‘Law & Order: SVU’: Has the Show Been Renewed for Season 22?

The NBC procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit airs the season 21 finale tonight, April 23. The show has been renewed for an additional three seasons as of 2020 meaning it will run through at least 2023.

Prior to the renewal, fans speculated that the show may be ending after its 21-season run. NBC proved speculation incorrect when they announced in February 2020 that not only would SVU be renewed, but it would be renewed for an additional three seasons.

The show is currently the longest-running primetime live-action series in TV history, having recently passed the original Law & Order and Gunsmoke. Both shows ran for 20 seasons.

The Show Has Been Renewed for An Additional Three Seasons

There will be seven dramas created by Dick Wolf on TV starting in the fall of 2020 including his #OneChicago franchise that includes Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med. Each of those shows have been renewed for three seasons as well.

“Dick Wolf has proven time and time again that he makes shows audiences love,” said Paul Telegdy, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, in a statement. “We are delighted, excited and proud that as part of this epic deal with Wolf Entertainment, NBC’s loyal audience will know that their favorite shows have a certain future for the next three years.”

Throughout season 21 of the show, Law & Order: SVU averaged around 4 million viewers per episode with the season-low ratings coming in at 3.3 million for episodes 16 and 17.

Because they were not able to film all 21 episodes of the current season, it’s likely tonight’s season finale will feel more like a regular episode. Any storylines leftover from this season will be picked up for the beginning of the new season, which should begin airing in the fall if the cast and crew is able to get back to work safely.

A New Spin-Off is In the Works

An SVU spin-off starring fan-favorite character Elliot Stabler is reportedly in the works at NBC. The procedural will star Christopher Meloni, who is reprising the role he left nearly a decade ago on the original SVU. 

Though the season finale of SVU was not filmed due to the coronavirus, Gillies and one of Stabler’s five children was set to appear in the episode. It’s possible that that episode was going to provide a spin-off point for the new series. It also may have featured Meloni as a surprise in the episode.

There was always a possibility that Stabler would show back up on SVU at some point, as Meloni has said repeatedly that his exit from the show was mutual and he loved everyone he worked with on set.

Stabler and his then-partner, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), were very close, and Hargitay and Meloni were good friends in real life. Hargitay posted on Instagram to wish Meloni Happy Birthday and welcome him back to the show.

The star wrote, “Happy Birthday @chris_meloni Congratulations and welcome home Elliot Stabler #It’sBeenAWhile #MissedYou #ElliotStabler.” Excited fans replied to express their joy at the possible reunion, and it’s likely that, since Stabler has always been a fan-favorite character, the show may be on the air for the long run.

A short dive into comments on Meloni’s Instagram posts also reveal fans constantly asking him to reprise his role as Stabler, even what is now almost a decade out from his leaving the show. Fans can likely look forward to a reunion between Benson and Stabler at the beginning of the first season since that’s one of the main things people have been asking the writers of SVU for in the past years.

Law & Order SVU airs on NBC on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

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