# L&O:SVU- Should Benson and Stabler have an affair? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144 "2005-07-26T00:44:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/1 "2005-07-26T00:44:39Z")
Your vote here; inspired by the newest TV Guide article. My vote: No. Not that they wouldn’t make a GREAT couple, but there’s just no way that it would be true to their characters. I could just barely see them giving in to temptation once under special circumstances, and then agreeing “bad, bad BAD idea to let this continue”. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/2 "2005-07-26T00:48:54Z")
It would ruin the show, I think. If I wanted crappy love affair drama, I’d wouldn’t watch a crime show. It would get in the way of all the murdering and assaults. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/3 "2005-07-26T00:55:14Z")
Only if they do Munch / “Fin” first. I vote “no.” It’s not necessary. It’s been done on nearly every other cop show; it would be more satisfying and dramatic if it doesn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/4 "2005-07-26T01:00:05Z")
Hells no. As an avid SVU fan it would make it crap. There were a couple episodes in season 1-2 where they almost hinted that, had Stabler not been married, they might be all over each other, and then when Stabler recently was seperated from his wife, it almost came up again, but they thankfully stayed true to their characters and nothing came of it. I always feel bad for Munch, though. He gets close to having relationships, but then nada. The girl gets blown up by a psycho, or is an assisted suicide lovin’ criminal. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/5 "2005-07-26T01:54:16Z")
No. No. No. They’re partners, they’re friends, they respect each other. They don’t always agree. But they aren’t lovers. And Stabler should be a family man. StG ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/6 "2005-07-26T02:02:13Z")
I think they should have an affair – an intense BDSM affair. Lots of strict bondage and whipping and Benson calling Stabler “master.” It would fit right in with the theme of the show, y’know? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/7 "2005-07-26T02:08:29Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I think they should have an affair – an intense BDSM affair. Lots of strict bondage and whipping and Benson calling Stabler “master.” > > It would fit right in with the theme of the show, y’know? But then they’d have to kill one of them off. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/8 "2005-07-26T02:35:43Z")
Could be tough, Hargitay would probably have to develop a new facial expression. OK, that’s a bit unfair, but I’ve grown tired of seeing that disgruntled puss she puts on all too frequently. An affair would be a bad idea. IMO, the only cop show to effectively mix personal lives and case work was _Homicide_. L & O should stick to the professional side of things. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/9 "2005-07-26T03:19:54Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I think they should have an affair – an intense BDSM affair. Lots of strict bondage and whipping and Benson calling Stabler “master.” > > It would fit right in with the theme of the show, y’know? That would be cool. In fact, forget the crime solving, let’s just have that! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/10 "2005-07-26T03:27:06Z")
I would like to see Benson have a relationship with somebody . . . just not Stabler. For reasons given above. And the Munch/Fin thing would work! ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/11 "2005-07-26T03:28:15Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > That would be cool. In fact, forget the crime solving, let’s just have that! Even better, spin _that_ off into a new series, and hand _SVU_ over to Munch and Fin full-time! (As for the question: Absolutely not, for reasons already given, and for another- One of the joys of the _L&O_ franchise is that they (with one glaring exception) don’t have that sort of thing. Why change that?) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/12 "2005-07-26T03:30:31Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#): > > Even better, spin _that_ off into a new series, and hand _SVU_ over to Munch and Fin full-time! > > (As for the question: Absolutely not, for reasons already given, and for another- One of the joys of the _L&O_ franchise is that they (with one glaring exception) don’t have that sort of thing. Why change that?) Wasn’t implied that McCoy had something going on with some of the sexy ADA’s that came through his office? ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/13 "2005-07-26T03:34:46Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Wasn’t implied that McCoy had something going on with some of the sexy ADA’s that came through his office? That’s the “one glaring exception” I refered to. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/14 "2005-07-26T03:40:13Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#): > > That’s the “one glaring exception” I refered to. Shoulda got that… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/15 "2005-07-26T03:51:48Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Wasn’t implied that McCoy had something going on with some of the sexy ADA’s that came through his office? Replace “some” with “all of” and you’ve got something. My favourite was when one of Jack’s former coworkers is talking to whatever skinny brunette is working for him at the time and the former partner talks about sleeping with him and says something like “Well, aren’t you?” and the EADA just stays silent. Jack’s a total slut. But with that motorcycle and that damn brain, can you really blame these women for hopping into bed with him? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/16 "2005-07-26T04:29:23Z")
That was Claire Kincaid. And the best part about the whole thing was that they just HINTED at it, sometimes even blatantly, but they never came right out and said it, nor ever showed them even holding hands. I like L&O the way it is. I got sick and tired of hearing all about Curtis’s home life. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/17 "2005-07-26T06:16:16Z")
Another vote for No. No sexxors between Benson and Stabler. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/18 "2005-07-26T09:12:09Z")
Hell no. That’s icky. Although I must admit I’m only watching SVU nowadays because I’m waiting for the day Stabler loses it and just starts shooting at random. mm ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/19 "2005-07-26T09:27:30Z")
It would be like NBC suddenly making an assistant district attorney a lesbian when there was never a single hint of it in any episode EVER just so they could get every last drop out of the ratings the day they fired her from the show. Oh wait, they did do that. Using things like sex or homosexuality in such a blatant attempt to increase ratings is something I find extremely distastful. No. ---
**Author:** ![Cynical\_Optimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Cynical\_Optimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cynical_Optimist)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144/20 "2005-07-26T12:01:05Z")
> [@mamboman](#): > > Hell no. That’s icky. Although I must admit I’m only watching SVU nowadays because I’m waiting for the day Stabler loses it and just starts shooting at random. I suspect when Chris Merloni leaves the show his character will go Gitmo on some kiddy fiddler. Besides, I don’t think Benson is his type, didn’t you watch _Oz_? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-o-svu-should-benson-and-stabler-have-an-affair/314144.md?page=2)