Spoilers forward for the Season 27 premiere of Legislation & Order: SVU within the 2025 premiere schedule, referred to as “Within the Winds” and accessible streaming now with a Peacock subscription.
Legislation & Order: SVU wasted no time in delivering huge twists for Olivia Benson and Co. in Season 27, and these aren’t simply procedural twists that can be forgotten by the subsequent episode. “Within the Winds” delivered the dying of a beloved character who has been round not simply because the starting of SVU, however because the starting of the unique Legislation & Order. Captain Cragen himself has died, leaving a gap within the Legislation & Order universe regardless of solely making sporadic appearances lately. Whereas it was a tragic technique to begin a brand new season, it did present some perks for longtime viewers.
The Demise Of Captain Cragen
The Season 27 premiere opened with a high-heeled Captain Olivia Benson strolling to a bar for the memorial service of Captain Donald Cragen, her Particular Victims captain for the primary fifteen seasons of the sequence. The episode. did not specify what triggered Cragen’s dying however as a substitute centered on memorializing the character, like with the tribute to Richard Belzer’s John Munch within the wake of Belzer’s passing in 2023.
Dann Florek continues to be alive, nonetheless, and really was credited with a “Particular Visitor Look” for what he did movie for the premiere. His earlier most up-to-date episode had been within the milestone five hundredth in 2021, whereas he joined Christopher Meloni for a number of episodes of Legislation & Order: Organized Crime between 2022-2024. Between SVU, OC, and Legislation & Order, Florek is credited for taking part in Cragen throughout a whole lot of episodes and 25 years.
So, I really feel comfy saying that SVU killing off Cragen is game-changing for the whole Legislation & Order universe, since he is been an establishment on this planet going again to the beginning. It made for an emotional begin to Season 27, particularly because it appeared to steer Olivia and Fin to contemplate their very own mortality. However there was a perk within the type of another SVU vets who got here again for the memorial.
Legislation & Order Reunions From The Traditional Seasons (And Additionally Cassidy)
Dann Florek was one in all 4 former SVU stars to reprise their roles for the Season 27 premiere. Christopher Meloni had already been confirmed to seem within the episode as Stabler reverse Mariska Hargitay as Benson, however I used to be pleasantly shocked to see BD Wong again as Dr. George Huang. Together with Florek and Meloni, Wong had a key position in what I take into account to be the traditional years of SVU: with Detectives Benson, Stabler, Tutuola, and Munch beneath Captain Cragen.
Dean Winters additionally turned up, and whereas he originated his position as Brian Cassidy beginning again within the pilot in 1999, he did not return in a significant means till Season 13 in 2012. Neither he nor BD Wong had main scenes within the Season 27 premiere, however the identical happily cannot be stated for Christopher Meloni.
Whereas Mariska Hargitay appeared in a memorable episode of Legislation & Order: Organized Crime earlier this yr, “Within the Wind” was the primary time that Benson and Stabler shared a scene on SVU since 2023, and it was precisely what I wished as anyone who loves seen Hargitay and Meloni on the small display screen collectively however is decidedly not a “Bensler” shipper.
They shared a 1:1 scene with Stabler ready by her automotive quite than going into the memorial service, and it was a pleasant mixture of candy and unhappy as they mirrored on their good years along with Cragen in addition to being within the “all-our-friends-are-dying period.” As they went their separate methods after sharing a hug, Stabler dropped a “Love you” on her in some significantly better timing than when he messily stated it on Organized Crime.
The interplay additionally appeared that the previous companions have spent a while collectively off display screen, and the painful awkwardness of earlier seasons wasn’t there. This was extra like their interactions in her Organized Crime episode, and it was good to see within the wake of Cragen’s dying. Have a look:
The scene we’ll by no means cease replaying. ❤️ Watch the return of #LawAndOrder Thursday streaming now on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/fgy15gnOYhSeptember 26, 2025
It stays to be seen if this would be the solely time that Meloni seems on SVU this season, with the way forward for Organized Crime nonetheless in limbo after the Season 5 finale launched on Peacock in June. For now, hold tuning in to NBC on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET for brand new episodes of Legislation & Order: SVU Season 27. Hopefully Fin will not have too many lingering results from his brutal accidents within the premiere, and my fingers are crossed that the argument between Benson and Fin will not trigger any issues transferring ahead.