe that Mariska would mind playing the character as a lesbian!

In my fantasies she already is!!!

Damn. I love Mariska.

& If Olivia leaves i'll be really upset :(

I want her and Stabler to get together. She can't leave before that happens D:

 

...with Ceeshele. I haven't watched SVU with any kind of regularity for a few seasons now. After she had the baby ( he is gorgeous) I just didn't like the way they were using her and even Chris.  I used to like that the characters' private lives were dealt with but now it's all about El's rage and Liv's baby drama, and her sexual assault. It's an important topic but not for a cop procedural.

I used to have such a major obsessive crush on Mariska but it has waned. Mostly due to my lack of interest in SVU. Plus the makeup people do a terrible job on her. She just doesn't appeal to me on it. In real life however, the woman remains a knockout!  I never get tired of Mariska. But Olivia bores me now.

The show definitely has run it's course. It either needs a new infuson of talent or cancellation. The original Law and Order has done great IMO with Jeremy Sisto and Anthony Andersen and C.I. got more fun with Chris Noth and I'm sure Jeff Goldblum will rev it up even more.

Back to Mariska....Good for her if she wants to spend more time with August. 

My crush is also a fond memory. Oh how I long for the V necks, leather coat and short hair. 

 

And please, no Stabler/Benson hook ups.  

 

 

I too stopped watching years ago after Alex left.  I couldn't stand Casey in the beginning and the show lost my interest.  A couple of weeks ago, I caught some recent episodes on replay on the USA channel and I have to admit they were pretty darn good, so I have been watching tivoing the new season.

I always thought the "chung chung" was supposed to be a judge's gavel.

If I'm not mistaken, these two characters have enjoyed the longest run of any pairing in any L&O franchise.  It's both a blessing and a curse.  We don't want to see Liv and El with anyone else!  The series is getting a little long in the tooth though.

seriously, this would be the biggest mistake ever. It's almost the same dumb mistake that Julianne Marguiles made for leaving ER, thinking she would find more opportunities in the movies. Look what happened there?

She has a good thing going, and it's not like she will ever find another job as good paying as her current gig. She's getting paid half a million an episode, that's some serious cash.  This is a terrible economy, she would be so dumb for leaving a high paying job like that. She should play this thing out, work til the show gets canceled.

Gahhh, I'm so heartbroken right now. If they just kill her off i will bawl my eyes out. I just know it. This may have ruined my friday night ):

Gahhh, I'm so heartbroken right now. If they just kill her off i will bawl my eyes out. I just know it. This may have ruined my friday night ):

Man, if she leaves the show, it's over, hahaha. I know I wouldn't be watching it anymore. Though I would be sad if she left, its understandable. people don't realized how much hard work a successful hour drama is-14 hour days, at all hours of the night, time away from family, etc.. After a number of years I imagine it wears people down and they want to do new/other things, as evidence of past stars wanting to leave popular, long running shows, in the later years (David Duchovny on the X Files, Noah Wylie on ER, shit, Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy, and many others).

Its sad, she is the only reason the show really has any 'oomph' anymore and she's one of my TV heroes - she has Crohn's Disease like me and she's such a freakin' trooper... But I can understand her just wanting to be with her family... I have kids, they're my world. So good on her whatever she decides as long as she's happy :)

As wickedgrrl pointed out, this isn't official yet--it's just something she said for a magazine which has a target audience of middle american stay at home moms. "Ladies Home Journal." No press-release yet. 

That said, if she did leave, I hope they'd know enough to end the show completely. 

I think the chung chung sound is the judge's gavel too, hawtblondechick.

The show jumped the shark several seasons ago, in my estimation season 6 was the last decent season. The only reason I keep watching is to keep my SVU discussion board running.  But the attitude there is much the same. SVU has lost a bit of it's luster. Many say it started when Alex left, and for some Casey leaving was the last straw. I think it says something about the show that it's driving away its actresses (as much as we can surmise, I would put money on the actresses simply being fed up with the show and wanting to leave). 

If/when Mariska, or Chris leave, it will be the end of the show. I think they should just try to end gracefully now while there is still a fanbase left.

 

http://terminationday.proboards84.com

http://specialvictims.proboards34.com

Maybe this isn't the right place to post but...

ADA Kim Grayleck as an addition to the show is absolutely fabulous.  

I will still watch if Olivia goes.  

In that Home Journal pic she looks great, especially the teeth.

Ugh, not another one gone (if she goes)! :(  Well, I can't say I blamer her.  She wants to be w/ her family.  I don't really see SVU working w/o her though.  Dani was alright, but she wasn't Olivia.  The show has had a great run.  If she does leave, I wish her all the best.

I agree it would be devastating to SVU to lose Mariska Hargitay.  Having met her last month, she is without doubt or question the sweetest, kindest, most caring, even more gorgeous in person (not fair), giving, nurturing, amazingly passionate and maternal soul ever plunked down on this planet.  If she leaves the show, it will end for me any way.  Without Detective Olivia Benson, the show would be unwatchable.  Yes, she left before, but that was for maternity leave and we all knew she'd be back.  So we sucked it up.  We threw up a little in mouths when Dani Beck and Stabler made out.  We thanked every deity under the sun that it was Dani and NOT Liv.  Bottom line, we knew she'd be back...or at least we knew there was a good chance she would.  I will not blame her one tiny bit if she wants to spend time with her family.  August is an adorable little boy and life moves fast these days.  You blink and decades have passed you by.  On the topic of how adorable August is, Mariska and her husband, Peter Herrman, can make as many of those babies as they want.  Could you imagine a little Mariska for the next generation to adore? 

If anyone deserves true happiness, it is Mariska.  She has given so selflessly to countless others.  Whatever she feels she needs to do, I'm behind her one hundred percent.

the svu blog on NBC has confirmed they both will be there for another season... i honestly think it will be the last.

ADORE mariska hargitay... ADORE HER.... and i think network television being what it is we won't see her engage in a lesbian relationship. it's got nothing to do with Dick Wolf but i actually think it's more about the reaction some (SOME don't bite my goddamn head off) viewers will have...

 i don't want to see her get together with anyone to tell you the truth... Benson is just a great cop, pure and simple. leave it at that.. why do we need the soap opera sub plots all the time.. 

&  i do miss casey novak dreadfully