Hard to believe “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” will be celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year. Both because the show feels timeless, and also because it seems like only yesterday we were introduced to detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. Of course it’s just one of many entries into Dick Wolf‘s DUM-DUM universe, but it has remained one of audience’s favorites. This can probably be chalked up to the tremendous performances by series leads Mariska Hargitay (Benson) and Christopher Meloni (Stabler).
But one city is taking it a step forward to celebrate such a momentous anniversary.
New York City will, for 48 hours, be renaming Rockefeller Plaza to Olivia Benson Plaza!
Considering Hargitay is the longest-running female actress on primetime television, this is a fitting tribute. “Law & Order: SVU” first premiered on NBC in September of 1999, and has aired 543 episodes. It is currently the longest-running primetime live-action series in the USA.
Where & When?
The festivities will take place March 14th and 15th at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. A free “Benson & Co.” coffee truck will serve custom-made tributes ala latte art and special cups, trivia games, and even “SVU“-themed friendship bracelets. 25% of the bracelet purchases will go to Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation.
“‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ and New York have always been intrinsically linked, and what better way to bring the show to life than to incorporate it into the city itself,” NBCU entertainment’s Margaret Walker, senior VP of NBC brand strategy and audience growth, said in a statement.
“Olivia Benson is an iconic character whose connection to our viewers has only grown over the past 25 years, and naming this experience after her is a small way to pay tribute to that legacy and the strength of the fandom.”
You can catch the series on NBC and their streaming app, Peacock.
