SVU legends Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler are back together — at least for a selfie. Longtime Law & Order: SVU stars Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay recently delighted fans with an adorable photo on Instagram, hinting at what’s to come in the highly anticipated on-screen reunion. The duo will reunite in Meloni’s new spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime, and Hargitay kept her caption simple but powerful: “It’s on.”
This sweet behind-the-scenes moment comes on the heels of confirmation that Benson and Stabler will once again share the screen. It’s a moment fans have waited nearly a decade for, ever since Meloni departed SVU at the end of Season 12.
“Benson and Stabler are deeply connected,” Meloni told the New York Post. “There’s so much unresolved tension between them — and the fans feel it too.” Meloni also admitted that his character’s sudden exit wasn’t the closure either he or the audience wanted. But with the upcoming series, he’s hoping to fix that.
The last time we saw Stabler, he had retired offscreen — a quiet send-off after contract negotiations didn’t work out. It left Benson stunned and fans heartbroken. But now, the story is getting a second chance. The spinoff will follow Stabler’s return to the NYPD as he takes on organized crime following a personal tragedy — though exactly what that loss is remains a mystery for now.
While the premiere date is still up in the air due to COVID-19 delays, one thing’s certain: Benson and Stabler are making a comeback, and it’s going to be legendary.