I can’t be the only one to notice how Noah’s absence from Law & Order: SVU has poorly affected Benson’s journey

Noah's absence from Law & Order: SVU has notably impacted Olivia Benson's character development, especially in Season 26. Noah has been absent since he last appeared in the season's episode 9, titled Children of Wolves, with some minimal mention in subsequent episodes. Now this has resulted in a void in Benson's personal storyline, balancing his professional life and personal one. Her personal life was very connected with Noah, her adopted child.

The SVU drama, when featured in 1999, stood out because it showcased not just the crimes but also how they affect people who investigate them. Therefore, in Law & Order: SVU, Benson's character was all around balancing her demanding role as SVU captain with her deep love and commitment to her son. Now that Noah is absent, it has poorly affected the character's journey. Read on to know the details.

Here is how Noah's absence in Law & Order: SVU is impacting Benson's character

Season 2 began exploring Olivia's complex family history, including her mother's trauma, etc., and Elliot Stabler's emotional toll, unlike the original Law & Order, which strictly focused on criminal cases. The new show is more about how the officers' personal experiences distort the understanding of cases or how some cases affect their own lives. These elements are added to humanize cops.

In season 15, when, during a case, Benson finds an abandoned baby in the dressing drawer of a motel, she gradually becomes the nurturer and the adoptive parent of him. This is how Noah became the backbone of her emotional journey. Therefore, Noah’s recent absence, as mentioned earlier, symbolizes how Benson’s personal life is being pushed into the background, even when stories about teens or parenting are central to the episode.

In Season 26, Episode 4, titled Constricted, the episode centered on a teenager ending up in a hospital after a romantic date gone wrong. Benson is someone who has personal experience dealing with teenagers and understanding their psyche, but still, there was no discussion or mention of Noah. Benson is not seen reflecting personally. This omission felt like a missed opportunity to explore Benson's thoughts on raising a teenage boy in today's world. With Noah's absence, Benson has become a stoic authority figure with no emotional depth.

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Indeed, Law & Order: SVU fans have noticed this and are concerned about this shift. They are expecting the character back, but though the show featured him, it was for a brief time, unlike how it used to be. Benson's relationship with Noah added layers to her journey as a mother, bringing out her vulnerabilities, joys, and other challenges. Otherwise, his absence is making her quite a one-dimensional figure in Law & Order: SVU.

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