The times are nonetheless counting down till Legislation & Order: SVU lastly crosses over with one other Dick Wolf present, however there’s another huge information earlier than the following episode within the 2025 TV schedule. Former producer Michele Fazekas has been appointed because the first-ever feminine showrunner of SVU. I am already excited to see what she brings to Season 27 after studying that she wrote probably the most memorable episodes that touched on Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Stabler’s (Christopher Meloni) sophisticated relationship.
Michele Fazekas As New Showrunner
Whereas SVU technically hasn’t been renewed for Season 27 simply but on the time of writing, Deadline reviews that Gen V showrunner and former SVU producer Michele Fazekas is taking the helm of the longest-running drama of the 9 present Dick Wolf TV exhibits. Present showrunner David Graziano will end out Season 26, with Fazekas taking up the job for the 2025-2026 TV season. At this level, it is a fairly protected wager that SVU might be again for Season 27.
And it is a history-making transfer, as SVU has had many showrunners over its quarter century on the air, however all have been males previous to the most recent information. Contemplating that Mariska Hargitay has been starring for all 26 seasons and many of the 550+ episodes have centered on ladies as victims of – to cite the opening narration – “sexually-based offenses” which might be “thought of particularly heinous,” I have been all for extra ladies on board the present.
SVU was even quick on feminine characters for a time, after Kelli Giddish left as Amanda Rollins and Molly Burnett was written out as Muncy. Season 25 addressed that difficulty to a sure extent with the addition of Curry, however on the entire, I am hyped that Michele Fazekas is on board to make historical past as the primary girl to helm the present.
None of that is to say that a lot is assured to noticeably change below Michele Fazekas as showrunner, however I am much more optimistic after I checked out her listing of credit and found that along with her work as a producer on SVU between Seasons 4-7, she additionally penned 25 episodes, one in every of which was Season 7’s “Fault” and may be discovered streaming with a Peacock subscription and a Hulu subscription now.
“Fault” Is An Iconic Episode For Olivia Benson And Elliot Stabler
Should you’re a longtime fan of Legislation & Order: SVU, a longtime devotee of Benson and Stabler’s relationship, and/or acquired hooked on the present by way of cable TV marathons, you probably bear in mind “Fault” as one of many game-changing episodes of the Christopher Meloni period. And that is not simply because future Longmire actor Lou Diamond Philips went all-out in his portrayal of assassin/rapist/kidnapper Victor Paul Gitano!
Season 7 was a sophisticated time for Benson and Stabler’s relationship, and “Fault” first noticed Stabler prioritize checking on his associate when she had her throat as a substitute of rescuing a younger boy. The boy was murdered as a result of the NYPD could not get to him in time, which after all weighed closely on the detective.
Later within the episode, which Michele Fazekas co-wrote with Tara Butters, the companions have been at a standoff with Gitano holding Stabler at gunpoint, a bit woman’s life in jeopardy, and Benson along with her weapon drawn and a choice to make. A sniper in the end took the shot and spared her having to choose, however she later admitted to Stabler that she would not have risked his life by taking the shot.
The duo put their private relationship above their work, making “Fault” a messy however memorable episode. Benson additionally in the end determined to request a brand new associate after Stabler made an admission of his personal. That clearly did not stick in the long term, but it surely sophisticated the top of Season 7 for the detectives, which arrange some drama in Season 8.
And if that is not sufficient to promote you on the truth that “Fault” was a standout episode of the SVU period earlier than Christopher Meloni left, simply know that I rattled off that plot description from reminiscence! (Sure, I am one of many followers who initially acquired hooked by way of cable TV marathons that regularly rerun this ep.) As any individual who watches a number of procedurals but additionally loves character improvement, I am 100% on board for extra.
Loads has admittedly modified since Michele Fazekas co-wrote the episode in 2006, however seeing how she may mix heavy character moments with basic Particular Victims instances again then makes me optimistic that she may do it once more sooner or later, though many of the SVU collection regulars have modified since Season 7.
For now, although, there are nonetheless loads of episodes of Legislation & Order: SVU Season 26 to stay up for, together with that crossover with Legislation & Order that airs the identical evening as Legislation & Order: Organized Crime‘s long-awaited fifth season premiere. Whereas Christopher Meloni’s post-SVU collection within the franchise will launch most episodes completely on Peacock, the Season 5 premiere can even air on NBC in its former time slot. Maintain tuning to NBC on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET if you wish to see the most recent of Olivia Benson in Season 26.