Fans of NBC’s Law & Order franchise got the worst news possible. Longtime star of the show, Christopher Meloni, could barely hold back his tears while reacting to the end of an era for the popular show. Keep reading to find out what’s going on and see his emotional message to fans.
Law & Order Show Canceled
The Law & Order franchise has been on NBC for over 30 years. The original show premiered in 1990. It took a break in 2010 before returning in 2022. The Special Victims Unit spinoff premiered in 1999 and introduced viewers to Detectives Eliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). In addition to being partners, the show teased a “will-they-or-won’t-they” romance.
Christopher Meloni abruptly left the show in 2012 after 11 seasons. The show continued with Olivia Benson as the main character, along with rapper Ice-T in a supporting role. Law & Order: SVU is the longest-running drama on television.
Fans of the franchise were delighted in 2021 when Christopher Meloni returned for a spinoff featuring Detective Stabler. The first episode of Law & Order: Organized Crime saw the aftermath of Stabler’s wife, Kathleen, dying after a targeted car bomb.
The series saw several notable guest stars, including Dylan McDermott and Denis Leary. Oscar-winning actress Ellen Burstyn played Detective Stabler’s mother. The first four seasons of Organized Crime aired on NBC. It was moved to Peacock for Season 5 amid poor ratings. The network hoped that moving it to streaming would give it a boost.
However, that didn’t happen and it was announced this week that the spinoff won’t return for Season 6.
Christopher Meloni Reacts To End Of An Era
The news of Law & Order: Organized Crime’s cancellation devastated fans, especially those still waiting for Stabler and Benson to get together. But no one was hit harder by the news than Christopher Meloni. He took to social media with a video addressing the end of an era.
“I wanted to take this moment to say thank you to the fans, who not only helped give the character Elliot Stabler life and longevity, but for sticking with him and welcoming him back,” the actor began.
“Good ride. It was a good ride. I had a great time playing him,” he added. Christopher Meloni got emotional, barely holding back tears. “You helped give me a career that I never dreamed of nearly 17 odd years,” he said before cutting the video short.
The post received hundreds of responses, including one from his SVU co-star Mariska Hargitay. She wrote “P4L” with a heart emoji. Several outlets translated “P4L” to “Partners For Life.”
The cancellation of Organized Crime may be the end of an era for Elliot Stabler, but not for Christopher Meloni. His next role is playing an NFL coach in Hulu’s football drama from creator Dan Fogelman. The untitled series also stars Mandy Moore, Bridget Moynahan, and Chace Crawford. Stay tuned for updates on the show’s premiere. Share your reaction to Organized Crime’s cancellation in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
