Christopher Meloni's character Detective Elliot Stabler returned to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in the Season 22 episode "Return of the Prodigal Son" after departing the series at the end of Season 12 a decade prior. The episode finally addressed the emotional toll of his absence on his partner Detective Olivia Benson, with Benson confronting Stabler about how deeply his sudden departure affected her—resolving a long-standing plot gap that had frustrated viewers for years. This reunion matters because it provided genuine character closure to one of the franchise's most important relationships whilst simultaneously setting the stage for the spin-off Law & Order: Organized Crime.

Stabler left the NYPD after being forced to shoot a young woman in the Season 13 finale, an event that devastated Benson when she learned of his departure in Season 14. His return sparked an investigation into his wife's death by car bombing, positioning him as the lead character of Organized Crime, which ran for five seasons before cancellation. Remarkably, Meloni will return once again for Season 28 of SVU, which will mark the series' 600th episode and will be directed by Mariska Hargitay, providing another opportunity to explore how both characters have evolved since their original partnership.