SVU’s Showrunner Reveals If Stabler Could Return in Future Episodes: “It Has to Be…”
SVU‘s showrunner Michele Fazekas weighed in on the possibility of more Benson-Stabler reunions.
As Law & Order: Special Victims Unit closes another epic chapter, fans can’t wait for Season 28. And many viewers have their fingers crossed for another reunion between Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni).
After nearly three decades of procedural twists and turns, Law & Order: SVU fans never tire of watching Olivia Benson master the art of criminal takedowns. For many years, Benson climbed the ranks with the help of her ride-or-die partner on the squad, Stabler, forming one of television’s most iconic procedural partnerships. From their will-they-won’t-they chemistry to their passionate camaraderie when the going got tough, Benson and Stabler had fans gripped for 12 action-packed seasons.
With Meloni’s return to the franchise in 2021, fans have enjoyed many Benson and Stabler reunions, and their relationship has taken many turns over the years. The “Bensler” relationship has captivated fans for decades, so you better believe SVU showrunner Michele Fazekas has Meloni on her radar for future guest appearances in the upcoming Season 28 of Law & Order: SVU.
“I love Meloni, and I will occasionally ask casting and see if Meloni’s available,” Fazekas told NBC Insider, adding that the SVU alum has been “very busy” as of late.
Still, Fazekas would jump at any opportunity to invite Meloni to SVU’s set for a guest appearance.
SVU‘s showrunner teases Stabler’s potential return: “It has to be meaningful”
While it’s been a minute since Meloni guest-starred on SVU — he previously appeared in Season 27’s premiere in September 2025 — that hasn’t stopped him from being booked and busy. Some of Meloni’s upcoming projects include starring in This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman’s new sports drama, The Land, as well as co-starring in the indie film Chop Cheese, an animated film directed by his daughter Sophia in her directorial debut.
“If I can get him, I definitely will,” Fazekas told NBC Insider, adding that Meloni’s guest appearance would need to hold weight. “I don’t want it to be a gag or a stunt, like it has to be meaningful and it has to come from these characters. There were at least two times this season where I was like, ‘Hey, is he around?'”
With all of the hurdles Benson was jumping over this season, it makes sense that there was a desire for Meloni’s wise Stabler to pop in and chime in on the action.
The fuzzy feelings are echoed by Meloni’s long-time co-star, Hargitay, who opened up about her steel-tight bond with Meloni during her 2025 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast.
“We are just connected,” Hargitay gushed. “We are so close; it’s like we’ve been through the battle together. We know each other so well. We love each other so much. We respect each other so much. We connected, obviously, by living these stories and going so deep together for so many years, acting. And he and I really bond over comedy; we have a very similar sense of humor.”
Hargitay continued, “And we just have — you know what it is? It’s shared perspective. It’s shorthand. We are so comfortable with each other. We deeply trust each other… I will always be there for him, and that’s mutual. And we have grown together; we’ve known each other 27 years.”
Looking ahead, Fazekas is excited for all of the possibilities on the horizon for SVU. “There’s so many stories to tell, and there’s so many ways,” she told NBC Insider. “What I wanted to do was get these characters into conflicts and … give them complications, give them things to push against and that are pushing against them.”
Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Peacock.