As Elliot Stabler's return on Law & Order: SVU nears, a new clip has been released revealing Christopher Meloni's character getting an update on what Olivia Benson has been up to in the last several years. The pair were close partners for years in the SVU department, until he abruptly left after he learned that he was being subjected to an investigation following a precinct shoot-out. Instead of cooperating and justifying his actions, he was so disillusioned by the idea that he left the force altogether.
In the real world, Stabler's exit was due to contract renegotiations falling through. This prompted Meloni to walk away from Law & Order: SVU after starring in the show for 12 seasons. This left the show writers to scramble for an explanation about Stabler's absence which was particularly tricky considering that he had a very close relationship with his co-workers, particularly Liv; leaving without saying goodbye just didn't make sense. Fortunately, they were able to find a believable reason for this. Despite that, fans held out hope that one day, Meloni was going to return, and last year, it was officially confirmed that he's reprising his career-defining role as the New York detective.
Now that it's only a couple of days before Stabler reunites with Liv, Meloni is doing a final promotional push not just for Law & Order: SVU, but also his own spin-off, Law & Order: Organized Crime. In the video that the actor debuted in his recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fin provides Elliot an update on what Benson has been up to since he left the task force. Watch it below:
Meloni's Stabler was supposed to make his return in the season 22 premiere of Law & Order: SVU last fall. However due to a series of delays because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, his return was pushed back to this year. Now, his much-awaited comeback is slated for April 1, 2021, during the show's midseason debut with the episode aptly titled "Return of the Prodigal Son." The events of the outing directly lead into Organized Crime for a crossover event. Moving forward, however, expect more interaction between Benson and Stabler despite the characters now headlining different shows.
Aside from Stabler's explanation about why it took him so long to return, it's also interesting that as Fin catches him up on what Liv has been doing the last several years, he opted to focus on her personal life rather than her professional one. It's no secret that Law & Order: SVU has toyed with the idea of a romance between Stabler and Benson, but they never really went all the way with it. Given this new video, it's curious if they will revisit that dynamic now that Elliot is back.