Law & Order: SVU faced some potentially dark days after Chris Meloni left the series. This departure left Mariska Hargitay to anchor the show as the lead, a challenge some were unsure would work.
Dick Wolf’s Doubts and Surprising Success
Law & Order: SVU has become one of the longest-running shows on television, surpassing even the original Law & Order, which currently boasts 23 seasons. The original series was temporarily canceled in 2010 before its revival in 2022. This left many cast members, including Hargitay, astounded by SVU’s enduring success.
“You have to take stock of these 21 years and the origins of it and how it happened and [Wolf’s] vision,” Hargitay shared with USA Today. “And sometimes, for me, it feels like his vision is so awe-inspiring. It’s hard to download how one person could not think of one show, but all these shows. And then after 20 years end, he’s like ‘Don’t worry about it, I’ll do it again.’”
For Wolf, SVU outliving Law & Order was particularly sweet after the latter’s abrupt cancellation.
“It’s been an amazing climb back from the utter frustration of having L&O canceled after 20 years, and that was one of the worst days of my entire 37-year career,” Wolf said. “[Ice-T] was actually the first one to say, ‘Ah, we’ll beat it’… I started to believe, like, four years ago that it could actually happen, and now it has. And hopefully the next landmark could be 25.”
The Uncertainty Post-Meloni
Many believed SVU was in jeopardy of cancellation after Meloni’s departure in 2011, leaving Hargitay to lead the series solo. Wolf himself doubted the show’s survival without the dynamic duo of Hargitay and Meloni.
“This was a classic two-hander with her and Chris. To go from a dual-lead show to a single-lead show, and to have it survive and prosper, is a miracle,” Wolf said. “Everybody at NBC assumed the year after Chris left would be the last of the show, and she turned it around. It was a little-noted but huge accomplishment. It’s amazing that the entire structure of the show changed.”
Likewise, Hargitay saw Meloni’s exit as an opportunity for her character, Olivia Benson, to grow.
Chris Meloni’s Departure and Return
Meloni left SVU due to a contract dispute and a desire to explore new opportunities. He made it clear his departure had no animosity towards the show’s cast and crew.
“How I left was a different issue and had nothing to do with the Law & Order people, the SVU people, or with Dick Wolf,” Meloni said. “I left with zero animosity, but I did leave clearly and open-eyed in going forward and finding new adventures.”
This lack of animosity likely contributed to Wolf successfully convincing Meloni to return for Organized Crime. The showrunner contacted Meloni out of the blue with an enticing offer.
“It truly came about by [series creator] Dick Wolf calling and saying he wanted to discuss a project,” Meloni recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, really? OK.’ I was shocked.”
“I never thought this was going to happen, but the circumstances for me changed. So ‘yes’ became the correct answer,” he added.
Mariska Hargitay’s Enduring Legacy
Despite challenges and changes, Hargitay’s unwavering dedication has kept SVU thriving. As long as she remains passionate about her role, fans can expect many more seasons of this beloved series.