Mariska Hargitay Confirms Christopher Meloni's Return for Law & Order: SVU's 600th Episode
Hargitay shared photos on Instagram teasing the reunion of Detectives Benson and Stabler for a milestone episode.
Mariska Hargitay has confirmed that Christopher Meloni will reprise his role as Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for the show's 600th episode. Hargitay, who stars as Olivia Benson, shared teasers on Instagram on Tuesday, first posting a photo of herself on set with Meloni visible behind her, playfully captioning it 'Who dat?'. She later posted a selfie of the two smiling, announcing, 'Happy 600..'.
The return of Meloni, who left the series in 2011, has generated significant excitement among fans who have long anticipated a reunion between the beloved characters. The dynamic between Benson and Stabler has often blurred the lines between platonic friendship and romance throughout the series' run.
The upcoming 600th episode is part of the show's 28th season, which is set to premiere on October 8. The milestone episode is anticipated to air later this year, likely in November. Meloni's last appearance on SVU was in the season 27 premiere, following a guest spot in season 26. He had previously returned to the series in a recurring capacity in 2020 after departing due to a contract dispute.
Meloni also starred in the spinoff series Law & Order: Organized Crime, which featured guest appearances from Hargitay. That series was canceled earlier this year after five seasons. During their time on both shows, the characters of Benson and Stabler shared several pivotal moments, including Stabler's declaration of love and a discussion of a "parallel universe" where they were together. Benson had also expressed her feelings for Stabler in season 24 of SVU, though she cited trust issues.
Law & Order: SVU, created by Dick Wolf, premiered in September 1999 as a spinoff of the original Law & Order series. Starring alongside Hargitay and Meloni (in his initial run), the show has become one of television's longest-running programs, surpassing its predecessor in episode count. Hargitay has been a consistent presence on the show since its first season.