Det. Elliot Stabler is back on the beat… at least temporarily.
Chris Meloni, who played Stabler on the procedural and its spinoff, will return for the upcoming 600th episode of “Law & Order: SVU,” TVLine has confirmed.
GiveMeMyRemote first reported Meloni’s return.
Meloni last appeared on “SVU” at the start of Season 27, when Stabler and his former partner, Capt. Olivia Benson (played by Mariska Hargitay), met up outside a wake for their former boss, Capt. Donald Cragen. The brief scene included Stabler telling Benson — with whom he’s had a long-term friendship that sometimes skewed almost-romantic — that he loved her.
When does Law & Order: SVU Season 28 premiere?
At the end of Season 27, “SVU” showrunner Michele Fazekas told TVLine that she’d wanted Meloni to appear in more episodes, but that his schedule didn’t allow it. (Meloni currently stars in Dan Fogelman’s forthcoming football drama “The Land.”)
“When I was on the show,” said Fazekas, who was an “SVU” writer for Seasons 3 through 7, “it was Benson and Stabler… I want to use him as much as he can, but also, I don’t want to stunt it, or do it for no reason. It has to mean something.”
Chris Meloni also played Stabler in “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” the “SVU” spin-off that was canceled in April after five seasons. In a teary message to fans after the cancellation, Meloni called the experience of playing Stabler “a great ride” and thanked “Law & Order” fans: “You gave me a life,” he said.
Earlier this year, when TVLine asked Fazekas about plans to bring Stabler back in Season 28, the show boss was tight-lipped, saying only: “I’m not going to say anything about that right now.”
“Law & Order: SVU” will return for Season 28 on Thursday, October 8, at 9/8c.
Are you looking forward to Stabler’s return? Hit the comments with all of your thoughts!
