'Law & Order: SVU' return date, news, spoilers: A rape case causes an empire to crumble; Stabler and Benson to reunite?
Created by Dick Wolf, "Law & Order: SVU" returns on Jan. 18 next year, with an episode featuring how powerful a rape case can cause damage to a mighty empire. Meanwhile, a recent photo stirs up speculations that a Benson–Stabler reunion might be happening soon on the show.
The show's returning episode is titled "Decline and Fall." The synopsis for the installment posted on Broadway World reads, "The powerful family of a retail empire closes ranks when a bartender accuses one of their own of rape."
Cartermatt reports that the rape victim will be a bartender and that she will point her finger towards a member of a very powerful family in the retail business. Given their wealth and great influence, the family will try to cover their tracks and keep Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her team from uncovering the whole truth.
In related news, fans are anticipating that a Benson–Stabler (Christopher Meloni) reunion will happen soon in "Law & Order: SVU."
This speculation has been fueled by the photo that Meloni posted on his Instagram account, featuring him and Hargitay in a hug with the caption, "Friends at Xmas."
Meloni left "Law & Order: SVU" in its 12th season, according to NY Daily News, due to conflicts in pay. But Meloni has remained great friends with his on-screen partner, Hargitay.
Showrunner Warren Leight shared with E! News that Meloni deserved to have a farewell arc. But since Leight came in by the time Meloni had already left, the producer was not able to do anything about how Meloni's character would exit from the show.
"The audience deserved an arc out for Stabler. ... I kind of walked in and he was just gone. A little out of my hands, but there's still continued ill will about it and that's unfortunate," Leight explained.
"Law & Order: SVU" returns on Jan. 18, 2017.
