Elliot Stabler Is Coming Back to TV
Fans of Dick Wolf procedurals, Law & Order: SVU, and Christopher Meloni have reason to celebrate. According to Deadline, NBC has placed a 13-episode series order for a show revolving around Meloni's character, Elliot Stabler. It's the first show to come out of Wolf's new five-year, nine-figure, multi-platform deal with Universal.
The SVU spinoff will focus on the NYPD organized crime unit led by Stabler. It's not clear whether or not the show will live under the Law & Order umbrella, but Deadline notes that, of course, the show will be set in New York City and be ready for SVU crossovers and Olivia Benson-Stabler reunions. Meloni played opposite Mariska Hargitay for 12 seasons and the role earned him an Emmy nomination for Lead Actor in a Drama Series back in 2006. Meloni's Stabler was written off the show after season 12.
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Even though it's been nine years since he's been on the show, Meloni hs remained close with Wolf and SVU family. He appeared on the special The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU in January and Deadline adds that after the event, rumors of a new Meloni-fronted Wolf show started to circulate. The standalone Stabler show joins Wolf's NBC portfolio, which includes SVU and three Chicago dramas.
