‘Law & Order: SVU’s Benson & Stabler ‘Love You’ Scene: Christopher Meloni Reveals Ad Lib

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The Law & Order: SVU Season 27 premiere was just one shocking moment after another, starting with the out-of-nowhere reveal that a beloved character had died offscreen. The characters paying tribute to that character led to a crossover as Christopher Meloni reprised his role as Detective Elliot Stabler to join Mariska Hargitay‘s Captain Olivia Benson for a moment near the beginning of the premiere.

The Season 27 premiere kicked off with Benson walking into Cragen’s memorial — yes, the captain died offscreen (a cause of death wasn’t given). After she had brief reunions with Dr. George Huang (BD Wong) and Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters), as well as conversations with her squad and the new chief of detectives, Benson had to leave when she was called to a crime scene. But waiting against her car was her former partner.