"Law and Order: SVU" season 17 episode 11, titled "Townhouse Incident," is going to turn the tables by putting the main character in peril. Lt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) will be held hostage and is going to take one heavy beating as she tries to halt a home invasion.
According to the synopsis from Design and Trend, Olivia will be coming in to warn the home residents of an impending home invasion yet as she arrives she is immediately taken hostage. The official trailer for the episode also showcases the home invaders to be wielding firearms and have significantly beaten Benson to some degree.
Showrunner Warren Leight gave some insight on the events that will occur in the episode during an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
"It's pretty rough going all the way through," Leight stated. "It almost feels like it takes place in real time at gunpoint in the middle of a home invasion so it has a different clock to it. Benson, a little stressed, steps into a hellish nightmare, drops her guard for a nanosecond and there goes, possibly, her life."
Fans may recall that a similar event occured in the episode "Surrender Benson" but Leight also pointed out that this incident will play out significantly different due to the fact that Benson is now a parent. Benson recently adopted two-year old baby Noah and Leight explains that people make different decisions when they are responsible for someone else and when they have nothing to lose.
Benson will also be dealing with PTSD and the incident will require her to undergo therapy before she is allowed to back on the field.
However, there may also be some silver lining in store for Benson following the home invasion episode. According to Leight, this episode will also be the start of a possible future love interest for Benson.
"Law and Order: SVU" season 17 episode 11 airs this Jan. 13.
