The tension between Lt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Lewis Hoda (Tom Sizemore) will continue when the NBC procedural "Law & Order: SVU" returns after its winter break.
During the midseason finale, viewers were left hanging when the jury deadlocked in voting whether the child abductor was guilty of the two crimes he was suspected of committing. Hoda abducted and murdered a young boy named Hector back in 1999. He is also being accused of kidnapping another kid, Wyatt (Luke Fava), which was shown in the episode titled "Manhattan Vigil" in season 14. The case is one of the unsolved ones that haunted Benson for a long time.
In the recent trial, Hoda's attorney was claiming that the taped confession of his client was not a permissible evidence, as it has been coerced from him. Benson and her Special Victims Unit (SVU) team reportedly ganged up on Hoda so that he would admit he was the one behind both crimes. The defense even brought in Dr. Huang (BD Wong), Benson's former colleague, to fight for the child abductor. When the jury declared the case a mistrial, both camps were forced to back down and await the results.
When the series returns, it is expected that the cliffhanger will be resolved as to whether Hoda will get sent back to jail or not. Hargitay recently posted a message on Twitter stating that SVU would come back in January. She also hinted that some "pretty bad guys" would make a return appearance, just like Hoda. It seems like the child abductor will not be the only villain who would want to make trouble for Benson a second time.
Meanwhile, the actress also thanked the fans for being loyal to the show. "Law & Order: SVU" is one of the longest running police drama, having aired its first episode back in 1999.
