The special 500th episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is going to be a homecoming packed with returning stars to congratulate Capt. Olivia Benson. The teaser that aired after this week’s SVU episode confirmed that Capt. Donald Cragen will make his first appearance on the show since 2015. Law & Order creator Dick Wolf previously announced that Danny Pino would also appear.
The teaser shows Benson (Mariska Hargitay) getting a Facetime call from Cragen (Dann Florek). “Captain, you don’t know how proud it makes me to say that,” he told her. Hopefully, his appearance is much more than just that because it has been a long time since we’ve seen Cragen. He left the show as a main cast member at the end of Season 15 in 2014, then guest-starred in the Season 16 episode “Perverted Justice” in May 2015.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Cragen was one of the longest-lasting characters in the Law & Order franchise, behind only Benson and Det. Fin Tutuola (Ice-T). He was one of the original Law & Order detectives, starring in the first three seasons of the show. In 1999, Wolf made Cragen the captain for the Special Victims Unit, the role Benson now has today.
Based on the episode synopsis NBC released, another returning SVU star will have a bigger role in the 500th episode. Last month, Wolf announced Danny Pino would be back as Det. Nick Amaro, who left at the end of Season 16. Amaro is seen (with a beard) surprising Benson in an interrogation room. He shows up to ask Benson to help clear a convicted man’s name, and that case brings up another man from Benson’s past back into her life. The teaser also confirms that medical examiner Melinda Warner, played by Tamara Tunie, will be back too. The episode airs on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 9 p.m. ET, ahead of Law & Order: Organized Crime.
There could be more Law & Order actors returning to television soon. NBC and Wolf recently announced that the original Law & Order would be coming back for the 21st season. It’s not clear when the new season will start or who will even be coming back. Anthony Anderson, who played Det. Kevin Bernard in the last three seasons, told Rachael Ray that Wolf asked him if he would be interested in returning.”So, we’ll see what the future holds,” he said.
Most Viewed
-
(Credit: Rafa Jodar / Getty Images) -
TV talk show with female celebrity flat vector illustration. Woman sitting on sofa and talking with host, discussing news in studio. Videographers filming broadcasting. Television, interview concept -
A ring of vibrant marigold flowers with glowing candles at the center, set against a dark background. (Credit: Eduardo Monroy Husillos / Getty Images) -
NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images) -
Netflix logo is displayed during the 'Paris Games Week' on November 02, 2017 in Paris, France. (Credit: Chesnot / Getty Images) -
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: (L-R) Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attend the 10th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on April 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize)
