There are some characters that have been on TV for so long that fans never picture them leaving the small screen. Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) may be one character that comes to mind, with Pompeo recently taking a step back from “Grey’s Anatomy,” ending her role as a full-time cast member during Season 19 (via Deadline). And for fans of the crime procedural, it’s Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) that has left a big impression.

Since 1999, loyal watchers of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” have watched Benson move up the ranks from detective to captain. Many may also recall the early days of her partnership with Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). The two were an iconic duo that became the subject of a long-awaited reunion during crossover episodes that helped to launch the Stabler-led spin-off “Law & Order: Organized Crime” in 2021 (via CNN).

Benson’s 24 seasons on “SVU” have put her in the TV history books with the character gracing TV screens longer than any other female character in a primetime live-action television series (via NBC). And while Hargitay doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, she does have an endgame in mind for her character when the time comes.

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