Law & Order: SVU Is Returning for Season 26! (DETAILS)
Get ready for a new season of Benson's barbed sarcasm and suspense: Law & Order: SVU Season 26 is coming.
Continuing its mythic primetime reign, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will return for Season 26 during NBC's 2024-2025 season. Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) is coming back!
With a new season of SVU on the horizon, Hargitay and Ice T will extend their legendary honor of being the longest-running male and female actors in television history. It takes a bona fide smash to entertain audiences for more than two decades, but Benson and her fearless unit of investigators keep fans coming back for more courtroom thrills and true crime chills.
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Read on, below, to learn everything to know about Season 26 of Law & Order: SVU, from premiere date to cast details, and more.
Can I watch Law & Order: SVU Season 26 this fall?
Yes!
Law & Order: SVU returns fall 2024 to NBC and occupies its normal time slot: Thursdays at 9/8c.
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"[25 seasons] has given us this very unique opportunity to do something unprecedented," Hargitay told Hemisphere Magazine. "It’s the longest-running show in history, and it’s not by accident that Benson’s progression mirrors the exact evolution of women in broader society. She’s kind of the greatest feminist character ever, in that way ... She rose up through the ranks, became a leader, and now captain—all while being a mother. Let’s see how far we can take it, you know?
When is the Law & Order: SVU Season 26 premiere date?
A fall premiere date for Season 26 of Law & Order: SVU has yet to be announced, but check NBC Insider for updates and developments. The series celebrated its historic quarter centennial during Season 25, so fans are perched to see where Benson's next case takes her.
“I’m pleased to continue my four-decade relationship with Universal Television and NBC,” Law & Order creator Dick Wolf said in a statement following SVU Season 25's renewal.
How many seasons of Law & Order: SVU are there?
There are 25 seasons of Law & Order: SVU, with the upcoming Season 26 extending the beloved series' legend status.
“We understand the emotional connection our audience has with these characters and we can’t wait to bring more of their stories to the forefront next season,” Lisa Katz, the president of scripted programming at NBCUniversal and Streaming, said with Season 25's renewal. “A huge thank you to Dick and his amazing team who are the masters of producing incredibly compelling television week after week.”
Rewatch all of your favorite episodes of SVU on Peacock.
Who will be in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26 cast?
No changes to the current SVU cast have been announced.
The Season 25 SVU cast currently includes Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, Ice T as Fin Tutuola, Peter Scanavino as ADA Sonny Carisi, and Octavio Pisano as Detective Joe Velasco.
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Season 25 delivered Benson SVU newbies Renee Curry ( guest star Aime Donna Kelly) and FBI Agent Shannah Sykes (guest star Jordana Spiro). Which fresh-faced investigators will grace the halls of Benson's SVU next? Fans can't wait to find out.
What will happen in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26?
It's unclear what's in store for Season 26 of Law & Order: SVU, but it's bound to be a nail-biting watch.
For decades, viewers have delighted in the powerful relationship between Benson and her Law & Order: Organized Crime friend, Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). Throughout the years, "Bensler" fans have waited to see if Benson and Stabler's steel-tight bond would bloom into the romance many have rooted for — with SVU writers leaning into the notion on several occasions. Will Season 26 bring clarity to Benson and Stabler's complicated relationship? Only time will tell.
"What I hope is that we find the space to move forward," Meloni said. "I don't know if we have, but I look forward to keep trying it. To keep challenging it. To keep trying to figure it out."
Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Thursdays on NBC and the next day on Peacock.