The 16th precinct officers in Law & Order: SVU always work around the clock to get to the bottom of cases involving special victims. While at it, they utter plenty of memorable words. The intriguing dialogue is one of the many components that have prevented the long-running police procedural show from going stale.
Most of the time, the characters can be expected to say things that reflect their personalities. However, there have been a few times when they surprised fans with rather out-of-character comments. These were influenced by a number of factors, including unexpected emotions, high-pressure situations, and unforeseen developments.
Olivia Benson
“We Know There Are Two Killers, So How Are We Going To Find The Other One?”
As Benson and Stabler investigate the murder of a cab driver who had assumed the identity of another man, they realize that two killers might responsible. Interestingly, Benson claims to have no clue on how to find the other killer.
Benson might have plenty of flaws, but she is never clueless. Among the hidden details about Olivia Benson in Law & Order: SVU is that she is not only the first female detective but also the most effective officer. During her days as Stabler’s partner, she always unearths information before him. Furthermore, she is extremely passionate about cases involving murder and rape. It’s therefore strange that she seems bothered and unmotivated in this instance.
Elliot Stabler
“There’s No Statute Of Limitations In Being A Bad Parent.”
While investigating a case involving a mother that’s providing alcohol to teenagers, Stabler finds out that his daughter Kathleen has been part of the partygoers too. In addition to that, he finds out that she almost crashed her car while leaving a party, so he takes her driver’s license and burns it.
There have been many times when Elliot Stabler wasn’t a good husband, but he has always had a weak spot for children, especially his own. He treads carefully when dealing with his daughters, making sure to not offend them. It’s baffling that he chooses to burn his daughter’s driver’s license instead of simply taking her car from her for a while. The action ends up traumatizing her, putting a strain on their relationship.
Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
“You Want To Ruin Your Life? It’s Your Problem.”
When Fin hears about the case of Claire Renato, whose mother forced her to do drugs, he offers to help her by paying for her rehab sessions. However, Claire is reluctant to go to rehab at first since she is afraid her mother might come for her. This angers Fin, who threatens to abandon her.
One thing Fin does well is seeing things through. No matter how stubborn a victim or suspect is, he never throws in the towel. Taking out his frustrations on Claire instead of pursuing her mother is unusual since he’s never too kind to people that make the lives of others unbearable. Fortunately, he changes his mind and offers to help Claire solve her problems once and for all.
Melinda Warner
“I Know How To Do My Job.”
SVU medical examiner Warner once calls Benson and Stabler to give them details about the body of a mysterious woman who got hit by a cab while running out of a market. Benson wonders what a traffic accident has to do with the Intelligence Unit, and this makes Warner defensive.
As one of the kindest characters on the show, Warner never takes offense when the officers rubbish any information she is trying to give them. At times she gets carried away by thinking she has exactly the kind of facts they’ll need but that’s not always the case. But even when her enthusiasm leads nowhere, she understands rather than react.
Amanda Rollins
“I’ve Been A Third-Grade Detective For Eight Years.”
While dealing with the case involving the pedophile Steve Getz, who had been grooming Detective Frank Bucci’s daughters, Rollins laments about her failure to advance in her career. Bucci casually reassures her that all will be well.
The rest of the SVU members often make fun of how insouciant and content Rollins is. Nothing ever gives her sleepless nights, whether it’s about a case or her own life. Part of the reason she’s had the same rank for eight years is that she’s very content. It’s unlike her to complain especially to someone Bucci, whom she isn’t close to.
Donald Cragen
“You Are A Brilliant Cop, Benson.”
Benson and Nick investigate a father who runs and left his son at Times Square after spotting cops. They soon discover that the man is keeping women in cages in his basement. The discovery prompts Captain Cragen to congratulate Benson.
Cragen has never been one to show love or appreciation. Fin complains about this in the 20th season, but Cragen insists that people should never be congratulated for doing their job. Even while dealing with his star cop, Benson, Cragen is always quick to correct her when she makes mistakes than compliment her when she has done something remarkable. His telling Benson how much he values her contributions is unexpected but refreshing.
John Munch
“She Actually Was A Good Woman.”
Discussing ex-wives is one of Munch’s favorite things to do, but he never has nice things to say about him. He specifically criticizes Billie Lou a lot because she allegedly cheated on him with a homicide detective. However, during one Friday karaoke session, he shocks his fellow officers by claiming that Lou was a great partner.
Munch’s comments are presumably inspired by loneliness since he spots a couple kissing right before he enters the karaoke bar. Munch tends to express that his ex-wives were the problem, but Fin often reminds him that he is the common factor in his failed relationships.
Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr.
“Sometimes You Have To Do Things For You.”
Some team members are upset when Sonny leaves his position as a detective to become the precinct’s new assistant DA. Rollins, who once forged with Sonny one the best precinct partnerships in Law & Order: SVU, calls him out for it, claiming the team now has a bigger workload because of his decision. But Sony doesn’t care.
There are plenty of self-centered individuals in the SVU team, but Sonny is ordinarily a team player. He likes helping and that’s why his remarks here are shocking. Never at any given point has he ever taken actions that would only benefit him. This is further proven when he continues to do favors for the team after assuming his position as district attorney.
Katriona Tamin
“I’ll Sit This One Out.”
The team is forced to investigate when a cam girl meets one of her fans and the session turns violent. Surprisingly, Tamin decides not to participate in the case.
Ever since she moved from the vice squad to the SVU, Tamin has always been eager to prove that she can get to the bottom of every case. She applies herself more than the other officers and never backs down until she has achieved her goal. Like Benson, she is passionate about cases involving women too, therefore her decision to sit out on an assault case is confounding.
Cristian Garland
“Let It Rest. We’ll Figure It Out Tomorrow.”
Rollins struggles to find any leads when she goes undercover to expose a government worker who is giving out green cards to immigrants in exchange for sex. When she tells Deputy Chief Garland about her cul-de-sac situation, he advises her to take a break.
Pauses and breaks are rarely part of Garland’s policy, He prefers a modus operandi where all angles are explored and a solution is found before a recess is had. It’s because of this trait that he keeps clashing with Benson. Hearing him tell Rollins to take it easy is odd since the case at hand is also time-sensitive.
