Law and Order Episodes SVU TVs Hottest Detective Team Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler

When it comes to popular television detectives, NBC irrefutably has the two hottest detectives on TV in their long running hit show, Law and Order Special Victims Unit. Law and Order SVU is the "highest ranked drama on NBC" according to TV Guide.

Dr. Neal Baer is the executive producer of this sensational TV show that delves into the lives of criminals and victims with a specific focus on sex crimes. Each week exposes the dark and twisted world where the stories often have a surprise turn, with plots that include human trafficking, rape, and child pornography. The topics cover the full spectrum of human sexual depravity that actually occurs in real life, taking the viewers from the streets and into the court room where the good guys do not always win.

While the show claims each episode is fictional, ironically, many of the plots have an uncanny resemblance to crimes straight from the headlines of news around the country.

The show's lead detectives are Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). The chemistry between Benson and Stabler is undeniably magical and often alludes to something deeper than just a professional relationship... yet never goes beyond anything other than a strong friendship.

Detective Stabler , portrayed as a deeply devoted Catholic, father and husband, is often emotionally affected by the crimes he must investigate, causing him to reach points of personal rage teetering on instability. His devotion to his work has taken its toll on his family life (as it often does in the life of real detectives) and has brought separation and reunion with his wife and children into the story line.

Detective Benson,portrayed as a child born of an alcoholic mother and victim of rape, is often driven to a level of involvement with her crime victims that becomes very personal. As a product of her mother's rape, Benson has a difficult time coming to terms with her own difficult past, and will often blur the lines of her victims pain with her own.

This duo, coupled with the rest of the talented award-winning cast is now in the eleventh season.

Meloni "was nominated for his first Emmy Award in 2006 as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" In 2009, according to NBC.

Hargitay "garnered her sixth Emmy nomination for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and won the 2006 Emmy for that category. In 2006, she received her third SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Detective Benson. In 2005, Hargitay earned her first Golden Globe Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the role and her second Emmy nomination; and in 2004, both an Emmy and a SAG nomination in the same category" according to NBC.

Hargitay is "the daughter of bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay and tragic Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield" according to Hollywood.com. Hargitay began her acting career in the early '80s and her rise to stardom took off when she landed the role of detective Benson in 1999.

Meloni started out as a construction worker until he broke into acting with his disturbing and perverted criminal role on "Oz" in 1998, and the "next year he started on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as a moralistic but explosive detective and appeared on both shows concurrently until Oz came to an end in 2003" according to TV Guide.

Law and Order episodes SVU taken from NBC.com (most recent)

Perverted- Original Air Date: 11/18/2009

Turmoil- Original Air Date: 11/11/2009

Users- Original Air Date: 11/04/2009

Spooked- Original Air Date: 10/28/2009

Hardwired- Original Air Date: 10/21/2009

Law and Order Cast SVU (taken from NBC.com):

RICHARD BELZER
Det. John Munch

DANN FLOREK
Capt. Donald Cragen

MARISKA HARGITAY
Det. Olivia Benson

ICE-T
Det. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola

CHRISTOPHER MELONI
Det. Elliot Stabler

MICHAELA MCMANUS
A.D.A. Kim Greylek

CONNIE NIELSEN
Detective Dani Beck

TAMARA TUNIE
Dr. Melinda Warner

DICK WOLF
Creator/Executive
Producer

B.D. WONG
Dr. George Huang

Sources:

http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/193259/Mariska_Hargitay_Biography

http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/christopher-meloni/144798

http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order_Special_Victims_Unit/about/index.shtml

http://www.starpulse.com/Television/Law_and_Order_SVU/gallery/Law-Order-SVU-tv-38/
http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/law-order-special-victims-unit/100257