These Chicago PD and Law & Order characters almost dated
It’s been well established that Chicago PD and Law & Order: SVU take place in the same universe. The procedural dramas were both created by Dick Wolf, and both revolve around ensembles who solve crimes in their respective states, Illinois and New York. The thing is, these shows could have played an even bigger role in each other’s stories.
Chicago PD and Law & Order: SVU had crossover episodes in seasons 2 of the former and 16 of the latter, and some fans noted that there were sparks between the leaders of both investigative teams: Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitway). Well, it turns out that these fans were right on the money.
Did Hank Voight and Olivia Benson date?
During an interview with THR, SVU showrunner Warren Leight talked about the tension between the two characters, and how their flirtation was very much intentional. “Sometimes Voight goes a little rogue and [Benson] basically tells him, ‘Watch yourself. I don’t want this case blown because of police misconduct'”, he explained.
This was an element that Beghe was keenly aware during production. “There was a lot of warmth, maybe even could be construed as flirtation.” Unfortunately, the chances of anything more coming together were dashed when the case Voight and Benson were handling turned bleak.
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“Things get so serious and rough by the time we’re back in New York that we don’t have a lot of time for the lighter enjoyment of things”, Beghe went on to explain. “It’s a very distressing and personally wrenching experience particularly for the characters in Chicago.”
There was an implication, at the time, that things between Voight and Benson could develop down the line, but that was nearly a decade ago. The characters have been through a lot in both personal and professional ways, so the idea of the PD and SVU showrunners turning back the clock, and revisiting it in 2024 is highly unlikely.
It was something that could have happened, but didn’t. Here’s hoping the characters find some semblance of romantic happiness down the line.
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