Law & Order: SVU Boss On The State Of Benson And Stabler
A case reopens old wounds
Stabler returned to the precinct in Thursday’s milestone episode to join Benson in revisiting the murder of a young nun. The pair had gotten the case wrong nearly 30 years earlier.
Working together brought unresolved feelings and questions about how they had changed into focus. Fazekas described the conversations as cathartic and said they reflected the depth of the characters’ long-standing bond.
Stabler’s difficult present
Fazekas wanted the episode to establish Stabler’s emotional state for viewers, including those who had not watched Law & Order: Organized Crime. She said his brother had been killed, his mother had dementia, and he was struggling.
The episode notes that he and Benson had not spoken in 18 months. When Stabler asks her to go to Arizona, Fazekas said he does not expect her to accept; he wants her to understand that he wants to be with her.
Benson has other priorities
Fazekas said she believes the two characters love each other, but that their connection extends beyond a sexual relationship. Stabler, she added, is not ready, while Benson has grown since their early years together.
Benson is going through a dark period and feels that decades of work have not changed things. Fazekas said a relationship with Stabler is not among her top five priorities, and she would not promise whether they will eventually be together.
The relationship remains open
Fazekas said she wants to explore the characters’ relationship rather than focus on a will-they-or-won’t-they question. She also recalled enjoying writing for them during her Seasons 3 through 7 time on the show.
She first considered inviting Christopher Meloni for Episode 600, though his availability was uncertain. Fazekas also described wanting Benson and Stabler in a car for a long drive, then at a motel, talking through their issues. The interview raised whether Stabler could return in Season 28.
Key points
- Stabler and Benson reunited to revisit a murder case they mishandled nearly 30 years ago.
- Fazekas says Stabler is struggling and still has personal work to do.
- Benson is focused on her own problems, and the showrunner will not predict their romantic future.
- Fazekas discussed Stabler’s possible return in Season 28.