Warning! Slight spoilers ahead for Season 28, Episode 3, “Anonymity,” streaming now with a Peacock subscription.

Over the course of Law & Order: SVU’s 27-season run, Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson has had a few love interests. Of course, most notably, there’s her slow-burn relationship with her former partner, Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). While Benson and Stabler will always be the SVU ship, it seems like fans are beginning to ship Benson with Kevin Kane’s Terry Bruno in Season 28 amid the 2026 TV schedule. Kane has since weighed in on that, and I think he has a reasonable take.

Kane joined the recurring cast of SVU in Season 24 and was upped to series regular for Season 26. Bruno has been a great addition to the team, and he’s been getting closer to everyone, including Benson. So much so that fans on social media have apparently been liking this pairing, and think it should go further than just a professional partnership. While speaking to Us Weekly, Kane admitted that he wasn’t aware of the shipping, but he knows there’s a bond between the two characters:

Like many character on SVU, Bruno has been through a lot, mentally and physically. Thursday’s episode, “Anonymity,” saw Bruno overworking himself on a child abuse case to the point that Benson temporarily relieved him of his duties so he could rest. They had a vulnerable chat about the case and the toll of their work. Said chat probably helped fuel the flames of romance speculation, but Kane emphasizes that they truly relate when it comes to their work.

I, too, think this all just comes down to the characters being able to relate as law enforcement officers. And, after years of working together, Bruno's just trying to stay on Benson's good side. Kane added:

It’s been great to see the kind of connection that Benson and Bruno have. And Thursday’s episode definitely solidified their partnership and the care that Benson has for her team. It’s understandable that fans would begin rooting for the two to get together, especially since it’s unknown if Benson and Stabler will ever actually act on their feelings for one another. That being said, Kane doesn’t know if Benson and Bruno’s relationship could go beyond the workplace, but is he opposed? The actor said:

Considering I'm someone who loves Bensler, I would hate to see Benson with anyone else, despite the fact that she and Stabler have the longest slow-burn of all time. However, Olivia certainly deserves to be happy, and it would be nice to see Noah have a steady father figure in his life. For now, though, it sounds like those hoping for something more between Benson and Bruno may have to wait a bit longer. Especially since Bruno will be on leave for who knows how long as he deals with the mental aftermath of looking through hours and hours of child abuse footage for his case.

Also, any potential romance between Benson and Bruno may need to be put on pause anyways. That's because Christopher Meloni is set to return as Stabler the show's upcoming milestone 600^th episode, and there's always the chance that his reunion with Benson could yield something big. Still, this could be an interesting love triangle if the writers choose to go in that direction. Fans will just have to tune into Law & Order: SVU on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC to see what happens.

Law & Order: SVU is continuing its reign as the longest-running primetime action live-action series in the U.S. with the premiere of Season 28 on the 2026 TV schedule. The drama is coming up on its 600^th episode, which is pretty crazy to think about. There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, and as SVU inches closer to Season 30, I’ve been wondering if the feat will happen. Luckily, someone asked this very question.

Both Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU have been staples on NBC for decades now. While it’s unknown just how much longer the beloved Dick Wolf franchise will last, it only makes sense to at least keep the latter running until it hits Season 30, which is only a couple of years away. SVU has already teased Olivia Benson’s possible retirement, making fans wonder if the end is closer than they think. Showrunner Michele Fazekas told TV Insider that it’s really up to Mariska Hargitay:

Even though Hargitay has been leading SVU since the very beginning, she doesn’t seem to have any rush to leave the series any time soon. She previously shared that, at least for now, she wants the show to get to Season 30. Hargitay has also been able to do other projects while on SVU, having made her Broadway debut earlier this year, so it’s not like she’s been stuck doing one role for the past 27 years.

That being said, it always seems like the longer a show is on the air, the more writers struggle with coming up with storylines. For SVU’s, plenty of episodes are ripped from the headlines, meaning there is always a new and different case. While it does take some time to really flesh out storylines, sometimes, depending on the nature of it and how it connects to a character or two, the writers don’t seem to have any problems. It’s one of the things that’s so great about SVU, as Fazekas put it:

Obviously SVU will have to come to an end at some point, and it seems like that decision will be up to Hargitay. As long as the show keeps bringing in the viewers and ripping from the headlines, there will be plenty of stories to tell. Plus, with Law & Order’s resurgence in recent years, the franchise is alive and well. People will likely be hearing “Dun dun” for quite some time, and not just as Dick Wolf’s ringtone.

It’s very likely that the series will be reaching 30 seasons in just two short years, but fans will just have to look forward to SVU reaching 600 episodes first. It’s hard to tell how much longer the series will run for, but at least there is still plenty to watch with Season 28. New episodes of Law & Order: SVU air on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

As at stands, Law & Order: SVU are gearing up for Season 28 to make its debut as part of the 2026 TV schedule. That means, we’ll soon be seeing more of Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson on our screens (which definitely isn’t a bad thing). Hargitay has, of course, been filming the long-running procedural as of late on the streets of New York and, with that, she recently had the opportunity to (playfully) photobomb a couple’s wedding pics. It’s a sweet moment, and I’m really hoping the newlyweds are fans of Hargitay and SVU.

It’s not uncommon for people to run into Hargitay or any of her co-stars, considering SVU films in different areas of the Big Apple. The Emmy winner herself has occasionally spoken about some of the encounters she’s had with fans and vice versa. However, this latest encounter, I have to say, is very special. While taking a break from filming the show on location, Hargitay cheekily ran up to a pair of newly married people and posed with them as their photo was taken. Check out the sweet moment in this Instagram post:

Just imagine you’ve just been hitched and you’re just casually taking photos with your significant other, the star who plays Benson shows up to help celebrate your special day. I’d certainly be shocked if that happened to me, though I’d find it to be a relatively pleasant surprise. When it comes to this sweet clip, I only wish it provided a bit more in terms of the couple’s reaction. I’d love to know whether or not they’re fans of Hargitay and her show and, if they are, that would just be the icing on the cake for this wholesome encounter.

While we can’t verify any kind of L&O fandom on the couple’s part, it’s not far-fetched to wonder whether they’re fans of Hargitay. The veteran actress has built quite a following over the last several decades, and that’s in great part due to her stellar performance as Benson. On that note, her social media presence is quite solid as well, as fans tend to flood the comments whenever she posts about the series. Anyone who needs evidence of that should read the reactions to her recent posts about Christopher Meloni, who plays Elliot Stabler.

Mariska Hargitay may be hard at work filming SVU’s new season now but, over the last few months, she’s had the opportunity to take part in some other activities and endeavors. In June, Hargitay cheered on the New York Knicks ahead of their NBA Finals win, and she also attended the championship parade with her son, August. Hargitay also made her Broadway debut when she played the lead role in Every Brilliant Thing. And did I mention she also hosted the Emmys this year?

I’m glad the My Mom Jayne director was able to do so much over the summer, but I’m also happy to know she’s back to her Law & Order work. Season 28 is going to be big for SVU, especially considering that it’ll include the show’s 600th episode, which is set to air in November. Details on the milestone installment are scant but, at the very least, it’s looking like fans will see the return of the aforementioned Meloni (who initially played coy over his involvement).

My hope is that production progresses smoothly for Mariska Hargitay and co., and I’d also love it if more sweet moments – like the encounter with the newlyweds – were to happen amid filming as well. So congratulations to the happy couple and, if they’d like, they can tune into Law & Order: SVU’s season premiere when it airs on October 8 at 9 p.m. ET, with the episode streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Law & Order: SVU's 28^th season will be debuting very soon on the 2026 TV schedule, but we still don't know much about what the Manhattan Special Victims Unit will be getting into. Luckily, it seems like there is one major storyline that has officially been confirmed. After much speculation, Christopher Meloni has been spotted back on set, and the fan responses have me literally laughing out loud.

Ever since Peacock canceled Law & Order: Organized Crime, fans have been hoping for Meloni's Elliot Stabler to make a comeback in some way, shape or form. Both Meloni and SVU showrunner Michele Fazekas have been cryptic about a potential return, and just recently, Meloni refused to outright answer if he’d be coming back. This past Tuesday, though Mariska Hargitay posted a photo to Instagram of her pointing to someone who wasn't facing the camera, and he looked a lot like Meloni from behind:

I love that even though he’s turned away, it’s blatantly obvious that the guy is Meloni. While it's a small tease, I'm still so excited to have the confirmation. Like many, I hoped that Organized Crime wouldn’t be the last we saw of Stabler. While no details have been shared about how Fazekas is utilizing Stabler within the story, it's just comforting to know he's back. What I love even more, though, are the fan responses, and I can’t stop laughing at some of the guesses people had:

• Mr. Clean? 😂 - nae_reon
• Those lucious locks must belong to Brooke Shields - emilynicolekelly
• Aye ask him his hair care routine cause he looking clean and super duper shiny up top! - tayor_jordannnn
• Congratulations on breaking the internet on a random Tuesday in September🫶🏻 you know what you’re doing queen😜 - heather_corcoran

Additionally, plenty of people were pointing out that “mom and dad” were back together, and it definitely feels like it’s been too long since we’ve seen Olivia Benson and Stabler reunited. Still, I’m hopeful Elliot is being brought back in an entertaining way.

Thankfully, Hargitay also didn't leave fans in suspense for too long. (And, no, it's not Mr. Clean.) Obviously, said mystery man was revealed to indeed be Christopher Meloni, as Hargitay posted a different picture to Instagram. That picture time showed the actress and her longtime friend and colleague smiling for a selfie:

Based on Hargitay’s caption, Meloni will be brought in for the big 600^th episode. (And wow, it's wild for me to think SVU will celebrate 600 episodes in the upcoming season.) It only makes sense to bring in Benson’s original partner for the unprecedented milestone installment, and it makes me wonder just how big the producers are really going for it.

If anything, Stabler's return means some more scenes with Benson, and that is all I’ll be looking forward to. Their slow-burn relationship has been ongoing since 1999, and I'm ready for a definitive answer to the "will they or won't they" question.

Hopefully, more details about Chris Meloni’s return and Law & Order: SVU’s 600^th episode will be revealed in the coming weeks. Season 28 premieres on Thursday, October 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

On top of being the biggest pop star in the world, Taylor Swift has a few other talents. This includes baking. The multi-platinum superstar bakes quite a lot in her downtime, and she is known to send some sweet goodies to friends and colleagues. Last year, Kylie Kelce didn’t think she could compete with her then-future sister-in-law’s banging sourdough, and now we finally have some secrets about her famous treat. However, I didn’t expect it to come from Swift’s recent Law & Order appearance and Kelli Giddish.

In recent years, Swift has really been turning up the heat on her sourdough. She’s always had unbelievable baking skills, but her sourdough has been taking up quite a lot of her time. So it’s not surprising to know that when she had the chance to go to the set of one of her favorite shows, SVU, she did not come empty-handed. While speaking with Women In Entertainment, Giddish recalled having Swift on set to film a sketch for the 2026 Emmy Awards, and she was pleasantly surprised not only by Swift’s kindness, but also by the cookies she was given:

Despite cheering on her husband, Travis Kelce, at a Chiefs game while the Emmys were airing, Swift still made a surprise appearance at the award show. She popped up during a fun Law & Order: SVU sketch that saw host Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson and the entire SVU crew putting together clues to figure out if Swift would actually show up. The pop star herself wound up playing a rookie also trying to solve the puzzle. And it sounds like her Emmy Easter Eggs weren’t the only things that she brought to the set.

I just love the fact that Swift didn’t even have to bring anything to set, and she still wanted to provide some sourdough for everyone. Considering SVU is one of her favorite shows -- I mean, she named one of her cats Olivia Benson -- I can only imagine what it was like being on the set. And I wouldn’t blame her for wanting to show her gratitude in some way. Personally, I don't think there’s anything better than homemade treats.

Honestly, as soon as I heard Hargitay was hosting the Emmys, I hoped something like this would happen. The two have been friends for a while, with Hargitay even attending the big Tayvis wedding at MSG during the Fourth of July weekend. The singer's cameo being filmed on the set of SVU truly made it even better, because it felt like she was actually in an episode of SVU. Now I just need that to actually happen.

Anyway, while I keep dreaming about that, I'll also be hoping that maybe someday I'll get a taste of Taylor Swift’s sourdough bread and sourdough cookies. But I guess I’ll just have to live vicariously through celebrities who receive the treat. Just hearing about the cookies that Giddish was given is making me hungry.

Did you catch that Taylor Swift cameo during the 2026 Emmys on Monday night? In the middle of all the Emmy winners being named, there was a Law & Order: SVU-themed sketch involving the night’s host, Mariska Hargitay, Taylor Swift and her cat Olivia Benson. It included Swift mouthing off some very random words right into the camera, too, which left Swifties spiraling. So, obviously we need to talk about it.

What The Emmys Producers Said About Taylor Swift’s Easter Eggs

If you missed the sketch itself, you can watch it below. It was a fun way for Swift to be part of the evening, seeing as she couldn’t make it because she was supporting Travis Kelce (and chatting it up with Tom Cruise) at the Kansas City Chiefs game.

As you can see, along with the murder boards of Easter Eggs, Swift also turns to the camera during the sketch to say, “Saccharide, Ares, from the vineyard, north or south.” What the heck does that mean? Well, it seems to be an Easter Egg.

Per Deadline, bringing Swift to the Emmys was brought up during the show’s first meeting. Mariska Hargitay is a longtime friend of Swift and was one of the distinguished guests at her recent wedding. Apparently, they brought a few ideas to Swift, and the above sketch is what she wanted to do, as Emmy producer Jesse Collins shared:

Taylor Swift has been known to give fans some Easter Eggs to chew on during award show appearances, and this sketch allowed her to do so in a new, fun way. As another Emmys producer, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, added:

And, they already have their corkboard out. Obviously.

The Swiftie Theories About What Those Words Mean

So, what do Taylor Swift fans think about "Saccharide, Ares, from the vineyard, north or south"? There’s already a lot of ideas running around the internet. Here’s one:

This is interesting. “Ares” could mean a lot of things, but this Swiftie thinks it's pointing to Astrology. Aries season starts on March 20, and they think that she’s specifically teasing the long-awaited release of Reputation and Taylor Swift’s “From The Vault” versions. This person mostly agrees with the previous theory:

The Swiftie also noted that “Sugar” could be the name of a vault track, while another fan commented that Aries is the first of 12 zodiac signs, and her debut album is the first of 12 total studio albums she’s released. Here’s another theory that adds one more layer to the popular decoding of her Easter Eggs:

Wow, a double album release would be a big deal! We have to wonder if Swift will release any more Taylor’s Versions, though, after earning back the rights to her music. Maybe she’ll just release the vault tracks from Reputation and her debut album? This theory points to a much closer date, should it be true:

Taylor Swift does like the number 13, and the time on the clock in the sketch is definitely an interesting extra detail. October 13th is also a Tuesday, which is a much more plausible release day than the previous thought about March 20, which is a Saturday. I guess we might as well mark our calendars, put our clown noses on, and wait and see!

I have to hand it to Mariska Hargitay, who is daring enough to lay it all out there as the host of the Emmys, which you can follow along with us on our Emmys live blog, celebrating all the 2026 TV schedule (and part of 2025) has to offer. The opening song, a satire of Pat Benetar’s “I Love Rock and Roll,” was, if I’m honest, a little cringe, as the kids would say.

Yet, Hargitay leaned into it and made it all work. By the time she hit the stage for the monologue, she brought it all together with some great jokes about her boss at Law & Order: SVU, Dick Wolf, and fellow Emmy winner Nicole Kidman, who took the brunt of the shots fired from the stage. This wasn’t a roast in the style of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes, but the jokes still landed.

Dick Wolf Isn’t His Real Name

The opening number, a celebration of all the biggest shows of the year in a song called “I Love TV Screens,” gave shout-outs to some of the biggest hits of the year, including DTF St. Louis, Hacks, Beef, and more. It wasn’t the best opening number I’ve ever seen, but as I said, Hargitay made it work with her confidence and charisma. The monologue also leaned into her strengths. She didn’t spend 10 minutes taking shots at everyone in the room as you might expect from a comedian or talk show host.

That doesn’t mean she didn’t get her jabs in. She even added a little self-deprecating humor, opening with a joke about how long she’s been on SVU and how many actors in the audience she’s arrested on the show. Hargitay also wondered how to pronounce the word “finale” because she’s never had one. She saved the biggest cut for the show’s legendary producer, Dick Wolf:

Really, that was it for the jabs, save one big target: Nicole Kidman.

Kidman Was In On It

She saved the only other mockery for the monologue for the great Nicole Kidman and her ubiquitous AMC ads that so many of us have seen before movies. Showing off her acting skills, I really thought Hargitay was getting choked up when talking about all the talent in the room, but it turns out she was just warming up for the joke. Soon it was obvious she was mocking those ads, including the line “Somehow, heartbreak feels good,” which is when Kidman interrupted and called her out, to which Hargitay responded:

It landed perfectly, and I’m glad that was where the monologue ended. It’s all we need as an audience as we watch along, and that can be done with a Peacock subscription.

Some 2026 Emmy Awards honorees have been named, as the Creative Arts Emmys handed out awards last weekend. Now, with the Primetime Emmys airing on Monday night, there will be many more actors, directors, writers, producers, and more will be vying for the coveted statuettes. Mariska Hargitay, fresh off her two Emmy wins for My Mom Jayne, is hosting the ceremony. Hosting is no easy task, but she's had some help from Stephen Colbert’s team and her Law & Order: SVU peeps.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert officially ended came to an end this past May on 2026 TV schedule, but some of the writing team have remained busy, particularly with the Emmys. Hargitay revealed to THR that she was working with Colbert’s former staff for her hosting gig. Emmys EP Jesse Collins confirmed that former head writer Ariel Dumas was leading the team and that they'd been working with Hargitay “for the last couple months.” Fellow EP Dionne Harmon also revealed just where they’ve all been working from, and it’s very cool:

Hargitay has had quite a busy summer. Almost as soon as SVU went on hiatus in May, she made her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing. Then, almost as soon as she was done with that, filming kicked off on Season 28. Having to also prepare to host the Emmys, which likely includes a lot of rehearsals and planning.

All in all, Hargitay has had to pull double duty, so it's great that the writers were able to utilize the SVU offices as the Emmys writing base so Hargitay could work on both. Collins also recalled what it was like working with the Captain Benson amid production on the show, and he has a funny take:

Kudos to Hargitay for focusing on both SVU and the Emmys at the same time, especially given how different both gigs are. This hosting position marks a major moment for Hargitay, and that's saying a lot, given her successful career. However, the Emmys wouldn’t have asked Hargitay if they didn’t think she could do it, and I truly believe she has the charm and gravitas to headline the show.

That being said, I do love that some of The Late Show writers are working on the Emmys in the aftermath of the talk show's cancellation. I’ve been wondering what the team on the late-night talk show has been up to, as I've missed the show. If anything, though, them landing this gig working with Hargitay allows them to further flex the firm comedic muscles they developed while working with Colbert for years. And, of course, big props to the Law & Order: SVU crew for helping to facilitate all this.

I cannot wait to see what Mariska Hargitay and The Late Show writers have cooked up for the Emmys, and I’m even more excited to see who else takes home an award following the Creative Arts Emmys. The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards air on Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and will be streamable with a Peacock subscription.

Mariska Hargitay has witnessed multiple magical events at Madison Square Garden this year, and a couple of them have involved Taylor Swift. Of course, the actress and singer cheered on their Knicks during their run that ended with an NBA championship. On top of that, Hargitay got to enter The Garden again to

witness Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. Now, she’s giving us a front-row seat to her “favorite” part of the high-profile ceremony.

A word that people keep using to describe Swift and Kelce’s wedding is “intimate,” and that’s something Hargitay complimented too. While it was stacked with A-listers and required very secretive invitations, the Law & Order: SVU star and long-time friend of Swift explained that it felt tight-knit and personal during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live:

This statement from the actress who plays Olivia Benson (the character Swift named one of her cats after) goes along with other comments we’ve gotten about this event. Despite it being a wedding between a pop star and Super Bowl champ that was held at MSG, it’s been widely noted that the event was very personal and thoughtful.

The couple’s vows also helped highlight that point, and that was actually Hargitay’s favorite part of the ceremony, as she stated:

It’s been reported that Swift and Kelce’s vows were making “300-lb men from the football business” cry. During The Compound and Friend podcast, CEO of American Century Investments, Jonathan Thomas, explained that he was “crying” throughout the vows too, and recalled that Kelce’s speech was “vulnerable,” while Swift’s was “poetic.” Both of their speeches were about 30 minutes.

Based on all that information, I totally see why the vows were Hargitay’s favorite part of the ceremony. Plus, to have the speeches complemented by Adam Sandler officiating the ceremony is the cherry on top. I mean, Conan O’Brien called the comedian’s officiating “perfection.” So, it really sounds like the whole ceremony was, as the actress said, “magical.”

Now, considering Hargitay and Swift are friends and fans of each other, I’m hopeful she’ll divulge a few more details about the wedding at some point. However, what she gave us was marvelous, and now I can’t stop smiling about the fact that right after the SVU star sat courtside in MSG with the singer to watch the Knicks’ historic run, she then got to go back and witness another unforgettable moment in the iconic New York City venue.

After so many years of being both in front of and behind the camera for Law & Order: SVU, the beloved actress made the difficult and complicated decision to expand her talents for her first feature-length effort, a touching documentary about her mom, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield. Now, years later, her hard work has culminated in her very first Emmy Award win as a director, just a week before she’s set to host the Primetime Emmys telecast.

My Mom Jayne made its world premiere at Cannes in May 2025, and received a limited theatrical run ahead of its linear premiere in June on HBO and its streaming debut via HBO Max subscription. The doc explores Hargitay’s relationship, or lack thereof, with a mom she never really had a chance to know — Mansfield died in a 1967 car collision when Hargitay was just three years old — and it was clearly powerful enough to win over Emmy voters.

She won not just one, but two total Emmys for My Mom Jayne, beating out the competition for both Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program. She reflected on the momentous occasion on Instagram with a two-word summary:

I'm assuming her hypothetical tone there wasn't imbued with Ryan Reynolds-level snark, but is instead more of a disbelief-stricken reaction that she would not have expected to be reflective on earlier in the evening.

That's what the picture used in the post makes it seem like to me, anyway, given how purely joyful Mariska Hargitay looks while double-fisting her trophies.

For the Outstanding Documentary category, My Mom Jayne won out over several high-profile docs, including John Candy: I Like Me, Marty, Life Is Short, Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! and Ocean with David Attenborough. She also beat out directors such as Lawrence Kasdan for Marty, Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio for Mel Brooks, Alexandria Stapleton for Sean Combs: The Reckoning and Rebecca Miller for Mr. Scorcese.

Taking the stage for directing, Hargitay was visibly grateful and taken aback by the win, and reflected on the long journey to even getting to a place where she felt comfortable being the one to spearhead it. As she put it:

Upon receiving the award for Outstanding Documentary, Hargitay shared melancholic appreciation for feminism icon Gloria Steinem (who passed away at 92 on September 2), saying:

Hargitay has spoken in the past year about the difficulties she faced within her own family while trying to put the documentary together, with certain relatives being more skeptical than others about it overall. That said, it appears that cooler heads prevailed and all involved were agreeable enough to speak for the doc.

So if that can be a form of inspiration for other potential filmmakers out there who want to tell their own stories, Hargitay wants that message spread far and wide. She spoke to that during her directing award speech, saying:

Now that Mariska Hargitay is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, it adds a bit more fuel to worries that she may exit Law & Order: SVU at some point soon, especially given her own comments about retirement. Oh, and not to mention her big Broadway debut that also played out earlier in 2026. But for now, Olivia Benson is back as the boss in Season 28, but whether or not Christopher Meloni's Stabler returns is another story.

With Hargitay front and center as its hot, the televised 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to unveil all of the big winners on NBC (and streaming via Peacock subscription) on Monday, September 14, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Law & Order: SVU might be going into its 28th season this fall on the 2026 TV schedule, but it's still keeping fans on the edge of their seats. While it’s unknown how much longer the Dick Wolf franchise will run, it seems like the writers are always looking for fresh ideas. This includes adding some new characters to the show, and I love the executive producer’s take on what the latest addition means for Benson.

Succession’s J. Smith-Cameron is set to recur on SVU as jury consultant Gwen Sharpe, per TVLine. Fans will meet Gwen in the season premiere that will air on Thursday, October 8. While Gwen was initially going to be someone who would cross paths with Mariska Hargitay’s beloved Captain while a jury was being seated and offer her some advice, showrunner Michele Fazekas told the outlet that she saw it as an opportunity to go in a different direction. Gwen is now going to be Benson’s peer, and it’s something that’s been a long time coming:

While Benson has grown close to her colleagues over the years, Fazekas does make a good point. There’s only so much that she can do and talk with people like Fin and Rollins about without crossing a line, since she is their boss. As fans continue to wait for Stabler's return, it would be nice for Benson to be able to talk to someone else about certain things and get advice. Fazekas shared that Gwen will be that person, serving as a “nice sort of sounding board” for Benson and “somebody that she can talk to.”

As Fazekas pointed out, Benson has obviously been on the job for a long time. But it’s never too late to get a fresh perspective or help from someone who doesn’t necessarily work with or for her. I’m looking forward to how this could potentially have an impact on Benson when it comes to cases and maybe even her personal life.

Even though they're still figuring out how much we'll see Smith-Cameron’s character on the long-running crime procedural, Fazekas shared that she expects her to appear “at least three times, if not more” during the upcoming season. More information on Gwen will likely be revealed in the coming weeks, but knowing that we’ll meet her in the season premiere will definitely be something to look forward to in October.

Surprisingly, this will not be Smith-Cameron’s first appearance on SVU. She is among the many actors who have portrayed more than one character in the Law & Order franchise. Smith-Cameron has been in four episodes of The Mothership as four different characters between 1992 and 2009. She also was in two episodes of Criminal Intent as two different characters in 2001 and 2007. Meanwhile, her first appearance on SVU was in 2011 during Season 13.

Her upcoming role as Gwen will be her first recurring spot in the franchise, and I’m excited to see how it all goes down. Season 28 of Law & Order: SVU premieres on Thursday, October 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

It’s hard to believe that Mariska Hargitay has been playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU for 27 years now, as Season 28 is set to hit the 2026 TV schedule in October. She’s become synonymous with the show (whether she likes it or not), but there was a point in time when things were a little more up in the air. Christopher Meloni was No. 1 on the call sheet for the first 12 seasons of the NBC procedural, and Hargitay recalled how her role changed after he left.

Christopher Meloni played Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU from the show’s 1999 premiere until 2011. During that time, he was the de facto leader as No. 1 on the call sheet — a role that Ice-T said they were happy to relinquish to him — but it was Mariska Hargitay who stepped up after Meloni’s exit. Ice-T told Variety:

It’s tricky when any series continues after losing its main character, and I’d imagine that’s especially true when that character is part of an established duo as close as Benson and Stabler were. So there must have been a massive amount of pressure on Mariska Hargitay to continue without her on-screen partner. She recalled the uncertainty of those times, saying:

It turns out Mariska Hargitay had been planning to scale back her own role on SVU to appear in only about half of the episodes. Instead, however, she went in the opposite direction and embraced the leadership opportunity. She continued:

Mariska Hargitay continues to be No. 1 on the call sheet to this day, even if Olivia Benson is starting to make retirement comments. She and Christopher Meloni have even reunited on-screen, mending what was reportedly a painful break for Hargitay.

Christopher Meloni returned to Law & Order: SVU in 2021 before leading his own spinoff series Law & Order: Organized Crime, on which Mariska Hargitay joined him for 14 episodes of its five-season run.

We may not know how much longer SVU will last, but Mariska Hargitay has more than proven that she was capable of stepping into that role of being in charge 15 years ago. You can see more of Olivia Benson when Law & Order: SVU Season 28 premieres at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, October 8, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Law & Order: SVU is preparing for its 28^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, and it’s hard to believe the show has been around for almost three decades. That also means Mariska Hargitay has been portraying the same character for almost three decades. However, there was a time when she considered saying goodbye to Olivia Benson, and she got a four-word response from Julianna Margulies about why that wasn't an option.

If Hargitay chooses to truly leave SVU, it can be assumed that the show would be ending because if there’s no Olivia Benson, there’s no SVU. Just a few years ago, that very nearly happened. The 2026 Emmys host told Variety that she was thinking about stepping away around Season 25. She recalled a conversation she had with Margulies about it, and the hard truth The Good Wife star shared:

Hargitay and Margulies briefly worked together when Hargitay recurred on ER during Season 4. Margulies ended up leaving the long-running medical drama after Season 6 to branch out more in her own career. So she would definitely know a thing or two about departing a hit drama.

However, being on a show for over 20 years, it can take a toll on you, especially if that’s all you do. That being said, Hargitay thought about her career outside of SVU, especially now, and there’s so much she’s been able to do and will do while still playing Olivia Benson. Overall, she seems pretty content with how things are:

A lot of actors have managed to do other projects while working on a television show, and even though it probably isn’t easy, it’s not impossible. Hargitay has definitely been putting in the work. Almost as soon as SVU Season 27 wrapped filming, she made her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing. Her run ended right before filming for Season 28 began. Plus, as she stated, she also filmed a movie while shooting her TV show. Plenty of actors shoot more than one project at the same time, and this kind of schedule is perfectly normal and manageable, it seems.

Hearing that Hargitay has no plans to leave SVU is such a relief. Of course, NBC or Dick Wolf could always choose to end it whenever, but the series has been a staple on the network since 1999. I can’t imagine SVU, or at least any part of the Law & Order franchise, not on television. Even though the series and the franchise will have to end at some point, I’m happy to know that Magulies’ response and Hargitay’s enthusiasm to do more while still on the show is helping to keep it going.

Now that SVU is not going anywhere, fans can look forward to the new season. Season 28 will premiere on Thursday, October 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Mariska Hargitay hosting the 78^th Primetime Emmy Awards was not a thing that had ever crossed my mind. But also, I’m here for it and I love the idea. How did the Law & Order: SVU mainstay land that job, you might wonder? Well, she wondered the same thing, but didn’t let that stop her from accepting the unexpected opportunity.

As Olivia Benson in the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Hargitay has done nearly 600 episodes in 27 seasons of the drama series and is soon to be returning for Season 28 on the 2026 TV schedule. While the Emmy host is typically someone with a background in comedy, it's airing on NBC and she is one of the network’s most notable stars. Plus, if they want to shake things up a bit, then she’s the perfect choice. During a recent interview with Deadline, the former ER star said:

I can’t imagine how nerve-wracking the possibility of hosting the Emmy Awards must be, especially when that’s not in your typical wheelhouse. But it sounds like Mariska Hargitay is taking the right approach, not consulting with previous hosts and instead doing her own thing. Trying to turn herself into someone she’s not would just come across as forced and disingenuous, so finding where she’s most comfortable and playing to her own strengths seems like the best way to go.

Rest assured that the star of Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video will not be out on stage alone without a safety net. She’s already hard at work pitching ideas with a team of writers that includes some of folks from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She’s also recently concluded her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing, so she has a sense of what it’s like to be in front of a live audience. And it will be an audience full of fellow actors that are her friends and peers, which she acknowledged by saying:

From Broadway to directing the HBO documentary titled My Mom Jayne about her late actress mother Jayne Mansfield, to the out-of-the-box decision to host the Emmy Awards, Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay is definitely not shying away from doing new things. I know that I’ll not only be tuning in to see if the SVU star has any hidden talent she decides to showcase as host, but also to see how many wardrobe changes she might have and what she decides to wear over the course of the night.

In the meantime, keep making your predictions for which 2026 Emmy Award nominees might take home the trophies until all are revealed in the live show on September 14^th on NBC and streaming via Peacock subscription.

They say game recognizes game, and I feel like that’s what’s going on between the New York Knicks’ superstar, Jalen Brunson and Law & Order: SVU’s lead, Mariska Hargitay. The two have become pals, despite their very different careers, and now the basketball player wants to do a cameo on Law & Order: SVU. Now, along with speaking about that dream again, he also shared the sweetest comments about Hargitay.

Literally, right after the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years, Jalen Brunson said that the next thing he wanted to do was “try and get on SVU.” Considering Hargitay is a diehard fan of his NBA team and has been friends with the point guard for a while now, I don’t think this is a far-fetched dream. However, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, so Brunson is still campaigning, as he told Variety:

Well, that’s just the sweetest thing ever. Obviously, I know Brunson shows up for Hargitay (for example, he went and saw her Broadway play), and it’s hard to miss Hargitay courtside at Knicks games, whether she’s wearing a Stevie Knicks shirt with Taylor Swift or not. However, it’s always wonderful to see the two gush about each other.

Their appreciation and respect for one another is abundant too. For example, after the Knicks won, Hargitay was interviewed at their victory parade. She was asked what Brunson means to New York City, and in response she told the NBA:

As I said, game recognizes game, and these two New York icons clearly idolize each other.

Now, can we make that SVU cameo happen? As Hargitay’s longtime co-star and pal Christopher Meloni said, Brunson is a “world champion,” so “he can do whatever the hell he wants.” And if that thing he wants is to be on this Law & Order show with the one celebrity he’ll hug at his games, let’s make it happen.

With Law & Order: SVU set to return on the 2026 TV schedule for its 28th season on October 8, a cameo seems incredibly possible. Clearly, Brunson wants to do it, and I bet this ongoing compliment battle between the two would continue. So, let’s make his dream come true!

We may only be three-quarters of the way through the 2026 TV schedule at this point, but it's that time of year when we get to celebrate all of the most amazing performances, writing, direction and more from everything we've watched in the last year. This time around, we won't have The Studio and Adolescence sweeping all the major categories, so there may very well be some surprises to look forward to. (At least anywhere that The Pitt isn't nominated.)

The Bear's Liza Colón-Zayas and Widow's Bay co-star Jeff Hiller were on hand this summer to make the announcements. This year's telecast was hosted by Law & Order: SVU great and Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay.

Here are the winners:

Outstanding Drama Series

• The Diplomat
• The Gilded Age
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
• Paradise
• WINNER: The Pitt
• Pluribus
• Slow Horses
• Your Friends & Neighbors

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary
• The Bear
• Hacks
• Margo's Got Money Troubles
• Nobody Wants This
• Only Murders in the Building
• Shrinking
• WINNER: Widow's Bay

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

• All Her Fault
• The Beast in Me
• Beef
• WINNER: DTF St. Louis
• Love Story

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
• Chase Infiniti, The Testaments
• Keri Russell, The Diplomat
• WINNER: Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
• Zendaya, Euphoria

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
• Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
• Mark Ruffalo, Task
• Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat
• WINNER: Noah Wyle, The Pitt

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Taylor Dearden, The Pitt
• Fiona Dourif, The Pitt
• WINNER: Allison Janney, The Diplomat
• Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
• Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt
• Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
• Karolina Wydra, Pluribus

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Patrick Ball, The Pitt
• Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
• Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt
• Gerran Howell, The Pitt
• Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
• WINNER: Tom Pelphrey, Task
• Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
• Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
• Elle Fanning, Margo's Got Money Troubles
• Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
• WINNER: Jean Smart, Hacks

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Wonder Man
• Steve Carell, Rooster
• WINNER: Matthew Rhys, Widow's Bay
• Jason Segel, Shrinking
• Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Dale Dickey, Widow's Bay
• Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
• Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
• WINNER: Kate O'Flynn, Widow's Bay
• Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo's Got Money Troubles
• Megan Stalter, Hacks
• Jessica Williams, Shrinking

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
• Paul W. Downs, Hacks
• Harrison Ford, Shrinking
• Nick Offerman, Margo's Got Money Troubles
• WINNER: Stephen Root, Widow's Bay
• Michael Urie, Shrinking
• Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

• Claire Danes, The Beast In Me
• WINNER: Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
• Carrie Mulligan, Beef
• Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story
• Sarah Snook, All Her Fault

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

• Riz Ahmed, Bait
• Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
• Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
• Oscar Isaac, Beef
• WINNER: Matthew Rhys, The Beast In Me

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

• WINNER: Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
• Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault
• Laurie Metcalf, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
• Joy Sunday, DTF St. Louis
• Youn Yuh-jung, Beef
• Constance Zimmer, Love Story

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

• Jason Bateman, DTF St. Louis
• Richard Gadd, Half Man
• WINNER: David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
• Richard Jenkins, DTF St. Louis
• Charles Melton, Beef
• Nick Offerman, Death By Lightning

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

• Dancing with the Stars
• RuPaul's Drag Race
• Survivor
• Top Chef
• WINNER: The Traitors

Outstanding Variety Series

• The Daily Show
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• WINNER: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality Competition Program

• RuPaul Charles, RuPaul's Drag Race
• WINNER: Alan Cumming, The Traitors
• Kristen Kish, Top Chef
• Ariana Madis, Love Island USA
• Jeff Probst, Survivor

Outstanding Animated Program

• Bob's Burgers
• Rick and Morty
• The Simpsons
• Smiling Friends
• WINNER: South Park
• Star Wars: Visions

Outstanding Game Show

• Celebrity Family Feud
• WINNER: Jeopardy!
• The Price Is Right
• Wheel Of Fortune
• Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

The 2026 Emmy Awards will be held on Monday, September 14, and will be airing on NBC and streaming via Peacock subscription at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Mariska Hargitay was one of Jalen Brunson's biggest cheerleaders in celebrity row for years, and finally, the New York Knicks star had an opportunity to cheer for her from the sideline. He went to see her Broadway play recently, but it's the sweet reaction he had to the performance that has people talking.

While Hargitay was photographed beside herself and in shock during the Knicks' NBA Championship run, Brunson was all smiles as People reported he attended her Broadway show, Every Brilliant Thing. Though the superstar snuck out before the end of the performance, it was only so he could appear backstage to congratulate her on a wonderful performance. Per a bystander:

While Brunson might've already enjoyed the play because Mariska Hargitay is a gem of an actress and Every Brilliant Thing is getting rave reviews, it's also worth mentioning the show snuck in a moment honoring him. Hargitay pulls open a box that contains Jalen Brunson's jersey, and while that's been a part of the show before, her referencing it led the crowd to pause and give him a standing ovation.

It's the latest story between Mariska Hargitay and Jalen Brunson, not long after he said he wanted to take their friendship to the next level. Of course, what he meant by that was that he wanted to have a guest role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and I'm sure she'd be up for that as well. The question is whether they'll be able to make it happen in an episode before the 2026 TV schedule is up, because the fall television season is growing closer every week.

Beyond that, he'd also have to film a guest spot before training camp starts again for the New York Knicks, who will be under more pressure as the NBA's defending champions. Realistically, teams don't begin their training camps until September, so there's a window for the show to bring him in for an episode if they can pull a script together quickly enough.

I think NBC would be silly not to move heaven and Earth to make it happen as well. With the wave of New Yorkers thrilled about the win, I can only imagine what the viewership numbers would be for that episode when it aired. Hey, with the way Christopher Meloni reacted to Brunson wanting to be on the show, maybe they could even coax him to come back again. Brunson, Benson, and Stabler in action? Talk about "must-see TV!"

Law & Order: SVU returns in the fall to NBC. The NBA season isn't officially kicking off until October, so there's plenty of time to kick back and enjoy some summer programming in the meantime.

Mariska Hargitay is the longest-running actor in the Law & Order franchise and, at this point, she's arguably the face of the franchise. Having been a mainstay on SVU since it premiered in 1999 (and continues its run amid the 2026 TV schedule), it’s hard to imagine the show without her. Before locking down the role of Olivia Benson, though, Hargitay got some blunt advice, and I’m so glad she didn’t take it.

The newly-minted Broadway star has been open about what her life was like when she was first getting into acting and how a psychic even predicted her SVU fame before she got the role. The psychic is not the only one whom Hargitay saw, though. While speaking with Jamie Lee Curtis for Variety’s Actors on Actors segment, Hargitay recalled how her acting teacher at the time told her she needed to be on stage, and she became good friends with Oscar and Emmy-winning director Fisher Stevens as a result.

Stevens would take her to Broadway shows whenever she was in New York and introduce her to actresses. It was then that she knew that’s what she wanted to do. There was one actress that Hargitay became friends with who warned her to avoid one thing, and those comments couldn’t have come at a more interesting time:

Well, that guidance certainly wasn't too subtle. Interestingly, at that time, Hargitay had done quite a lot of TV, as she landed recurring roles in Falcon Crest and ER as well as leading roles in Downtown, Tequila and Bonetti, and Can’t Hurry Love, among others. But the fact that Kathleen Chalfrant -- known for her work across film, TV, and stage -- gave Hargitay that advice just before she got the call for SVU is hilarious. It’s a good thing Hargitay ended up not taking the advice, because who knows what could have happened with her career or the L&O franchise.

Luckily, Hargitay has been able to finally live out her Broadway dreams, even as Law & Order: SVU continues going strong. The actress recently made her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing, taking over the narrator role from Daniel Radcliffe. Her run, which began on May 26, will go through July 5, and I'd imagine that'll end shortly before filming kicks off for SVU’s 28^th season. So, while it took some time, I'm glad Hargitay got to experience the bright lights of Broadway.

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing Mariska Hargitay back on set for Law & Order: SVU. Both that show and Law & Order will be back for new seasons later this year, but it’s hard to know just how much longer the Dick Wolf franchise will be around for. As of now, there doesn’t seem to be any end for SVU, and I'm hopeful that the same level of vigor that pushed Hargitay to sign on for the show years ago continues to stay with her as she continues to make it.

Law & Order: SVU Season 28 will premiere on Thursday, October 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

It’s hard to believe NCIS started as a JAG spinoff, because not only is it one of the longest-running shows on primetime television, but it has also spawned a whole franchise. However, JAG is not the only show we have to give credit to when it comes to the origins of NCIS. We have to thank Law & Order, too. So, yeah, Mariska Hargitay and co. deserve our gratitude.

Since NCIS debuted over 20 years ago, it’s always interesting hearing BTS facts about the show's early days and how different things were back then. It’s even more interesting to learn about how the show came to be. Case in point, longtime executive producer Mark Horowitz reflected on NCIS’ run while appearing on the podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies, telling hosts and stars Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover the original pitch for the CBS hit, which took inspiration from a big NBC legal drama:

I love knowing that Law & Order basically had a hand in NCIS, even if it didn’t go in that direction after the backdoor pilots. By the time the JAG backdoor pilots aired, Law & Order was in its 13^th season, while SVU was in its fourth, so both shows, as well as Hargitay, Sam Waterston, and the rest of the cast on the two series, probably had a hand in inspiring the soon-to-be CBS hit.

This revelation is even more mind-blowing, knowing that the NCIS and Law & Order franchises are arguably the two most notable television franchises today. Both have had multiple spinoff series, and each franchise has projects that have been on the air for well over two decades.

However, I do have to admit, it does make me sad that they are on separate networks, so we’ll never get to see the franchises crossover.

Anyway, knowing that Law & Order inspired the original concept for NCIS, I do wonder what would have happened had L&O never premiered, or hadn’t become a show until much later. Truly, the butterfly effect is a crazy thing, and I’m certainly glad it worked its magic here. I'm also happy that NCIS ultimately went in the direction it’s currently in, because who knows how long it would have lasted had Law & Order in the Navy stuck around.

The original concept is not all that Horowitz revealed about NCIS’ early days. He also shared on the podcast why the squad walls are so orange, noting that they modeled the set after seeing the interior of a building in LA, and the lighting was just too perfect.

So, even after over 20 years, there’s a lot to learn about NCIS, and fans can go back and watch their favorite episodes, as well as the JAG backdoor pilot during Season 8 of the series, with a Paramount+ subscription. And while you do that, don't forget to say thank you to Law & Order as well.

The vibe has been electric in New York City since the Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years. Fans have been soaking in the hype, and that includes celebrity followers of the team. At the same time, the players themselves have been riding high, especially star point guard (and Finals MVP) Jalen Brunson. To that point, Brunson shared his desire to appear on Law & Order: SVU. Now, one of the TV franchise’s biggest icons, Christopher Meloni, is sharing thoughts on Brunson’s bid to be on the show.

Christopher Meloni Weighs In On Jalen Brunson’s Law & Order: SVU Bid

Brunson revealed his L&O hopes when he was walking in the tunnel shortly after he and the Knicks claimed their 4-1 series victory over the San Antonio Spurs. When asked what he wanted to do since he’d achieved champion status, Brunson simply said he’d like to “try to go on SVU.” TMZ caught up with Christopher Meloni to get his thoughts on the three-time All-Star wanting to appear on the TV procedural he’s long been synonymous with. The Elliot Stabler actor is down for the idea, and he heaped a bit of praise on Brunson as well:

The “force of will” is right, as Brunson certainly imposed his will at Madison Square Garden not only during the NBA Finals but during the Knicks’ entire 2026 playoff run. I feel like it just makes too much sense for the former Villanova Wildcat to appear on the show. Plus, let’s not forget that during this playoff run, Brunson has forged a fast friendship of sorts with Olivia Benson actress Mariska Hargitay, who was cheering on the team in a big way and also attended the recent parade.

I wouldn’t be surprised if others were enthusiastic about the notion of seeing Hargitay’s Benson cross paths with a fictionalized version of Brunson. That aside, though, there’s still a question regarding whether SVU will welcome Meloni’s Stabler back for future episodes.

What’s Going On With Christopher Meloni’s Law & Order Future?

Meloni’s Law & Order: Organized Crime had been canceled after five seasons by Peacock in April. Since then, fans have been requesting that Stabler be brought back to SVU to reunite with Benson and his other cohorts. As of this writing, there’s been no official indication as to whether Stabler will appear on SVU, which will return to the 2026 TV schedule this fall for its 28th season. Despite the lack of a confirmation on Stabler’s hoped-for return, showrunner Michele Fazekas expressed interest in utilizing the character under the right circumstances.

Meloni hasn’t just been sitting on his hands and waiting for the phone to ring, though. In addition to rooting on the Knicks amid their championship run, Meloni also wrapped on his football-centric show, The Land, and it’s the latest drama series from Dan Fogelman. Meloni also recently worked with daughter Sophia on her short film, Chop Cheese.

But, even though Christopher Meloni is staying busy, I’m hopeful that he’ll be called upon to reprise his role as Stabler for Law & Order: SVU Season 28 and once again share the screen with longtime friend and co-star Mariska Hagitay. Let’s also keep our fingers crossed that Jalen Brunson’s wish to appear on the show is granted as well and, if so, I’d love for it to coincide with Meloni’s theoretical return. In the meantime, stream episodes of SVU and Organized Crime using a Peacock subscription.

Mariska Hargitay is not just a New York City icon; she’s also a top-tier New York Knicks fan. Of course, we already knew that, seeing as she’s the only celebrity allowed to hug Jalen Brunson. However, as the NBA Finals aired on the 2026 TV schedule, seeing her courtside made her adoration for the team even clearer. Now, her son has also proved to be quite the Knicks fan, as he attended the victory parade with her while wearing a punny T-shirt that both honored his mother and kept the tradition Taylor Swift and her squad started alive.

The shirt in question, obviously, said “Marknickska Hargitay.” So, it fit right in with the Stevie Knicks shirt both Swift and Hargitay wore at Game 4 of the Finals. And Hargitay’s 18-year-old son, August Hermann, looked fantastic in it. Take a look at this photo of the mother-son duo at the Knicks’ victory parade:

I love this moment for so many reasons. First of all, Mariska Hargitay’s love for the Knicks has been infectious, and viral photos of her celebrating their wins have been one of my favorite things to come out of the NBA Finals. Plus, as I said, her friendship with Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP, is wonderful. Now, this photo proves that her family loves the team, AND they had fun playing with the tradition of wearing punny T-shirts that Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters started.

In the days since Swift rocked the Stevie Knicks shirt that was made by Alana Haim (she also made tops that said Knickole Kidman and Knickelback), there have been so many new shirts and puns made. However, my favorite moment regarding this whole situation was the fact that this squad had extra shirts with them and were able to give one to the SVU star mid-game. They all looked iconic, it further proved how special both Swift and Hargitay’s friendship is, and it helped cement this trend as one of the viral highlights of the Knicks Finals run.

Now, we can add Hargitay’s son to the list of people hopping on the trend. While his mom rocked a Stevie Knicks shirt at a game, and I loved that, I think him rocking a “Marknickska Hargitay” top really takes the cake. She really is one of the great celebrity Knicks fans, alongside Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet, so I think she deserves to be recognized as that by way of a punny shirt.

Meanwhile, Hargitay’s shirt matched Hermann’s, but it said “Brilliant Thing #11: The Knicks.” That is a reference to the Broadway show she’s in, Every Brilliant Thing. She took over the gig from Daniel Radcliffe earlier this summer, and has been performing eight shows a week while also rooting on the Knicks. So, this is a fun nod to her Broadway debut; however, it’s also a brilliant acknowledgement of her friendship with Jalen Brunson, seeing as 11 is his number.

Instantly, this moment became one of my favorites. I’ve loved seeing Mariska Hargitay root for the Knicks over the course of the Finals. To see that series of events end with her and her son rocking fantastic T-shirts at the parade felt like the perfect conclusion to this epic saga involving pun-tastic tops.

The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time in over five decades, and team leader Jalen Brunson played a big part in that. All eyes were on the NBA Finals MVP as he plotted his first moves post-championship, and I think it's hilarious he's angling this win into getting closer with Knicks superfan and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay.

Hargitay, who went viral not long ago for her shocked expression after a historic comeback by her favorite team, also holds the honor of being one of the only celebrities Brunson will hug at games. Apparently, the NBA star is interested in turning their casual relationship into a professional venture, such as angling toward another appearance on the 2026 TV schedule via SVU. He signaled as much when asked what he was doing after this big victory:

For those unable to watch the video, Brunson answered with:

Jalen Brunson wants to be on Law & Order: SVU, and I have a feeling Mariska Hargitay and NBC will move the Earth to make it happen. After all, is there going to be a more famous New Yorker in the area by the end of the year? I think it'd be an easy ratings win, especially with Knicks fans knowing how much he's into the show.

Brunson would not be the first NBA player to appear on Law & Order: SVU either. Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Isaiah Thomas have all appeared on the show previously, and all cameo'd as themselves on the program. Presumably, Jalen Brunson would do the same, and maybe they'd make it canon that Brunson and Olivia Benson are real-life besties off the court.

It'd be super cool if Law & Order: SVU could do an episode set during the latest NBA playoff run, and cast other celebrity notables from Knicks celebrity row as well. Imagine a super-sized episode featuring Brunson, Fat Joe, Tracy Morgan, and even Ben Stiller, provided the episode isn't also set during the Met Gala.

Of course, whether this happens or not anytime soon depends on the filming schedule for Law & Order: SVU and Jalen Brunson's availability. I'm sure he's going to be busy doing a lot of things in between now and next season, so hopefully the stars align and he gets to live out his dream of being on a crime procedural series. It's still so funny to me he didn't say Disney World like other sports stars, but maybe he just didn't want to remind anyone of that dreadful bubble season.

Law & Order: SVU returns to NBC in the fall, and so does the NBA season. Fortunately, Jalen Brunson will be able to show up to film whatever cameo is cooked up for him, assuming it happens. If not before the end of this year, maybe he can pop up in an episode that'll air during the midseason in early 2027?

Law & Order: SVU wrapped up its 27^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, and the show continues to be a hit on NBC. As it inches closer to its 30^th anniversary, SVU is keeping things fresh for fans while also bringing in some nostalgic touches, whether it be storylines that call back to earlier seasons or fan-favorite characters. In fact, one of Mariska Hargitay’s scenes in the Season 27 finale marked a full-circle moment for the director, and I absolutely love it.

In the finale, “Monster,” the squad was on the hunt for a serial killer, with the climax happening in the rain. Showrunner Michele Fazekas wrote the script for the episode and added the rain element, which probably only heightened the stakes because they’re wet, they can barely see, and it’s a lot more slippery. For Brenna Malloy, however, directing the finale brought her back to the very beginning of SVU, as she told Variety:

This was the very first scene in which fans met Olivia Benson during SVU’s pilot back in 1999. In that first scene, it's raining, Benson and Stabler are called to a crime scene, and the rest is history. For the Season 27 finale to somewhat call back to the pilot, it’s definitely pretty special. And Malloy knew just how special it really was, especially since Hargitay didn’t mind shooting in the rain late at night:

It’s nice to know that even after all these years, Hargitay is down for almost anything while filming Law & Order: SVU. Since filming in the rain, whether real or fake, can probably be hard logistically, depending on what it involves, I’m glad that it worked out.

While the scene in the pilot and the scene in the Season 27 finale are pretty different from each other in terms of what’s going on, just the fact that Malloy and the fans, and likely Hargitay, are able to have this full-circle moment because of one very important element is pretty great.

Even though it is a full-circle moment, don’t expect this to mark the beginning of the end of the Law & Order franchise. Both the Mothership and SVU are coming back for new seasons this fall, and while Law & Order: Organized Crime is done, it wouldn’t be surprising if Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler popped up on SVU in the near future. Fans are hungry for more Bensler, and OC’s cancellation certainly won’t stand in the way of that.

More details on the upcoming season of SVU should be coming soon. In the meantime, fans can watch the full-circle moment that Malloy was talking about with a Hulu subscription for the pilot and a Peacock subscription for the Season 27 finale.

The New York Knicks shocked the world with their Game 4 win on Wednesday, overcoming the largest deficit in NBA Finals history. It was a game that felt out of reach until the final moments, and even the celebrities in attendance couldn't believe what they witnessed. This included Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay, who went viral after fans spotted her shocked expression while being consoled by Taylor Swift.

Olivia Benson isn't returning to the 2026 TV schedule until later this year, but fans are well fed after seeing Hargitay's face minutes after the Knicks took the lead thanks to a last-second putback by OG Anunoby. They're now one game away from winning their first NBA championship since 1973, and the face of this famous Knicks fan really says it all:

No, Tracy Morgan didn't throw up courtside again; that's the look from a fan who realized she may be witnessing history as it unfolds. I'd say she got her bang for her buck for those courtside seats, but I recently learned that celebrities don't pay for those seats.

Now, after seeing her reactions, of course, fans of Hargitay had a lot to say. So, I'll kick it over to the Law & Order fans who reacted to the moment on X, and had all sorts of jokes tied to the show:

• I have seen Olivia Benson attacked and shot at and look less traumatized than she does here.
• She just took down the biggest criminal in SVU history
• Looking like she just seen William Lewis again
• Or had Noah stolen for the 12th time
• There are SVU episode blocks of Olivia getting kidnapped/tortured that had Olivia Benson look less emotionally traumatized then last night.
• “Dun dun” gotta be the new “badum”
• It's like Taylor caught the bad guy.

It's all hilarious, but only because Noah Benson is a fictional character and the actor who plays him has a lot of fun behind the scenes with the actors. Mariska Hargitay is getting a lot of flak from the internet for her reaction to that moment, but as we've seen in pictures, just about everyone was losing it during the Knicks' historic comeback:

I love how Ben Stiller looks absolutely locked in on his phone, because he's reportedly working on a documentary that chronicles the Knicks' 2026 playoff run (via THR). Hopefully, he has someone with footage he can borrow for the playoff game he skipped to attend the Met Gala, so maybe Mariska Hargitay can lend him some videos she took.

Ultimately, Mariska Hargitay is just a passionate sports fan, and at the end of the day, her exhausted face will be one of the many headlines to come out of this NBA Finals season. So, I'll continue to laugh about reactions to this face and how people are likening it to Michael Jordan's flu game picture.

The New York Knicks will look to close out the series against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, June 13th at 8:30 p.m. ET. It's do-or-die for Victor Wembanyama's team, and I have to wonder if this massive collapse from the Spurs started when he took them to see Obsession. Meanwhile, I'm going to hope that we'll get to see more of Mariska Hargitay's passionate reactions (and matching shirts with Taylor Swift) as the Finals continue.

I love Taylor Swift, I love her girl squad, and I love a good pun. When Game 4 of the NBA Finals aired on the 2026 TV schedule, we got all that and more courtside, as the singer and the Haim sisters wore T-shirts with Knicks puns on them. Plus, on top of that, somehow, Mariska Hargitay acquired a matching pun shirt, and now I’ve fallen down quite the rabbit hole.

Taylor Swift And The Haim Sisters Showed Up To The Knicks Game In Matching T-Shirts

Alright, this all started with Este and Alana Haim using their band’s Instagram to post about the shirts they were wearing with Taylor Swift to the Knicks game. Captioning it “Girls just wanna have PUN,” the three women showed off their pun-tastic Ts. Take a look:

As you can see, Swift’s shirt says “Stevie Knicks,” Alana’s says “Knickelback” and Este’s says “Knickole Kidman.” Talk about perfect puns! While the "Opalite" singer is the talk of the town no matter what she wears (as proven the last time she went to an NBA game), these fits certainly entertained the internet. However, I got even more excited when I realized Mariska Hargitay got her hands on one of these fantastic tops mid-game.

Mariska Hargitay Sat Next To Swift And Co. At The Finals Game

Now, before we get to Hargitay’s shirt, we have to talk about what she was wearing at first. She did not show up to the Knicks game in the same tops as Swift and the Haim sisters. No, she was wearing a plain black T-shirt at first, take a look:

It wasn’t surprising to see the Law & Order: SVU star courtside. I mean, she’s the only celeb who gets to hug Jalen Brunson, and she was at the last game with Christopher Meloni. Plus, it’s well documented that the “Fate of Ophelia” singer is a massive fan of Hargitay – her cat is literally named Olivia Benson and the actress was in one of Swift’s best music videos, “Bad Blood.” So, it didn’t shock me that they were cheering on the Knicks together, either. What did shock me was the actress’s costume change mid-game.

At Some Point, Mariska Hargitay Acquired A T-Shirt So She Could Match Taylor Swift

At some point, Mariska Hargitay got her hands on a T-shirt to match with Taylor Swift, and for the duration of the game, she was rocking a top that said “Stevie Knicks.” So, ultimately, she got to celebrate the team’s win with the “Bad Blood” singer and her girl squad while also matching them perfectly.

I would assume and hope that Swift and co. brought this shirt for Hargitay. That would also explain why she wasn’t wearing Knicks gear at the start of the game. However, no matter how the T was acquired, I’m so happy it was, because seeing them all celebrate in these punny outfits made my day.

Now, will Swift, Hargitay and the Haim sisters continue this trend at Game 5? Only time will tell. However, I sure hope they do, so the SVU lead can match with them for an entire game instead of only part of one.

It’s no secret that since the first season of Law and Order: SVU, fans have been shipping Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. And while the two have many iconic moments between them, there is one thing that has never happened. They have never kissed, much to the dismay of every fan. So when Mariska Hargitay was asked what advice she would give her character about the relationship, she gave fans exactly what they want to hear.

Fans have remained dedicated to the pairing of Benson and Stabler, even after Christopher Meloni left the show. Talk about never giving up. Even during the actor's absence, Hargitay has been asked repeatedly about the duo. So I wasn’t surprised when the relationship was brought up in her interview with Time. However, she didn’t hesitate to say:

But is that really what fans want to hear? When Christopher Meloni returned to the Law and Order universe, it finally seemed like Benson and Stabler would rise as a couple. It has yet to happen. With the actor’s stint on the short-lived Organized Crime, it was hard not to be hopeful for something more.

Seeing Benson and Stabler back together after so long nearly broke the internet. Since then, the two have reunited multiple times. And each time, the possibility of a kiss is teased a little more. Even Hargitay knows this, as evident by this exchange between her and a reporter:

• Interviewer: And you should kiss.
• Hargitay: And we should kiss. And then we should kiss. Always. It always ends like that!

Benson and Stabler’s reunions are always charged, always talked about, and always leave fans wanting more. The chemistry between the two actors is so obvious that even their SVU costars are shipping it, such as Ice-T who has previously stated he is all for Benson and Stabler hooking up. That’s just further proof that they belong together.

One of the most talked-about moments between them was a near-kiss in the kitchen that left fans screaming. However, Christopher Meloni argued that that wasn’t the right time for a kiss. And while his argument was valid, fans can’t help wondering, will there ever be a right time?

It doesn’t help that Mariska Hargitay has teased that there is a version of the characters that did kiss. The actor dished that the kiss was filmed, and even teased that it was a loving, lengthy one at that. But it didn’t get approved by Dick Wolf and the other executives. When Hargitay announced her Broadway debut, fans were briefly concerned that the end was near for the long-running series.

However, fans can remain hopeful that another team-up will happen since SVU was renewed for another season and is part of the 2026 TV schedule.

Who knows, maybe season 28 will be the season Benson and Stabler will finally kiss.

I know when I read that Mariska Hargitay literally told Daniel Radcliffe she was the real Harry Potter, I couldn't fathom what exactly she meant. However, the actress dove into detail about why she felt the urge to tell the actor behind The Boy Who Lived this, and I have to say, this story packs a surprisingly emotional punch.

For context, Hargitay is taking over the role Daniel Radcliffe originated in the Broadway play Every Brilliant Thing. However, before she made her Broadway debut in the play, she got to get to know Radcliffe a bit. As they bonded, she had to tell him that she's, in fact, the real Harry Potter, as she recalled to People:

Instead of looking at her like she was crazy, Hargitay described the actor as having already embraced what she was going to say before she said it. It’s no secret that in the past, Radcliffe has been reluctant when the subject of Harry Potter came up. He’s often spoken about how it used to stress him out to be known as Harry Potter. However, in recent years, he has re-accepted the role with open arms.

It's no surprise that he would embrace what she had to say. Mariska Hargitay remembers the conversation vividly, especially Radcliffe's astonishment when he discovered that she was the girl who lived. She shared:

This emotional moment solidified something between them. The accident in which she lost her mother, Jayne, occurred when she was 3 years old, leaving her with a noticeable scar. You can learn more about her mother in My Mom Jayne, which is a heartbreaking documentary about her late parent. But just a heads up, the ending will make you cry. In this film you can stream with an HBO Max subscription that's directed by Hargitay herself, you delve into who her mother was as a person and an actress.

When sharing this story with Radcliffe, she showed him the perfect lightning shape across her forehead. The same that he wore for eight films. She explained that she was very excited about all this, saying:

Mariska Hargitay spoke fondly about the actor, describing him as lovely and gushing about how she thinks the world of him. She dished that the two even send each other videos.

This isn’t the first bonding moment Radcliffe has shared backstage. The actor has previously spoken about the one piece of advice he gave Tom Felton before his Harry Potter Broadway debut.

With Hargitay's time on stage, many have been concerned about how it could impact Law & Order: SVU. However, they can rest easy as SVU has been renewed and her role in this play will last for a limited time. Starting in July, Tracee Ellis Ross is expected to take over the role. Meanwhile, the iconic show will remain part of the 2026 TV schedule as it goes into its 28th season.

Until then, fans can enjoy watching Hargitay's time on Broadway, proving she's more than just Olivia Benson (and she is actually Harry Potter).

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Law & Order: SVU Season 27 finale, streaming now with a Peacock subscription.

Law & Order: SVU has dominated television since the late ‘90s, and that’s continued with Season 27, which just wrapped on the 2026 TV schedule. Mariska Hargitay has been part of the ride the entire time as Olivia Benson, and while it’s unclear how much longer the Law & Order franchise will be around, it is clear she’s not ready to step away just yet. But could Benson be thinking about stepping away from SVU? The showrunner weighed in after her retirement comments on the show.

Benson’s future at Special Victims was in question in Thursday’s finale. She was rewatching an interrogation she did with a serial offender and told Fin she doesn’t know how much longer she can do this, and wonders if he had the right idea about retiring. Fin, who had previously brought up the subject, insisted he’s never retiring “or dying.” While Chief Tynan wanted to take Benson’s badge after claiming she put her team in danger, Benson was ready to put up a fight.

Obviously, Benson has been through a lot in her career, and not just with the 27 seasons that fans have seen. It’s hard to imagine the Manhattan Special Victims Unit without her, but there are only so many stories that can be told without it seeming repetitive. Michele Fazekas, who has a long history with SVU, told TV Insider just how much longer Benson can realistically be on the team and why she’s just now questioning the future:

Hargitay is the longest-running Law & Order actor, with Olivia Benson being the longest-running primetime live-action character of all time. At some point, you do have to question when the end will come, and as SVU inches closer to 30 seasons, that question seems to be coming up a lot, for both the show and the characters. There’s also the fact that Ice-T’s Fin has been on SVU almost as long, so he probably knows what Benson is feeling and can be there for her, like she is there for him:

Benson can’t be a detective forever. She knows that, Fazekas knows that, Hargitay knows that, everyone knows that. Just like how we all know that SVU will eventually have to end. While the final ended with Benson confident that she’s not going anywhere, no matter who tries to take her badge away, she might still be thinking about it.

At the very least, when Benson eventually retires, that would be the perfect way to end SVU. So if the writers choose to take it in that direction in the future, fans may not even have to see her retired era. For now, we can still look forward to Season 28, premiering this fall on NBC.

Don’t you wonder sometimes why it seems like the people in charge of our favorite TV shows seem dead-set against doing the thing that audiences want the most? Take the Law & Order-verse, for instance, where viewers have spent literal decades clamoring for Mariska Hargitay’s SVU lead Olivia Benson to get together with Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler. Back in Season 24, the ep “Blood Out” finally reached a romantic precipice, but only resulted in a wildly invigorating-plus-frustrating near-kiss moment.

Despite that episode airing more than three years ago, the biggest Benson and Stabler shippers will never forget about it. And Mariska Hargitay just made it that much harder to not dwell on for years to come, as the actress confirmed she and Meloni did indeed film their characters sharing a loving, if not lengthy, kiss. So what happened? It apparently didn’t pass muster with Dick Wolf and other execs. How DARE.

Hargitay spoke with The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast ahead of Law & Order: SVU’s Season 27 finale hitting the 2026 TV schedule, and shared that she and Meloni had the freedom to perform the scene in different ways, even if they didn't get final say. In her words:

The actress then brilliantly stoked the crowd, and earned some big cheers in the process, before addressing why the kiss never made it to our eyeballs.

For whatever baffling reason, the editors and other powers that be chose to use the near-kiss take for the final cut. But for as and powerful as it was, I have to imagine that the unused scene was literally singed up and turning to ash as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. Because it's so hot, you see?

Mariska Hargitay had zero issues with defending her and Meloni's beliefs for why they felt this was the right time for these two characters to make that physical connection. As she put it:

To be sure, I'm not even of the notion that Benson and Stabler's kiss would actually lead to anything substantial, since the noted complexities would make it nearly impossible for the duo to survive as a proper couple. But still, the catharsis!

Like a genius, Hargitay left a vocal olive branch for fans, indicating that something could still happen one day. But then laughingly shot it all down again by pointing to franchise overlord Dick Wolf, saying:

The future could indeed be pointed in that direction, considering Meloni's spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime was canceled by Peacock this month, leaving fans clamoring for Stabler to make another timely return to SVU later in the year and/or beyond.

Find Law & Order: SVU's Season 27 finale airing on NBC on May 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Though NBC’s pair of Law & Order series remain lawful and orderly in the broadcast realm, the franchise’s latest streaming push was cut short, as Law & Order: Organized Crime was canceled at Peacock. It was a blow to fans, but arguably a bigger blow to the cast and crew putting it together. At least Christopher Meloni was able to keep good company in the aftermath of the news, in the forms of Mariska Hargitay and Rachel McAdams.

Not that it’s completely unheard of for Meloni and Hargitay to be hanging out well beyond the sets of any and all procedural dramas; their off-screen friendship has gone a long way to keeping fans so interested in their characters Stabler and Benson sharing a lusty and romantic future together, despite all odds. (I mean, the actual crossover appearances haven’t hurt.) But this get-together comes at an awkward and bittersweet crossroads, so soon after he learned his latest run as the dutiful investigator was extinguished. Check it out below.

It’s impossible to tell that anyone in those photos is dealing with a career setback, but I can imagine it’d be hard to hold anything but a smile on one’s face while sharing a meal with this trio. (Despite his endlessly stern looks within the L&O world, his comedy chops in the Wet Hot American Summer movie and Netflix series is top-notch.) Now, would it have been fun to see Hargitay and McAdams wiping tears from either side of Meloni’s face with napkins? “Fun” might be too far, but “unique” counts, I think.

The comment section was unsurprisingly lit up with fans and followers’ excited reactions to seeing the trio spending time together, with a couple of familiar faces among them.

• ❤️❤️ - DEBI MAZAR
• My two favorites. Miss you both! - NICKY TORCHIA
• How about you work part time on SVU as Olivia’s partner. Her other half. ;) We can’t not ever see Stabler again. He’s the stabler! - @mwkline
• Stable BETTER end up w Olivia in svu I swear!!!!😍😩 - @mrsrachelcecil
• Yea yall look good together on and off tv 😍 - @deena_dean
• JUSTICE FOR ELIOTT STABLER!! - @paigeclewiis
• She needs to convince Dick Wolf to bring elliot to svu again. 🥹😭 cause peacock and wolf is f-n up…AGAIN - @future_so0_bright
• I’m just going to pretend this is Olivia and Stabler having a romantic dinner and planning their wedding. - @daniplz12
• What’s Regina George doing with them?! - @jonatan_huazano

I’d much prefer these kinds of happy posts, compared to, say, Meloni looking back on 17 years of playing Elliot Stabler (non-continuously) and making me feel all sad and extremely old simultaneously. But I’ll take more of those as well, because duh.

One silver lining here is that Meloni was able to gab it up with Hargitay and McAdams because he was still in Los Angeles fresh off of finishing up the production on the new series The Land, the football-centric new drama from This Is Us and Paradise creator Dan Fogelman. So we'll hopefully see him popping up later in the 2026 TV schedule, even if it isn't as Elliot Stabler.

Although let’s be real: unless Chris Meloni has heaps of unreported beef with someone behind the scenes of this franchise, the chances are extremely high that he’ll show up again in some capacity on Law & Order: SVU in a future season, even if it doesn’t happen immediately. Until then, the Law & Order franchise is available to stream via Peacock subscription.

Law & Order: SVU is wrapping up its 27^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, but the end is not yet here. NBC has renewed the series for Season 28. However, Law & Order is still awaiting news, and Law & Order: Organized Crime just got canceled after five seasons. So, now, the big question is: Are we reaching the end of Dick Wolf’s mega Law & Order franchise? Mariska Hargitay had some thoughts.

It’s hard to believe that SVU is still going on, and has been going on consistently since 1999. The show is a staple not only on NBC but on network television as a whole, and it’s hard to imagine a world without it. Despite its long reign, Hargitay, who has been playing Captain Olivia Benson since the start and is the longest-running franchise actor, still loves being on the show. That being said, there has to be an end at some point, so how long does she see SVU going? When asked by Deadline if the show could make it to 35 seasons, she just had one goal in mind:

SVU is already closing in on 600 episodes, a feat it will accomplish next season, so hitting 30 seasons seems like the next ultimate goal. At this point, it doesn’t seem too hard to achieve, but it's also not guaranteed. However, if any show has a chance to go the distance, it’s definitely SVU, which is practically considered to be the Law & Order show now instead of Law & Order itself.

The Mothership already got canceled once, and while it’s made a successful comeback, the fact that it hasn’t secured a spot for next season is troubling, especially since NBC has a handful of drama pilots to consider as well. However, the franchise managed to hold its own with SVU, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that were to happen again. It can be assumed that if there is ever one Law & Order show left again, it would be SVU. So theoretically, if it’s the last one standing by the time it reaches Season 30, that could very well be it.

Technically, there is still another Law & Order show at play, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent. It’s based on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and is separate from the franchise. The series premiered on Canada’s Citytv in 2024 but only made its way to the States last fall on The CW. L&O Toronto is wrapping up its third season in May, with Season 2 airing on The CW sometime this fall. But, counting the actual NBC franchise, only SVU and possibly Law & Order are left.

At the very least, fans can breathe knowing there’s at least one more year left of SVU, and it shouldn’t be long until NBC makes a decision on the Mothership. Dick Wolf's TV franchise began with the Law & Order Universe, which has been around since the early ‘90s, and unfortunately, it’s bound to end someday. However, hopefully, they can do what Mariska Hargitay said and make it a few more years, if not longer.

You know, Law & Order has a reputation for casting actors who go on to become quite famous. However, it’s not as common for an actor to go on Law & Order after they have their big break. But that's what happened this week, though, as Melissa McCarthy surprised Mariska Hargitay with a cameo in an episode that aired on the 2026 TV schedule. Let me tell you, the BTS video of it happening is absolutely priceless, too.

In Melissa McCarthy’s words, she was “sneaking around behind boss lady’s back, lovingly” to surprise her with a guest spot on SVU. This included her wearing a grandma mask on her way to work, and then absolutely stunning Hargitay when she walked on set in her costume. Take a look at the delightful video the Bridesmaids actress posted on her Instagram of the whole ordeal:

As you can see, Hargitay was very surprised. She literally took a step back before screaming in happy shock and hugging McCarthy. Truly, they pulled off the surprise; the Olivia Benson actress was clearly shellshocked. However, it wasn’t easy to do all this, as the Spy actress said:

I bet she is, especially since, as McCarthy pointed out, Hargitay is the “boss lady” on SVU. Oh, and apparently, it took six years to plan this, further proving how hard it was. That makes sense, though. Hargitay is very involved in the show, she’s been working on it for 27 seasons and is a producer. It feels like she’s in a place where she would have seen it all. But that’s not the case, turns out, you can still surprise Olivia Benson, as the actress said:

Hargitay’s reaction truly is priceless, and it’s been added to the list of my favorite Law & Order BTS stories, which does include the time she found out what Dick Wolf’s ringtone was and the time she and Christopher Meloni tried to remember their first lines. However, the celebration was not limited to the set; in fact, it continued on social media as the Olivia actress commented the following messages:

• Happy feet
• WORTH THE WAIT

It was worth the wait, because all of this and the actual scene in the episode are wonderful. In the 19th episode of Season 7 (which you can now stream with a Peacock subscription), McCarthy played a boxer named Jasmyn Jewell, and Olivia stopped by her table at a convention to question her about the case she was working on. Of course, the interaction was funny, I mean, we’re talking about the absolutely hilarious Melissa McCarthy here. However, it was also surprisingly flirty, which I found very fun, especially since Olivia didn’t know how to react to Jasmyn.

All in all, this was the perfect way to add Melissa McCarthy to SVU, and it was the perfect (and I mean perfect) way to surprise Hargitay.

Now, to see what other surprises await, you can catch new episodes of Law & Order: SVU on NBC every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

Peacock announced it's pulling the plug on Law & Order: Organized Crime, bringing the series to an end after Season 5. Fans' pleas for a Season 6 renewal fell upon deaf ears. Now that it's over, fans are already plotting for when we'll see Christopher Meloni's Elliot Stabler again.

Deadline reported the cancellation, and while there will still be more of the Law & Order franchise on the 2026 TV schedule, the story for Stabler's standalone series is tentatively over. Of course, there's always a possibility that another crossover happens with Special Victims Unit, which is exactly what fans are suggesting.

Law & Order Fans Want Stabler Back In SVU

With Christopher Meloni's spinoff over, it's no surprise that Law & Order fans are already campaigning for him to go elsewhere. For every reaction disappointed about the cancellation, there are just as many requesting to see Stabler return to SVU:

• GOD DAMN IT!!! WE BETTER STILL HAVE STABLER MENTIONS/APPEARANCES IN SVU. WE CAN'T LOSE HIM AGAIN #SVU - @Sgriffiths_17
• I only enjoyed the first season with Dylan McDermott as a mob boss, rest of seasons been quite meh. Just bring Stabler back to SVU… - @lexveraux
• I had a feeling this was coming in a way, but thought maybe it would get a S6, and that be the Final Season, hopefully #LawandOrderSVU brings on Stabler and some of the characters in future episodes. - @k50cullen
• @NBCUniversal @WolfEnt I would like to remind you that SVU still exists and you do NOT need to let the character Elliot Stabler drop off the face of the earth for 10 years again. - @ashleyyxeo
• I will miss this show! Chris Meloni was excellent - as was the supporting cast. I hope Stabler can return to SVU soon. - @LawrenceHughes

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is still rolling on strong over at NBC, and one has to imagine Christopher Meloni's Stabler would always have a home there. Of course, the character was absent for quite a long stretch, so I get why so many are being loud about seeing him return to the series.

Fans Want Benson And Stabler Back Together

Bringing Stabler back to Law & Order: SVU is only part of the mission, it seems, because it's all about seeing him back together again with Olivia Benson. I'm not surprised, considering people lost their minds when the two characters almost kissed. People want real resolution between the characters, and some payoff to the years of tension between them.

Of course, Law & Order has notoriously teased this romance for years, and its foundation is built on the chemistry of Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay. I'm holding out hope that this cancellation will have a silver lining in Meloni returning to SVU, though we'll all have to wait and see if it actually happens.

Law & Order Thursday resumes with new episodes on NBC on Thursday, April 23rd. SVU was just renewed for Season 28, so there will be opportunities for Stabler to show up, should the writers have a reason for it to happen.

You might think that Mariska Hargitay has already been pretty much everywhere in New York City after nearly three decades as the star of Law & Order: SVU, but the actress is now heading somewhere new: the Broadway stage. Yes, once Season 27 of SVU wraps in the 2026 TV schedule, Hargitay will be found performing on stage rather than screen. While that’s certainly exciting news, fans who aren’t anywhere near NYC may be more concerned about what it means for the prospects of a Season 28 renewal.

Fortunately, I’d wager that there’s much more to celebrate than to worry about at this point, and plenty of SVU costars and celebrities are all-in.

Mariska Hargitay’s Broadway Debut

Just days before SVU returns from its latest mini hiatus, news broke that Mariska Hargitay is stepping into the lead (and only) role of Every Brilliant Thing. She’ll take over the part from Daniel Radcliffe, who has become an NBC star in his own right thanks to Tracy Morgan’s The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. Every Brilliant Thing is a solo play with one lead interacting with the audience throughout the performance. Via EW, Hargitay had this to say about her Broadway debut:

A brief video of Mariska Hargitay celebrating her new gig showed her not only looking a lot happier than Captain Olivia Benson generally has reason to be on SVU, but sporting a haircut. Check it out:

Unsurprisingly, the comment sections of the various Instagram posts about her being cast in Every Brilliant Thing are full of congratulations for Hargitay from fans, SVU stars, and even stray celebrities as a reminder that, at some point or other, pretty much everybody has probably seen at least a glimpse her in the Law & Order world over her 500+ episodes. Take a look at just some of them:

• Kelli Giddish: "WOOHOO!!!!!"
• Kevin Kane: "👏👏👏👏"
• Danny Pino: "⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"
• Good Hang with Amy Poehler: "🥳"
• Wolf Entertainment: "Our multitalented Captain Benson 💙"
• Lindsey Vonn: "🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥going to be amazing!!!"
• Jessica Capshaw: "OPENING NIGHT, baby!!"
• Lindsay Lohan: "😍😍😍"

So, with Mariska Hargitay moving from screen to stage after the end of SVU Season 27 and apparently cutting off some of her Olivia Benson hair, what does the future hold for the long-running NBC drama? I for one am not worried.

What About Season 28?

While it’s certainly true that NBC has not yet renewed Law & Order: SVU for Season 28, there’s also no reason to believe that Mariska Hargitay’s Broadway gig will impact the fate of the show. Her run as the lead of Every Brilliant Thing will last for just 40 shows from May 26 - June 28, with the actress following up on Daniel Radcliffe’s final performance on May 24.

Filming on Season 27 of SVU would have already been well over by that May 26 Broadway debut date, and production on Season 28 wouldn’t begin until after the late June ending. Whatever the future holds for Captain Olivia Benson, it shouldn’t be impacted by Every Brilliant Thing.

Of course, I can’t blame any fans who might be getting antsy about the wait for renewal news. After all, every other corner of the Dick Wolf TV universe has been renewed for the 2026-2027 TV season, with FBI already guaranteed Season 9 by CBS in 2024, CIA renewed shortly into Season 1 on CBS, and the three shows of One Chicago renewed by NBC in one fell swoop. Both Law & Order and SVU are waiting on word from NBC, while Law & Order: Organized Crime’s future on Peacock has been uncertain for nearly a year now.

That said, SVU wasn’t renewed for Season 27 until May last year, so the news might not come for another month or so if NBC follows a similar timeline this year. Plus, in a recent Instagram video about his return to the SVU set, Ice-T said that “going into Season 28, Fin will still be alive and breathing,” then clarified in the comment section:

So, if you were concerned that Mariska Hargitay coming to Broadway in any way boded poorly for the future of Law & Order: SVU, I’d stop worrying. Ice-T says it's "looking good"! In fact, the only show that seems likely to be in danger on NBC’s Law & Order Thursdays is probably The Hunting Party, which took over Law & Order: Organized Crime’s former time slot at 10 p.m. ET on Thursdays in the new year.

For now, the wait continues for renewal news, but you can at least count on the return of SVU for its first new episode in a few weeks on Thursday, April 2 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. You can also stream past episodes with a Peacock subscription and/or a Hulu subscription.

For many athletes, there is no bigger competition than the ones they hope to be involved in during the Olympics, and now the 2026 TV schedule is helping to show off the hard work and sacrifice of thousands of them during the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Unfortunately, when it was time for renowned skier Lindsey Vonn to head down the mountain at the games, it was on a torn ACL and she sadly crashed. Now celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mariska Hargitay have opened up about her “gutsy” performance.

How Did Lindsey Vonn Crash At The 2026 Olympics And What Are Celebrities Saying About It?

While the pomp and circumstance surrounding the games always involves things like watching the Olympic flame be carried from city to city by stars like Snoop Dogg, and the participants getting sweet messages from celebs like Taylor Swift, the focus is usually on how competitors actually perform during their contests. Skier Lindsey Vonn has a long Olympic history (she debuted at the 2002 games in Salt Lake City), with three medals to her name, and she was hoping to add to that when she took to the slopes during opening weekend, but a crash early in her race (which she spoke about on Instagram) led to her being airlifted away from the mountain:

Vonn had, only eight days prior, suffered a tear to her left ACL (a ligament that helps stabilize the knee), and though she noted that this injury and previous ones didn’t cause the accident, many now see her performance so soon after it as “inspirational,” with Arnold Schwarzenegger saying on his own Instagram, in part:

When the gold medalist was able to post about the crash, she pointed out the cause, which was actually due to her being “5 inches” off of the race path, as she said:

The skier showed a photo where we can see that she accidentally leaned too far to her right, which led to her hooking that arm under the flag that connects the gate posts. She added that she “sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly.” Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay posted about the event, and said:

Meanwhile, other celebs like Reese Witherspoon took to the comments on Vonn’s post to share how inspiring her performance was, with The Morning Show star saying, “You are & will always be a true Champion.” Though Vonn admitted that the injury caused “intense physical pain,” she also noted “I have no regrets,” because “knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself.” It’s pretty clear why so many have championed her performance, and here’s hoping that she makes a full recovery sooner rather than later.

Law & Order: SVU is in the midst of its 27^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, and it’s been as entertaining as ever this time around. After saying goodbye to two detectives at the start of the season, fans also said hello to Kelli Giddish as she returned full-time as Sergeant Amanda Rollins. Giddish is one of the longest-running actors in the Law & Order franchise and continues to be a fan-favorite. While she seems to have the time of her life on the show, there are some regrets she has related to co-stars Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T.

Giddish first joined SVU in Season 13, but she immediately fit right in, and it was hard watching the show without her following her exit. Even Hargitay admitted to being upset over Giddish’s departure. Now that she’s back as a series regular, the actress has been able to make even more memories with her longtime co-stars, but with over ten seasons under her belt, Giddish told People that there’s one particular regret she has about working and being friends with Hargitay and Ice-T:

Considering there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight for SVU, it’s never too late for Giddish to ask for business advice, or any advice from Hargitay. She’s been in the business for a long time, and grew up in the business as well. She’s breaking records with her portrayal of Captain Olivia Benson, and she serves as an EP on SVU. Not to mention the fact that Hargitay frequently advocates for domestic and sexual abuse victims!

As for Ice-T, I get why Giddish is kicking herself for not writing down things the rapper has said. He delivers some much-needed laughs on such a dark show with Fin’s out-of-pocket one-liners, so I can only imagine what it's like when cameras aren’t rolling. While his role has been cut back, it's still not too late for Giddish to start writing down things he’s said, but it is unfortunate that she missed out on years of hilarious quotes.

At the very least, Law & Order: SVU probably won’t be ending any time soon as long as Mariska Hargitay wants to keep going, and now that Giddish is back on the show, there are plenty of new memories to be made. Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done about the past, so Giddish will just have to look toward the future, and maybe even start doing what she wanted to do, no matter how late in the game it is.

Meanwhile, Season 27 of SVU is streaming now with a Peacock subscription. Due to the Winter Olympics, the series is going on a brief hiatus, but rest assured, SVU will return on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

The 99^th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade brought out the stars, floats, and balloons on Thursday, as part of the 2025 TV schedule, including some surprises. This included Law & Order icons Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni. And I love that their appearance came with them rocking the viral Starbucks bear glass.

Earlier this month, to get customers ready for the holidays, Starbucks released a glass bear cup that included a straw and a little cute Starbucks hat as the lid. The company only released very limited quantities in every store. People were waiting in line for hours before the café opened and were going nuts over the collectible. So much so that some were detailing their experiences on TikTok, and even sharing how baristas bought them or hid them before customers had a chance.

Of course, with their NBC connection and promotion of Starbucks, Hargitay and Meloni were each able to get their hands on a Bearista cup. Meloni couldn’t help but show off their cups on Instagram, and I have an inkling that even if it wasn’t for a promotion, he would still proudly show off the cup because who wouldn’t?

Both Hargitay and Meloni popped up during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to promote Starbucks, which was on the parade route. During their appearance, they talked about the different flavors that Starbucks has and wanted to give some hot drinks to the crowd outside, which were later shown holding Starbucks cups – just not the Bearista ones.

It’s unknown if these cups are actually Hargitay and Meloni’s or if they were just for show, but either way, I’m absolutely loving it. As long as these cups don’t find their way to Law & Order by way of a Game of Thrones-like mistake.

Meanwhile, it’s always great to see Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni together, regardless of the reason. The two have been close since the very beginning of Law & Order: SVU, when their audition sparked instant chemistry. Even with Organized Crime moving to Peacock, Olivia and Elliot have still managed to find their way to each other on both shows. Whether or not that will continue into the new year as SVU Season 27 continues is unknown, but it wouldn’t be surprising if fans saw Elliot again.

With the holiday season in full force, some people may be lucky enough to curl up with their Starbucks Bearista cup and settle in with some Law & Order, streaming with a Peacock subscription. There are many Olivia and Elliot moments that fans can look back on and plenty of moments that Hargitay and Meloni will continue to bring in the new year, whether on screen or on social media, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is back for Season 27, and along with new episodes on the 2025 TV schedule comes a whole new season of hungrily hoping for new Bensler moments. The former SVU detective duo has been to hell and back together, flirting with death and romance along the way. They are one of the best will-they-won’t-they character duos of all time, and Christopher Meloni got surprisingly candid about what makes them so sexy to audiences.

There’s no doubt that Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni make a sexy on-screen duo. Part of it is their attractiveness; there is no denying that, but the thing that really keeps me coming back for more is the chemistry the actors have shared since their audition. The Snatched actor recently got honest with People about what makes Bensler so sexy, and his answer goes beyond just chemistry:

It’s probably clear to anyone who watches the show that Benson and Stabler have always had chemistry since day one. That chemistry eventually developed into a love and loyalty so strong that they were separated for a brief period in Season 7 for choosing each other over their case.

Of course, there are always moments where the audience is left to wonder: Does their love for each other ever dip into romance? The detective duo’s will-they-won’t-they thing existed for nearly their entire time together on SVU, and it has always been one of the most appealing aspects of the show for me (it’s why the early seasons are my favorite).

When audiences saw Stabler return to the Law & Order universe with Organized Crime, where his wife Kathy was killed in the crossover with SVU, many thought Bensler was finally going to happen. However, Detective Elliot Stabler has been back for five seasons now, and the two still have yet to finally go there, although they aren’t ignoring their feelings anymore. To that point, the Wet Hot American Summer actor got honest about the likelihood of the longtime friends becoming something more:

It’s been a hard watch too, as a fan. It’s mostly silent shared looks, awkward undercover situations that require them to pretend to be lovers, and risking their lives, families, and jobs for each other, which is pretty damn romantic if you ask me. The closest they’ve actually come to getting together, though, was a near kiss in Season 24 of SVU. I’m talking their lips were inches apart, but the timing wasn't right, and so Benson pulled back.

Now, time is running out on a Bensler happily ever after. While SVU was renewed for Season 27, Organized Crime is still in limbo, awaiting its fate on Peacock. We last saw the ex-partners reunite in the SVU Season 27 premiere, along with a number of other familiar faces like Dr. George Huang (B.D. Wong) and Det. Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters), to attend OG SVU Captain Cragen’s memorial. Before they parted ways, Stabler told Liv he loved her, a line that was ad-libbed by Meloni. To me, though, there is no romantic weight to it.

I’m not sure where this leaves the two of them, but here’s my SVU hot take: I don’t think I want them to get together. They clearly are very important to each other, but if the Season 24 near kiss confirmed anything for me, it's that their relationship is almost too far past romantic to actually be romantic. It seems to me that the Happy! actor feels similarly when he says it would be “hard” and “difficult” for the two detectives to be a couple.

As for their future, Meloni’s wish for the pair is simple, and it’s the least they deserve after all the trauma they’ve been through:

If they ended up together in the end, I don’t think I’d be mad. I just hope the writers don’t force it, and they do it in the right way. However, Benson has to retire for any rides off into the sunset to take place, and I don’t see that happening soon. Mariska Hargitay has been playing SVU’s badass female lead for nearly 30 years, and I just can’t picture the Dick Wolf drama without her. I definitely think that when that happens, though, Christopher Meloni will be by her side.

I'm 47 years old. Let's just get that out of the way, if only to establish where I'm at in terms of my own life years. And, I say my age without embarrassment or shame, just gratitude and a sense of... well, that's-how-old-I-am factual accuracy. I grew up well aware of the reality that life offers us no guarantees, including how many years we get, so while I understand some of the reasons why people (especially women) decline to share their age, I'm ok to say mine, especially when it's right before I can share my appreciation for someone else talking about their own. In this case, that appreciation is for Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay and her recent comments about aging.

I like to hear women -- whether they're younger or older than me -- speak openly about their age and provide insight into their experience, as there’s always something to learn. So, when I listened to Mariska Hargitay's interview with Amy Poehler on a recent Good Hang episode, and they talked about age, I absolutely loved hearing Hargitay's words about being sixty.

Hargitay shared her age with pride as she talked about the turns life took for her over the years, and where she's at at this point. She starts out by talking about the decades leading up to now, saying,

And then she gets into how things are going at 60:

When I was younger, I think I imagined everything over the age of like 35 to be this sort of blurred-together portion of adulthood where I would be more or less the same version of me over the next few decades, which would hopefully someday lead into my senior years. Obviously, the older I get, the clearer the sometimes-vastly different stages of adulthood have become to me.

Understanding who I am or who I want to be at whatever age I am is surely a challenge, but it's also become sort of the point. It isn't all flowers and rainbows here in my 40s, and I don't assume it was for Hargitay either, though she speaks positively about that time of her life. I just love how she maps out her own major steps in each of the last few decades of her life, and especially the joy she expresses when talking about being in her 60s.

As I said earlier, I understand why people (especially women) are reluctant to talk about their age. I'm not an actor, but I have no doubt that it presents challenges for people in the entertainment industry, particularly as they move further into adulthood, as it can impact the work they can get – actresses like Maggie Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts have shared their own experiences on the topic.

I'm not judging anyone who prefers to be vague about the exact number of years they've had on this earth if they think it'll hinder their professional options. But, as someone who wants to hear about different perspectives and life experiences, as I continue to try to process my own, I love that Hargitay is being open and talking about the clarity she's experiencing as she steps into what Poehler describes as the "top of Act III."

At this point, before I wrap this up, I’ll add that Hargitay isn’t the first actor to share their thoughts on their age in recent months. Helen Mirren had some delightfully candid insights on the topic when doing press for The Thursday Murder Club, particularly in response to an interviewer who described her as a “young spirit.” As she described, to People, the story of her response to this person:

I can see why the unnamed interviewer might’ve thought they were complimenting her by calling her a “young spirit,” but I can just as easily see why Mirren might be put off by the comment, as it suggests that her general nature gives off something that typically applies to younger people, when in actuality, you can be in your 70s or 80s and display those same personality traits.

The optimistic side of me does hope that the more people speak openly about their perspective at whatever age they are, maybe there won't be so many inaccurate assumptions about what it means to be a certain age. Even if that doesn't happen, I'm grateful for whatever people (celebrities or not) are willing to share, especially if it helps me navigate my own life and whatever years I’m fortunate enough to have in it.

Watch Mariska Hargitay’s interview on Good Hang with Amy Poehler below. Her comments and their discussion about age can be found around the 15 minute mark.

Law & Order: SVU is in its 27^th season on the 2025 TV schedule, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. It’s hard to believe that the show has been around since 1999, and it’s still bringing in fans. That being said, SVU wouldn’t be what it is without Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni, who had instant chemistry during their audition. Now, the Olivia Benson actress is giving more details about that audition, and the hilarious story involves a John Slattery mix-up and jokes about Jesus.

When Hargitay appeared on Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang, the host asked her about her first days on SVU and if meeting Dick Wolf was "scary." The actress explained that it wasn't, and that led her into the story about her "magical" audition with Meloni. She pointed out that she and her co-star bonded over their similar personalities and sense of humor, and the two ended up getting paired up for the callback. She said:

However, initially, she didn't think she'd be paired with Meloni; she thought she would be with John Slattery.

Poehler and Hargitay both shared how chemistry reads can make or break auditions and your chance to be on a show. So, when the actress heard that Slattery was at the audition, she wanted to do everything she could to impress him and bond with him. However, she wasn’t paired with him...as she explained:

As Poehler continued laughing, Hargitay continued her story, revealing that she didn’t know there were going to be 47 people in the room. So the initial back-and-forth between her and Meloni was a bit awkward. However, once she found out the real reason he had a Jesus tattoo, she knew she liked him, as she recalled:

I just love that a joke as ridiculous as that one is what really cemented their bond and made Hargitay know that her eventual co-star was guy she'd get along with. It’s certainly a different reason to have a Jesus tattoo, but that turned out to be for the better. And it was in that moment that Hargitay knew the show had found its Elliot Stabler:

Hargitay wasn’t the only one who felt that way, as Meloni had a similar thought about her. And when they were paired up, she knew immediately they were partners. Her feelings turned out to be right. To this day, the actors are best friends and always joking with each other, and it’s always a treat when Benson and Stabler are on-screen together as their relationship continues to be a “Will they/won’t they?” scenario.

It's hard to imagine how different SVU would have been had Hargitay been paired up with John Slattery. Not that he wouldn’t be a good Stabler, but Meloni as Stabler and Hargitay as Benson just worked out, and they’re definitely part of the reason why SVU has been going so long. It was just an instant connection, even if their relationship wasn't so great in the early years.

Law & Order: SVU’s 27^th season has been airing on the 2025 TV schedule, and it’s brought some surprises already. The series officially wrote off Octavio Pisano’s Joe Velasco and brought back Kelli Giddish’s Amanda Rollins. However, the season also kicked off in September with a death that changed the franchise forever, and Mariska Hargitay is getting real about it.

SVU’s season premiere opened with a memorial for Dann Florek’s Captain Donald Cragen. Given Florek's status one of the longest-running actors in the L&O franchise, fans were shocked, and the death seemingly came out of nowhere. Florek was also seen on the set of SVU over the summer during which he hung out with his co-stars. While appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Hargitay shared how difficult the loss was for Olivia, and I’m getting emotional all over again:

Cragen’s death was definitely surprising but, with it, came the returns of some familiar faces and some sweet character dynamics. That included Elliot’s love confession to Olivia. And, as Clarkson was saying, there hasn’t really been a show like SVU with such longevity. That familiarity is what Hargitay appreciates most when it comes to an emotional segment such as Cragen’s memorial:

Even though it was great to get some heartfelt scenes between Olivia and Elliot, it was still heartbreaking having to say goodbye to Cragen. Florek originally left SVU after Season 15 but returned as a guest star in Season 17. A beloved fixture of the franchise, Florek also appeared in multiple episodes of Organized Crime as recently as 2024, which is a big reason why his death came as such a shock. But it certainly brought characters closer together, and it’s possible that will continue as the season progresses.

It's surreal knowing Florek was on the set of SVU the day the memorial scene was filmed, and I wonder if that was both weird and cathartic for him. That aside, it seemed like he enjoyed catching up and reminiscing with former co-stars. So I guess, if there's any consolation, Cragen's death brought together some fan-favorite characters, and he left an indellible mark on the Law & Order franchise.

Meanwhile, SVU’s 27^th season has been keeping fans on the edge of their seats, with disturbing cases, growing relationships and much more. An episode also tied up a loose end that carried into Law & Order: Organized Crime’s fifth season, which has been airing on NBC after releasing on Peacock earlier this year. With the season still early into its run, it’s hard to predict what else will happen and what other surprises, both good and bad, will happen, but fans will just have to tune in to see.

New episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit air on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription. Fans can also access the show with the help of a YouTube TV subscription.

I’ve been playing catch-up with a lot of the 2025 movies I missed throughout the year, and that exercise recently led to me watching My Mom Jayne. Mariska Hargitay’s outstanding and profound HBO documentary about her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, and how the Hollywood star’s impact can still be felt nearly 60 years after her tragic death, is honestly one of the best docs I’ve seen in quite some time.

In the weeks since watching the documentary film that’s equal parts Hollywood history and exploration of the impact of family and legacy, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about its biggest and most powerful moments. I’ve been thinking about how watching My Mom Jayne taught me to be a better son and father. Allow me to explain…

First Off, I Didn't Expect My Mom Jayne To Make Me So Emotional

Going into My Mom Jayne, I had a feeling the long-time Law and Order: SVU star’s tribute to her late mother would be an emotional experience. However, I didn’t know it would make me as emotional as it did (I wept multiple times both watching and talking about a few scenes). Knowing that Hargitay’s mom died so young after being in a horrific car crash that also injured Hargitay and her siblings, I thought I was prepared for what was to come. I wasn’t.

From Hargitay talking about being so young when her mother passed away to her decades of trying to put together the pieces of Mansfield’s personal life, to finding and buying her mother’s piano and bringing it home, this documentary was an unforgettable and undeniable tear-jerker. You know, it was a cathartic experience that led me to think about the relationship I share with my mom as well as those with my three young kids.

Since Watching The Doc, I've Been So Much More Appreciative Of My Parents

Though there is no comparison between my upbringing and everything Hargitay went through in her formative years (and even in adulthood), My Mom Jayne has made me much more appreciative of my parents. Over the course of my life, and those of my two brothers, they’ve made countless sacrifices, been there in times of need, and have provided open ears and hearts, as well as a shoulder to cry on.

This documentary is clearly about Hargitay, her mother, her family, and everything they’ve gone through over the years, but it’s also a beautiful film that forces the audience to look at themselves in a mirror and contemplate their own lives. That’s what happened while I was watching. Though I’ve always known my parents have my back, watching this journey helped me better appreciate them and realize how lucky I was to have them in my corner growing up and how lucky I am today to still be able to call them.

I've Also Been Making Efforts To Be A More Present Father

This isn’t really a shocker, but parenting is hard. Honestly, it’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life, and it’s only getting harder as my kids grow older. There have been countless times over the years where I’ve tried to rush through the process in the hope of getting through the day, but that doesn’t really fly when it comes to parenting. You can’t rush or game the system and not expect there to be some consequences.

Since watching this doc, I’ve been making a stronger effort to be a more present, empathetic, and open father. I take that extra time getting them ready for school, I try to involve them more when I’m cooking dinner (this is still a work in progress), and I make sure their day ends with some kind words, a warm embrace, and the promise I’ll be there tomorrow. As Townes Van Zandt once famously sang, “close your eyes, I’ll be here in the morning; close your eyes, I’ll be here for a while.”

I'm More Cognizant Of How My Actions Impact Their Lives

Numerous times throughout My Mom Jayne, it’s stressed how a parent’s actions can deeply impact their children, both in the moment and over the course of their lives. Similar to how I felt the need to be a more present father after finishing the documentary, I have also been more cognizant of how my words and actions impact my son and daughters.

There’s no telling what’s going to happen today, tomorrow, next week, or next year, but I am of the thinking that I want my kids to know and understand that they are loved, they are cared for, and they matter. For someone who has struggled with expressing their emotions and practicing empathy over the years, this is a work in progress. However, it’s something I strive to do each and every day.

Similarly, I Realize How Lucky I Am To Have So Many Memories With My Mom

It doesn’t escape me how lucky I am to have so many memories with my mom. She kept meticulous notes in my baby book, has a record of pretty much every art project from school (she sends pictures constantly), and has always made it her top priority to support her three sons no matter what it takes. Watching the old footage of Hargitay and Mansfield, either on TV shows or home movies, gave me a greater sense of appreciation for those memories I share with my mom and how lucky I am to be able to make new ones with her today.

Though I don’t call my mom as much as I should, and I only get to see her a few times a year, I know that we have 37 years of shared memories that we both cherish dearly. Those memories, the stories we share, mean so much to me, and I hope they mean just as much to her.

All in all, My Mom Jayne is one of the best experiences I’ve had all year, and this critically acclaimed documentary is a must for sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and everyone else with a beating heart.

Ever since Law & Order: Organized Crime made the jump to Peacock and premiered on the 2025 TV schedule, fans have been itching for more Bensler, and they’ve been getting their wishes on more than one occasion. The first time was when Benson visited Stabler in the hospital in the second episode of OC’s fifth season, and they worked together a bit on a case. Then, SVU just tied up that loose end in the latest episode. But there actually could have been more scenes included between them on Organized Crime that didn’t make the cut.

It's always a treat whenever Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni are able to work together, and not just because of their characters’ slow-burn relationship. It’s nice to see them working together and spending time with each other, which is why when the opportunity came up for Hargitay to appear on the latest season of Organized Crime, Meloni was all in and even offered to write, as he told TVLine when asked about the logistics of his colleague's appearance:

Meloni explained that he had incorporated her throughout the whole script, and while he wouldn’t go into details of what specifically he had written, it was a lot more than what we got. He explained that when it came time for approval, Hargitay’s time was limited, and they were dealt a devastating blow:

It’s not surprising that they couldn’t get Hargitay for more than three days because she was also filming SVU at the time, and it’s hard to balance the schedule, even with the shows filming in the same vicinity. So he immediately had to come up with a new plan, saying:

He had to cut her out of a lot of scenes and rework storylines, which is definitely disappointing, but again, it’s not so surprising considering how busy Hargitay was. It’s even a miracle they were able to get her for three days.

Meloni did eventually go into some specifics, revealing that towards the end of the episode, where it was Stabler and Jet going on a hunt, it was actually originally different:

When asked how they could collaborate on future episodes, Meloni hilariously answered, “Girlfriend has a day job.” I so wish that they were able to get more scenes for Organized Crime, and I hope they get more moments on SVU, especially following that “I love you” moment in the Season 27 premiere.

However, hearing the logistics behind the appearances and how hard it is to really lock down days makes me grateful for the Bensler scenes we’ve been able to get thus far. Organized Crime has not yet been renewed for Season 6, but Season 27 of SVU airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by Season 5 of Organized Crime, which is available to stream in full with a Peacock subscription.

Law & Order: SVU Season 27 kicked off in the fall 2025 TV schedule by delivering a major death, to the dismay of many fans: Captain Don Cragen, played across more than twenty years in the franchise by Dann Florek. Fortunately, Florek is still alive and well, and his character's death was honored in the Season 27 premiere (which is available streaming now with a Peacock subscription). The tragedy comes not too long after he opened up about handing the leadership of the unit over to Mariska Hargitay's character, with Olivia Benson stepping up as Captain of Special Victims following Cragen's retirement.

Florek, who starred in three seasons of Law & Order before starring in fifteen seasons of SVU, was among those who celebrated the series in honor of its 25th anniversary last year. Speaking with People, he said this about Cragen retiring and being succeeded by Benson:

Following his retirement in 2014, Cragen was (mostly) able to enjoy eleven years off the job. He did appear in one Season 16 episode the next year, and was pulled into the action by Stabler on Law & Order: Organized Crime for several episodes between 2022-2024. His most meaningful return after his Season 15 retirement, however, was also very quick: he appeared via video call in the 500th episode. Reflecting on the moment he shared with Mariska Hargitay in that milestone episode, Florek said:

If you revisit the 500th episode, which is streaming on Peacock as well as via a Hulu subscription, you'll find that Benson also looked like she was gonna cry when she got that vote of confidence from her former captain. What made it even more special, as far as I'm concerned, is that Cragen waited to say it until they were in a one-on-one chat, instead of when he was video-calling the larger group of detectives about their case of the week.

At the time, I'd been hoping that Christopher Meloni as Stabler would pop up in the 500th episode, but Dann Florek as Cragen was really the more effective choice. The episode also brought back former regulars Danny Pino as Nick Amaro and the one and only Tamara Tunie as ME Chief Melinda Warner. Other recurring actors to return were Ryan Buggle as Benson's son and attorney Trevor Langan, played by Mariska Hargitay's real-life husband Peter Hermann.

While I'm certainly sad that Season 27 began on such a tragic note as the off-screen death of Captain Cragen, I did appreciate that SVU brought Dann Florek back to record a speech that played at Cragen's memorial. Plus, considering that it resulted in Benson, Fin, and even a visiting Stabler starting to consider their own mortality, it could pack a punch throughout the season if this is an arc that the show continues.

While Cragen is seemingly gone for good now, barring any flashbacks or recordings, his legacy lives on in the form of Captain Olivia Benson. You can catch new episodes this fall on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET, between Law & Order Season 25 at 8 p.m. ET and Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 at 10 p.m. ET, all on NBC. (Organized Crime's uncensored fifth season is already available on Peacock.) You can find Captain Cragen's best episodes streaming on Peacock and Hulu as well.

NBC’s Law & Order Thursdays are back in the fall 2025 TV schedule, with the original series kicking off Season 25 with an unceremonious cast exit and SVU killing off a beloved character to start Season 27. This year, Organized Crime is back in primetime despite making the move to streaming for viewers with a Peacock subscription earlier this year. NBC is airing an F-bomb-free version of Season 5 on Thursday nights, and any fans who loved Christopher Meloni’s appearance in SVU’s premiere won’t want to miss the next episode of OC that will air with Mariska Hargitay as a guest star.

Christopher Meloni’s SVU Ad-Lib

The one perk of SVU’s premiere killing off Dann Florek’s Captain Don Cragen (who had been in the franchise going back to Law & Order’s pilot) was that it led to some reunions from classic seasons of the show. BD Wong was back as Dr. George Huang, Dean Winters reprised his role as Brian Cassidy, and Christopher Meloni made his long-awaited return to share the screen with Mariska Hargitay as the Stabler to her Benson.

Benson and Stabler shared a bittersweet moment outside of Cragen’s memorial gathering, reflecting on their years working together when he was their captain. It was exactly the kind of comfortable interaction that I was missing between the former partners during all the tension of the first few seasons following his return to NYC. The scene ended with Stabler dropping a “Love you” on Benson, in a much more appropriate setting than the first time he did it, before she drove away.

And as it turns out, fans have Christopher Meloni to thank for that moment. On X (formerly known as Twitter), the actor responded to a fan asking for a comment on the “Love you” by revealing that it was an “Ad lib” that “Made the cut.”

As somebody who loves when Meloni and Mariska Hargitay share the screen but definitely doesn’t need a romance out of their characters, the ad lib really worked for me, and reminded me of the last time that I’d seen the duo on screen together on Organized Crime.

Mariska Hargitay’s Episode Of Organized Crime Season 5

Now, I won’t spoil the events of Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 here for any who are watching for the first time on NBC rather than streamed it on Peacock over the summer, but Mariska Hargitay’s guest appearance was highly hyped ahead of time. As NBC viewers recently saw with the Season 5 premiere, Stabler ended the episode in a car crash, and the promo afterward showed that he 1) ends up in the hospital and 2) is not happy to be in the hospital.

And of course, Mariska Hargitay appears as Olivia Benson. Without getting into big spoilers, I’ll say that Benson and Stabler’s interactions in this episode of Organized Crime might be my favorites from any of the years since Meloni returned to the Law & Order world in 2021. And that's despite my soft spot for their relationship in SVU’s Season 24 finale! It also delivers something that I’ve wanted for a long time: Benson meeting one of Stabler’s brothers.

Basically, if you enjoyed Christopher Meloni adding a "Love you” to the SVU Season 27 premiere, I think you’ll enjoy seeing how Benson and Stabler interact in the second episode of Law & Order: Organized Crime, which will air on NBC on Thursday, October 2 at 10 p.m. ET. If you’d rather see it sooner, you can find it streaming on Peacock now. (If you’ve already seen it, check out what Dean Norris told us about one of my favorite scenes.)

Law & Order: SVU is gearing up for its 27^th season on the 2025 TV schedule, premiering this Thursday on NBC. With the show’s return, Mariska Hargitay continues her reign as not only the longest-running Law & Order franchise star, but also as the actress behind the longest-running primetime live-action character of all time: Olivia Benson. However, these records almost didn’t happen because of a decision the Emmy-winning actress made about her hair way back in Season 3, and she finally told the story.

Considering SVU has been on for 26 seasons, there have been some changes when it comes to the cast, from who has come and gone, to even appearance transformations. This includes hair, and just a few seasons in, Hargitay revealed she was coaxed into a change. She recalled to Allure how her pixie cut during Season 3 came about, and it sounds like it wasn't even her idea.

Through the course of the show, Olivia Benson's signature look has included medium-long hair, but the pixie cut was drastically different for the character. Sure, it was early in the show's run, but it was a drastic change, and if you've been watching the show since it's inception, I'd be willing to bet your remember it. And it came around the time some other famous names like Keri Russell infamously cut their hair for TV.

Of course, it’s not like a haircut changed anything with Benson's storyline, and her hairstylist probably didn’t assume backlash would ensue. But there were some tense moments...

Say it aint' so! Hargitay has been on SVU since the show’s inception in 1999, and at this point, it’s hard to imagine the show without her. Longtime star Ice-T has even gotten real about how long the series could last, noting that its longevity is due to the actress' devotion and choice to continue these days. However, during SVU’s early years, that power and involvement wasn’t always the case, as evidenced by Hargitay’s story. It’s pretty crazy she almost got fired over a haircut, but luckily, she stayed on, and it’s definitely a good thing she did.

I can't say for certain what would have happened had Hargitay actually gotten fired from SVU, but I'd be willing to bet the show would have turned out completely differently and, more than likely, would not have reached 27 seasons.

A while back, Ice-T did reveal what could happen “if you die on SVU,” saying you could either come back depending on circumstances surrounding your character, or even move on to a different Dick Wolf show. I do think it would have been fun to see her on a different show in the Wolf Universe, especially if she were playing a different character. But if they fired her, who knows what could have happened on that front?

Since almost getting fired, Olivia’s hair hasn’t been nearly as short, so she probably learned a lesson from the surprise cut. That being said, it’s never too late for another change, even if it is a subtle one. Maybe producers will let her get down with a more interesting cut again in the future.

Stars from all three current Law & Order shows came together ahead of the 2025 TV schedule returns for the 77th Primetime Emmys to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the franchise, with Special Victims Unit’s Mariska Hargitay placed front and center on stage as the one star who has been with her show from the very beginning in 1999. The actors got giggly behind the scenes, as Organized Crime’s Christopher Meloni shared a cute video of Hargitay teasing him about never winning an Emmy… and then belatedly realizing that he was recording her.

While none of the Law & Order shows had scored any nominations for the 2025 Primetime Emmys, SVU’s Mariska Hargitay remains the franchise’s only star to win an Emmy as a lead actor, taking home the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2006. Back in his days as an SVU co-lead, Christopher Meloni was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series that same year, but lost to Kiefer Sutherland for 24.

The two are longtime friends, and that friendship was clear in the unfiltered video that Meloni shared from behind the scenes at the Emmys. Take a look at the second slide of his Instagram post for the clip:

I’m not sure what my favorite part of the video is, but the top two candidates are the look on Mariska Hargitay’s face (followed by her laughter) when she realized that Christopher Meloni recorded her saying that he'd "never" win an Emmy, and him gleefully saying “And she curses!” to the camera after her “Oh shit!” reaction. It’s definitely a fun contrast to how they presented themselves on stage. (The Emmys are available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, while SVU can be found with a Peacock subscription.)

Hargitay and Meloni kept straight faces and stayed on script during the Law & Order segment of the Emmys alongside current Law & Order star Tony Goldwyn, former Law & Order star (and current Chicago Med series regular) S. Epatha Merkerson, and SVU’s Ice-T. Those straight faces were nowhere to be seen behind the scenes with the two pals walking by a tray full of Emmys, and now I’m even more excited to see Meloni reprising his role as Elliot Stabler opposite Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson in the upcoming SVU Season 27.

As for whether Meloni will ever win an Emmy… well, the wait is currently on for Law & Order: Organized Crime to be renewed for Season 6, so let’s cross our fingers for that news before anything else! Meloni also shared a photo of the full SVU reunion, with Ice-T sporting a big smile:

These three stars don’t often have reasons to smile like this when playing their characters in the franchise, especially Ice-T and Mariska Hargitay when their show is about – to quote the opening narration – ”sexually based offenses” that are “considered especially heinous.” So, it’s nice to see them dressed to the nines and looking happy in real life.

All three stars will be back in primetime this fall, and not just with Meloni making an appearance on his old show. On NBC’s Thursday nights, Law & Order Season 25 airs at 8 p.m. ET, Law & Order: SVU Season 27 airs at 9 p.m. ET, and Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 (which is already available streaming on Peacock) will air at 10 p.m. ET. Tune in to NBC on Thursday, September 25 to see the first new episodes since back in the spring!

Twenty-six years is a long time to wait for pretty much anything, and that’s especially true when it comes to television fans who’ll go into the 2025 TV schedule longing for two of their favorite characters to finally (FINALLY!!?) hook up already. This is what millions of Bensler shippers have been going through since they first saw the palpable will-they-won’t-they-when-will-they sexual tension between Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU way back in 1999. Co-star Ice-T has seen the on-screen relationship since Season 2, and while he’s on board the Bensler ship with the rest of us, he also has some tough love for fans who ask for it.

What Did Law & Order: SVU’s Ice-T Say About A Benson/Stabler Romance And The Couple's Fans?

When Law & Order: SVU viewers found out that Olivia Benson and her former partner/friend Elliot Stabler were going to be reunited in 2021, many of us were in a tizzy over the potential romantic hopes that had been renewed. Alas, with the exception of an emotional and notable near-kiss a couple of years ago (which really annoyed fans), we’ve gotten bupkis (a.k.a. the wrong kind of “kiss”). Now, long-time SVU star Ice-T has shared his view on the possible romance with Entertainment Weekly, and said:

Man, there are so many people who are rooting for him to succeed here, right? If there are two things that SVU (which will enter another record-breaking set of episodes this fall when Season 27 hits NBC) fans know, it’s that not only are the powers that be not ready to have Benson and Stabler romance one another actively, but Hargitay and Meloni are also really good buddies off screen, who’ve always acknowledged their “good chemistry” on camera and off.

With that, you might think this whole “Olivia and Elliot sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g” situation should be a slam dunk, particularly now that we KNOW they’re both into each other. Well, Ice-T noted that while there are additional positives that could help things along, there are also some potential reasons to keep the duo apart in all horizontal ways:

Yes, yes…Obviously one of the reasons that people keep watching is not just because of all those ripped-from-the-headlines stories, but the desperate hope that our romantic notions of a world where Benson and Stabler end their long days at work and come home to each other will be fulfilled at some point. Are they just stringing us along for the ratings?!?!

As we all ponder that possibility, the hit-making rapper also had some blunt words for every fan who’s dying to see some Bensler action:

Basically, if those in charge are simply uninterested in having Olivia and Elliot give in to their passion, it’s not gonna happen. While I can see that reality check helping some shippers calm way down, after nearly 30 years, I don’t think it’s going to completely stop most of us from hoping the hard-working detectives go there ASAP.

Law & Order: SVU is entering its 27^th season on the 2025 TV schedule, and it’s hard to believe how long the show has been around for. The Dick Wolf drama premiered in 1999 on NBC and has become a staple on the network. Ice-T recently posted a picture from the set of Season 27, and now Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni are celebrating by recalling their first lines on the show. And their reactions are A+.

Hargitay and Meloni were the original duo on SVU, both making their debuts in the first episode of the series. They have been through a lot since then, with Meloni making the switch to his own spinoff, which is streaming with a Peacock subscription. To show just how much they have been through, the actors were asked by NBC to call their first lines ever on SVU, and it makes me love them even more:

The fact that they were both able to remember their first lines spoken after 26 years is pretty impressive. Of course, it can be assumed they have watched the pilot more than a few times over the years, but filming something that ultimately changed your life is different. It’s not surprising that they were able to remember their lines since it’s probably stuck with them, but it is fun to see their reactions to it and seeing that they were right.

There’s also the fact that Hargitay and Meloni remember the exact setup and other lines in the scene, and it’s making me want to go back and rewatch the first episode. Additionally, I love that Hargitay’s first line on SVU was literally “Olivia Benson.” It just foreshadowed how iconic she would become and how iconic she still is after all these years. Back then, they probably never knew that almost 30 years later, they’d still be playing the same characters and become two of the longest-running actors in the Law & Order franchise, and it's crazy to think about.

It helps that Hargitay and Meloni had instant chemistry when they were auditioning for SVU, which is a good thing. There’s a possibility that SVU would not have gone as long as it had if Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler were played by different actors. Luckily, fans won’t have to imagine that and will be able to look forward to hopefully more Bensler scenes in the new season of SVU and many more memorable lines.

There won’t be too much of a wait for Law & Order: SVU Season 27. It’s set to premiere on Thursday, September 25 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, following the Season 25 premiere of Law & Order. Season 5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime will be airing after SVU, bringing the spinoff back to the network after moving to Peacock for Season 5, meaning that Law & Order Thursdays are coming back this fall on NBC.