It’s been 25 years, and Law & Order: SVU , and Mariska Hargitay is revealing what happened with their almost kiss last season. In Season 24, Episode 12, the former partners had a heartwarming moment together, and a teaser for the episode via TVLine showed that they were nearing a kiss. Unfortunately, it never actually happened.
Benson and Stabler’s relationship has been long building up to a potential romance, and Hargitay explained to Variety why their kiss didn’t happen. She said, “To be honest with you, Chris and I thought it should go one way, and the powers that be didn’t, so it got changed at the last minute, that near kiss. Obviously Dick gets final say. It’s his show, and he didn’t want that.”
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While they may be the slowest slow burn ever, Hargitay isn’t counting out that story just yet. “We want to hold the tension and do what’s right and truthful for both characters,” she shared. There is definitely tension, and it’s clear that both Benson and Stabler know their feelings for each other, no matter how much they try to deny it. It’s sad to know that the powers that be kept the kiss from happening, but that just means that if and when it does eventually happen, the wait will be worth it.
It may be a little hard to continue Bensler’s “Will they/won’t they?” relationship next season. Law & Order: SVU, but Law & Order: Organized Crime‘s status is a bit more complicated. While it hasn’t officially been announced, the series will be moving to Peacock for Season 5. How that will work for crossovers, however big or small, is unknown, but hopefully this doesn’t put a damper in continuing to grow Benson and Stabler’s relationship, as well as any other characters on the two shows.
Whether or not Dick Wolf will ever allow Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler to finally get together is unknown, but at least there’s no end in sight for Law & Order: SVU, so there’s still plenty of time. Even if it is starting to get annoying. Fans will just have to tune in to new episodes of SVU and Organized Crime on Thursdays beginning at 9 p.m. ET on NBC to see what happens.
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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)
