“Law & Order: SVU” celebrated its 500th episode with a towering Manhattan-themed black-and-blue cake, plus a table full of cupcakes.
According to a picture tweeted by star Mariska Hargitay, the NBC drama rung in its 500th episode with a massive dose of sugar. Hargitay shared the picture on Monday.
Five Hundredth Episode of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ to Air Thursday, Oct. 21
The 500th episode of “Law & Order: SVU” is coming up this Thursday. Hargitay has been with the show for all 23 seasons. But the 500th episode also appears to be packed with returning former stars.
Danny Pino, Tamara Tunie and Dann Florek will reprise their roles as Nick Amaro, Melina Warner and Donald Cragen during this episode. In the episode promo, we see Cragen telling Benson (Hargitay) by video call that he’s proud to see her take on his old role. Meanwhile, Amaro returns to try to clear the name of someone who he believes was wrongfully convicted, according to CinemaBlend. And Warner appears to utter the line, “Once an SVU detective, always an SVU detective.”
“Law & Order: Organized Crime” star Christopher Meloni also shows up in a flashback scene as Elliot Stabler. And audiences will get a look into Benson’s past, as well.
Watch the episode promo here:
Hargitay and Meloni Are a Strong Platonic Duo
Hargitay and Meloni agree that their characters work well as a platonic pair. Indeed, even after Meloni left “Law & Order: SVU” for “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” the shows have had a number of successful crossover episodes.
Hargitay once told Variety that their characters’ close relationship is “utterly effortless and utterly earned.”
“We went through so much in the first 12 years and dug so deep and had a very full relationship and a very honest one and brave one,” Hargitay explained. “I think we’re pretty locked in and dialed into each other, and so that’s been a joy and a pleasure to find.”
But she added that Meloni’s 2011 departure from “SVU” was hard on her because of the open-ended way the writers left off. And both actors seemed to demur at a question about a potential romance between their characters.
“You have to be where they are right now and what they have to grapple with personally and professionally. And I would argue, especially Stabler, it’s miles down the road,” Meloni said.
Be that as it may, at least fans will get to catch them back together again on the same show for the 500th episode of “Law & Order: SVU.” And perhaps they will both get to share some cake to mark the occasion.
