Law & Order: Special Victims Unitfans have something else to look forward to in season 27 besides the returns of Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) andJoe Velasco (Octavio Pisano). It appears thatoriginal series star Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) will also be returning for the new season.
Meloni leftLaw & Order: SVUahead of the season 13 premiere. He headlines theLaw & Order: Organized Crimespinoff that currently streams on Peacock.
Meloni fanned the flames for fans when he shared imagesfrom theSVUset on his Instagram. The series of images show Meloni posing withSVUstar Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson, and Dann Florek, who played their original supervisor in the series, Captain Don Cragen.
Florek has appeared in a handful of episodes ofLaw & Order: Organized Crimealongside Meloni, but he has not been back toSVUsince the 500th episode in season 23. Meloni has returned a few times as a guest star since he left the series ahead of season 13.
While Meloni and Hargitay both appear to be dressed in character, Florek is more informal in a sweatshirt, so it’s not clear if he’s on hand to film with them or just paying a visit to the set in the photos.
What Stabler’s Appearance Means For Law & Order: SVU
Stabler’s Appearance Is Not A Direct Crossover
SinceLaw & Order: Organized Crimeseason 6has not been renewed,Meloni’s appearance as Stabler inSVUseason 27 is unlikely to be a direct crossoverbetween the two shows. Instead, his appearance can only be for anSVUstoryline, which means it is likely to be a more personal character story.
Stabler has remained an integral part of the show even though Meloni is not a main cast member. As Benson’s first partner withSVU, the two have a special bond that has made them close outside of work as well.
The series has continued to tease the possibility of a romantic relationship between the two characters, especially in the wake of the death of Kathy Stabler (Isabel Gillies), but has not allowed the characters to follow through.
B.D. Wong and Dean Winters, who play Dr. Huang and Detective Cassidy, are also set to appear in season 27.
Stabler appearing inSVUwithout potential for a direct crossover story could mean he is there specifically for scenes with Benson rather than a case. Because he still works for the New York Police Department, just with a different unit, fans might not want to get their hopes up for the fast-tracking of their relationship.
Stabler has provided a great support system for Benson when she has difficult cases or difficulties in her personal life, and vice versa. His appearance could indicate that Benson needs some help after some serious drama.
Our Take On Stabler’s Appearance In Law & Order: SVU
Stabler’s Appearances Are A Good Thing
Stabler’s appearances inSVUsince he left the unit have all been good for Benson’s storylines - even when they are fleeting.Stabler is a reminder that Benson has a life outside of her current team, and his returning helps to flesh out that life.
DespiteSVUbeing an ensemble series, characters like Benson, who have been a part of the show since the beginning, inevitably have more fleshed-out backstories and have been better developed over time. Allowing Stabler to return to remind the audience of who she is outside of her role as a detective or Captain is a good thing.
Stabler’s appearance can also help serve to promoteOrganized Crime, which is likely going to be in need of a viewer boost this season.NBC is re-airingLaw & Order: Organized Crimeseason 5in the timeslot afterSVU, though the season originally streamed on Peacock.
Bringing Stabler in for a few appearances early in the season may get loyal viewers to continue tuning in for the later show as well. HisLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitappearances will benefit both shows.
