'Law & Order: SVU': Olivia's Son Noah Goes to Dance Class in Tear-Jerking Scene

While the focus on this week's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was a case inspired by [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

While the focus on this week's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was a case inspired by Empire actor Jussie Smollett, the final moment is what had fans reaching for tissue boxes. Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) showed support for her son's dreams by taking him to dance class. The immediate response from fans was happiness for the mother and son duo.

At the start of "Down Low in Hell's Kitchen," Benson took Noah (Ryan Buggle) to school, with him looking ready for baseball practice. But he told Benson he no longer wanted to play the sport because it was boring for him. Benson asked him what he would prefer to do, just as they walked past a dance studio. Noah said he would rather do that, and pointed up to the dancers.

Following the case that took up the majority of the episode, Benson took Noah to his first dance class. He smiled after getting in line to take his first ballet steps.

This story with Noah also appeared to be in response to a real story. Back in August, Good Morning America anchor Lara Spencer caused a controversy when she laughed during a report that Prince George's school curriculum includes ballet. Spencer had to apologize multiple times, as many found it offensive to make fun of boys for sharing an interest in dance.

"I screwed up," Spencer said in her on-air apology. "The comment I made about dance was stupid and insensitive and I am deeply sorry."

This is Hargitay's 21st season as Benson, and her character has now risen to captain. The series is now the longest-running primetime drama in U.S. television history.

"I am so grateful and in love with this character that I am so blessed to play," Hargitay recently told E! News. "This character is to me heroic and something that our culture needed, somebody who fought for women and who elevated women's voices and who bears witness to such pain and there is great healing in that."

Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC

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