LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT Boss: ORGANIZED CRIME Delay Also Pushes Back Benson-Stabler Reunion

With NBC shaking up its fall schedule and moving the LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT spinoff LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME to midseason, that also impacts the plans for SVU’s season premiere.

Originally, SVU’s season 22 opener would have had to contend with reintroducing Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler, who has been absent from the series since 2011 and is leading up ORGANIZED CRIME. (This was, of course, after the plans had to be scrapped—due to COVID-19 shutting down production—to bring his family into the season 21 finale prior to Stabler’s return.)

“It’s pretty clear that Elliot will be in SVU season opener,” SVU boss Warren Leight teased earlier this year on the show’s official podcast. “I think that much I know. Whether we get to see his family, as well, remains to be seen. There’s a lot of moving parts. They’re launching a new series, as well. It’s not just about the SVU season opener, it’s how do we help launch the new series, and how much crossover will there be between Elliot and Olivia as it goes on.”

But with SVU returning in November and ORGANIZED CRIME’s launch not coming until 2021, Stabler won’t be in the premiere…at least as of now.

“These days all plans are subject to change,” Leight told a fan on Twitter. “And then they change again. And again. For now, we won’t reintroduce Stabler until the night of his Organized Crime premiere.  @SVUWritersRoom has to be NIMBLE this year.”

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, Season Premiere, Thursday, November 12, 9/8c, NBC

LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME, Midseason, NBC

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• Christopher Meloni Teases LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME and the Benson-Stabler Reunion
• It’s Official: NBC Orders SVU Spinoff Starring Christopher Meloni
• LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT Boss: The Plan is for Stabler to be in the Season 22 Premiere
• Mariska Hargitay Reacts to Chris Meloni’s New Elliot Stabler Series: ‘Welcome Home’
• NBC Renews LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT for 3 More Seasons
• Dick Wolf on What He’s Learned About Expanding Television Franchises
• Neal Baer Reflects on Robin Williams’ LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT Guest Spot
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