Crime Dynamic Duos: Law & Order: SVU (Benson / Rollins) vs. Criminal Minds (Garcia / Alvez)

Welcome to CarterMatt’s Crime Dynamic Duos 2018! This is the third year in which we’re doing this tournament, which is a way to honor some of the best crime-solvers in all of TV. This tournament runs throughout the month of August, and over the course of it we describe what makes certain pairs the perfect crime-fighting duo while also allowing you to share some of your thoughts on the competition! Each article is accompanied with a description and a poll; the winning duo will advance to the next round leading up to the winner being announced on September 1!

What are the rules of the tournament? Basically, all eligible shows have to still be in the midst of their run on TV as of August 1, and at least one character involved needs to be involved in solving crimes in some capacity. They can be a cop, a private investigator, a federal agent, a lawyer or a high-ranking officer. What matters is that they put plenty of bad people away.

Voting Rules – Vote however often you like! Voting for Round 1 is open until Friday, August 10 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time. Round 2 will begin the following day; the image at the top of the article should explain everything.

In this article, we’re finishing off round one with Benson and Rollins from Law & Order: SVU squaring off with Garcia and Alvez from Criminal Minds. One will advance to the next round, but it’s a short window and everyone should vote with that in mind!

Benson and Rollins, Law & Order: SVU (#2 seed) – Over the past several years that Kelli Giddish has been a part of the series, we’ve had a great opportunity in order to dive in and explore the relationship that exists between these two characters. They have a good relationship both on and off the job, but one of the reasons why they are so exemplary is their ability to be able to offer insight and even constructive criticism if need be. They have their own opinions and each understand what they are building towards is bigger than either one of them individually. They are fighting to effectively make New York City a better, stronger place.

Garcia and Alvez, Criminal Minds (#7 seed) – For those who say that it is hard to tell an extended character arc on a scripted series, this is a great example of one way in which it can happen. The relationship between these two characters started out with a little more tension, as Garcia couldn’t accept the fact that Luke was this new agent filling a void left by Derek Morgan. Yet, over time they’ve developed an excellent relationship to the point where there are many people out there who ‘ship the two characters together. They don’t work in tandem out in the field, but that doesn’t stop them from collaborating in order to achieve success.