Mariska Hargitay Responds To Fans Hoping Christopher Meloni Goes Back To SVU If Organized Crime Ends

The spring portion of the 2024 TV schedule will come to an end in the not-too-distant future, with broadcast network finales on the way en masse in May. While that's not too stressful for viewers of shows like Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU that have already been renewed, fans of Law & Order: Organized Crime aren't so lucky. So, with questions about if OC has a future on NBC, SVU leading lady Mariska Hargitay opened up about whether Christopher Meloni could come back to his old SVU stomping grounds.

Could Christopher Meloni Return To Law & Order: SVU?

While Christopher Meloni has only appeared in eleven episodes of SVU over the four seasons that Stabler has been back in the Law & Order world, Stabler is still very much synonymous with SVU for many longtime viewers due to his intense relationship with Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson over twelve seasons back in the day.

Benson and Stabler haven't shared the screen in 2024 so far, and both SVU and OC are running out of episodes to squeeze in a crossover of one or the other before the end of the season. That's a stressful status quo in light of Organized Crime not yet being renewed for Season 5, but Mariska Hargitay's comments to Variety suggest that there's hope for a future:

Personally, I find it hard to imagine a Special Victims Unit with Stabler working under Benson as his captain, but stranger things have happened in a series that has run for 25 seasons and nearly 550 episodes at the time of writing. Mariska Hargitay also shared that she and Meloni originally thought that the near-miss kiss of Season 24 "should go one way and the powers that be didn’t," saying that Dick Wolf had the final say over the controversial scene.

As for whether Benson and Stabler could share the screen before the end of the current SVU and OC seasons... well, we can only wait and see, although Hargitay commented that they "want to hold the tension and do what’s right and truthful for both characters." And fans might feel a lot better about that if there was an update on Organized Crime!

Why Law & Order: Organized Crime Isn't Renewed Yet

Fans of OC have had reason to worry ever since NBC renewed Law & Order and SVU back in March, with discussions still ongoing about the fates of Stabler and Co. More recently, reports have circulated that Organized Crime will indeed be renewed... but to stream for Peacock Premium subscribers rather than continue airing on NBC to close out the Law & Order Thursday nights.

A move to Peacock hasn't been confirmed yet, but fan reactions to the continued wait have shown that plenty of people definitely want to see the OC action continue. One star recently opened up about what it has been like to see the outpouring of support from viewers. Unfortunately, Organized Crime remains for now on the list of shows that need to be renewed or cancelled, and the wait for news continues just as does the wait for Benson and Stabler to share the screen once more.

For now, keep tuning in to NBC on Thursdays for the latest in the Law & Order world, starting with the original series at 8 p.m. ET, continuing with SVU at 9 p.m. ET, and concluding with Organized Crime at 10 p.m. ET. All three shows are currently available streaming on Peacock as well.