Christopher Meloni Officially Returns to 'Law & Order: SVU' After 'Organized Crime' Cancellation
A cinematic obsessive with the filmic palate of a starving raccoon, Rob London will watch pretty much anything once. With a mind like a steel trap, he's an endless fount of movie and TV trivia, borne from a misspent youth of watching monster movies on TV, perusing the sun-faded goods at the local video rental shop, and staining his fingers with ink from the Video Movie Guide. Areas of interest include science fiction, film noir, horror flicks, '70s disaster pictures, Bond movies, '90s action, giant robots, dinosaurs, super heroes, and the exuberantly schlocky output of Cannon Films. He also enjoys both Star Trek and Star Wars when they're good, and maybe even more when they're bad. As a Canadian, he also has a vested interest in Canadian movies and TV shows, especially the cheesier ones dubbed "Canuxploitation."
An expert on Marvel Comics, he has also written for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, and is a member of the Marvel Research Team. He can frequently be found pontificating on comic-book continuity or bemoaning the misfortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs on his Twitter account.
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is back for its 28th season next month; that season is set to include the long-running procedural's milestone 600th episode. It wouldn't be an anniversary party without special guests, and it looks like the series is getting one of the most special guests of all. Christopher Meloni, one of the show's original stars, is headed back to the series.
Meloni was part of the show's cast when it debuted in 1999. He starred as Detective Elliot Stabler, an NYPD veteran who was partnered with the less-experienced Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). Meloni departed the series after 12 seasons; he was written out after Stabler had to shoot a victim's daughter who'd opened fire on the squad room and subsequently retired from the force. He returned for a guest appearance in season 25 after he narrowly escaped death in a car bombing, and was soon spun off into Law & Order: Organized Crime, where he rejoined the NYPD as part of a special task force. That series ended after five seasons; Stabler last turned up on Special Victims Unit in last year's season premiere.
On her Instagram account, Hargitay posted a picture of her with Meloni, captioned with "Happy 600..." There's no indication of how long Meloni will return for, but it strongly hints that he'll be in the 600th episode. There's also no word whether the two will finally pursue a romance after decades of fan speculation and anticipation. When he first appeared on the series, Stabler was married, but the chemistry between Meloni and Hargitay was undeniable. Stabler is now a widower, leaving the character open to romance. Will the "will-they-won't-they" be resolved? You'll be able to find out for yourself when the 600th episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premieres on NBC in November.
The 600th episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is scheduled to air this November. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
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