As *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* gears up for its 26th season, fans can expect some “fun” and a bit of “mischief” between Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her close ally, Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola (Ice-T). According to the show’s executive producers, David Graziano and Julie Martin, the new season will feature a return to classic storytelling, some intriguing new characters, and an exploration of the evolving dynamics between Benson and Fin.
After a tumultuous Season 25, marked by a shortened run due to the 2023 writers’ strike, Season 26 will see Benson moving forward with a renewed focus. “She refound her center,” the producers note, hinting that while Benson is in a better place, her own past traumas may resurface later in the season due to her deep connection with someone who experiences a devastating event.
Looking back, Season 25 broke away from the show’s usual format with a unique, cinematic approach. Instead of starting with the crime of the week, the season premiere featured a montage of moments from Benson’s 25-year journey on the series, narrated by Hargitay herself. Graziano described the season as “morphologically weird” due to its unconventional narrative structure, which leaned into a more continuous storytelling format than usual.
The producers also wanted to delve deeper into Benson’s backstory and the cumulative trauma she has faced over the years. “Anybody with a high-stakes, high-pressure job like that has vicarious trauma,” Graziano said, explaining their intent to show Benson confronting her past and the emotional toll of her work. This exploration led to Benson trying a new form of therapy called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a technique designed to help patients process and heal from traumatic memories.
Season 26 of *SVU* premieres on October 3, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Fans can look forward to seeing Benson and Fin’s deepening bond, the challenges they face together, and how the series continues to evolve after more than two decades on air.
