Why Law & Order Is Running Out Of Time To Make Benson & Stabler’s Romance Happen (The Answer Is Very Simple)

Law & Order: SVU has dangled Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler’s (Christopher Meloni) undeniable chemistry before us for 26 seasons, but the show is running out of time to bring their relationship to fruition. Stabler was Benson’s partner for the first 12 seasons, and many of the best SVU episodes revolve around their loyal partnership. He was also married with five children, a compelling reason not to act on any feelings at the time. Stabler then broke Benson’s heart when he left without saying goodbye in the season 12 finale, following a case where he was forced to fatally shoot a teenage girl.

Stabler returned to the Law & Order franchise in 2021, and in a shocking twist, his wife was murdered almost immediately. Stabler’s spin-off series, Law & Order: Organized Crime, focuses on his quest to get justice for his wife, but her death did open the door for Stabler and Benson to finally start a relationship. SVU has a history of not clarifying Benson and Stabler’s feelings, leaving them perpetually in a confusing limbo that has frustrated audiences for over two decades.

Law & Order Continues To Milk Benson & Stabler’s Will They/Won’t They Romance After 26 Years

Law & Order continues to fuel the will-they-or-won’t-they tension. Since Stabler’s return to the franchise, his slow-burn dynamic with Benson has only intensified, especially after his wife’s death removed the biggest hurdle. However, SVU continues to tease Benson and Stabler’s relationship without delivering payoffs or clear answers. One of the most blatant examples is in season 24, episode 12, when Stabler leans in as if to kiss Benson, only for her to pull away at the last second.

Earlier in SVU season 24, episode 9, Benson confesses to Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) that she’s afraid of what would happen if she let herself love Stabler, directly acknowledging the unresolved romantic tension between them. Additionally, in Organized Crime season 3, Stabler gives Benson a letter he wrote but never sent, supposedly detailing his feelings, though its actual contents are left as a frustrating mystery to viewers.

Despite these moments, Law & Order continues to dangle a Benson-Stabler romance without real resolution, assuming fans will stay invested, although some have compelling arguments for why Benson and Stabler should never get together. After more than two decades of teasing, including reigniting the spark after Stabler’s decade-long absence, it’s unclear if Law & Order even has a way to resolve the tension satisfactorily.

Both Benson & Stabler Should Have Already Outgrown This Non-Committal Phase

And after more than two decades of buildup, it’s well past time for Benson and Stabler to move beyond this undefined, nebulous period and finally have an honest conversation about their feelings. Since Stabler’s return in Organized Crime, the franchise has deliberately kept them in limbo, but at this point, there’s no logical reason to be continuously avoiding the inevitable.

It’s time for Law & Order to stop playing games and finally give Benson and Stabler the closure or new beginning they deserve, even if the franchise is not in a position to fully take advantage of it either way.

Stabler’s wife Kathy (Isabel Gillies) died in SVU season 22 and their children are now grown up, so the obvious obstacle is gone. While grief was an understandable reason for initial hesitation, enough time has passed that avoidance feels contrived. Benson has admitted to Rollins she is afraid of her feelings, but it’s frustrating she isn’t having the same conversation with Stabler himself. Instead, Law & Order leans on narrative stall tactics, like Stabler’s infamous letter.

We have two seasoned, hard-boiled detectives sharing barely interrupted moments of intimacy and vague, emotionally fraught glances that never go anywhere. Dragging out Benson and Stabler’s romance no longer feels organic, but done solely for narrative convenience. It’s time for Law & Order to stop playing games and finally give Benson and Stabler the closure or new beginning they deserve, even if the franchise is not in a position to fully take advantage of it either way.

Law & Order Franchise Can’t Even Fully Benefit From This Benson & Stabler Plot

Yet at this point, the Law & Order franchise wouldn’t benefit from a Benson and Stabler relationship because they are in different shows, each with their own distinct tones and narratives. Benson leads SVU, advocating for survivors and running her squad in its case-of-the-week procedural style. Stabler, on the other hand, is entrenched in the undercover world of Organized Crime, where his work is more morally gray and action-driven, which utilizes a more serialized format. Having Benson and Stabler together again would require constant crossovers, which might disrupt the flow of both shows.

Even if Stabler were to return to SVU as a detective, their dynamic wouldn’t be the same. Benson would be his commanding officer, not his partner, potentially creating a professional conflict. A workplace romance with a subordinate — even with Stabler ‚ could jeopardize the career she’s spent her life building, which would be out of character. While Benson and Stabler’s chemistry remains undeniable, Law & Order: SVU may have evolved beyond their partnership. Fans think they want to see them in a relationship, but from a narrative standpoint, their stories no longer naturally intersect, making a full-fledged romance difficult to sustain.