Law & Order: SVU season 26’s premiere doubled down on the series’ latest Benson/Stabler update. Benson and Stabler were partners during the long-running procedural’s first 12 seasons; while their relationship was platonic then, many of Law & Order: SVU‘s best episodes involved tension between the two that could have been romantic or sexual. Stabler was married and not interested in leaving his wife, Kathy. Thus, there was no chance of a romantic relationship between him and Benson in those early days, even though their chemistry was so strong that Kathy was often jealous of Benson and Stabler’s relationship.

Kathy Stabler was killed in one of Law & Order: SVU‘s saddest episodes, which also was a back-door pilot for Law & Order: Organized Crime. After her death, there was a clear path forward for Benson and Stabler’s romance once Stabler had taken some time to process his grief, and the series seemed to be moving toward the two falling for each other. However, the season 25 finale abruptly put the brakes on their burgeoning relationship, and the Law & Order: SVU season 26 premiere doubled down on the idea that romance between Benson and Stabler was dead.

Law & Order: SVU Season 25 Finale Effectively Paused Benson & Stabler’s Romance

Benson Gave Away The Necklace That Stabler Had Given Her, Seemingly Ending Their Romance

Benson and Stabler in Law and Order: Organized Crime walking down the street together
Benson and Stabler in Law and Order: Organized Crime standing next to each other looking concerned
Benson and Stabler in a kitchen looking at a phone in Law and Order: Organized Crime Benson and Stabler aiming gun in Law & Order: Organized Crime
Benson and Stabler look at each other in Law & Order: Organized Crime stabler-benson-law-order-organized-crime Stabler and Benson are seen from behind as Stabler carries her out of a dine

Benson and Stabler had been slowly moving toward romance in season 24, but season 25 abruptly hit the brakes on their relationship. Throughout the shortened season, the two did not cross paths, even though Benson was searching for a kidnapped teenager whose case might have had a connection to a fentanyl ring Stabler was infiltrating. The season finale put even more distance between Benson and Stabler when Benson lent Eileen Flynn the compass necklace Stabler had given Benson a year earlier. This led to the only conversation between Benson and Stabler in the entire season when she told him.

This sequence of events made it clear that the idea of a Benson and Stabler romance was mostly dead. However, Stabler approved of Benson’s decision to lend the necklace to Eileen, telling her that he admired her for being so caring toward a woman she barely knew. Thus, there was still a slight chance that Stabler’s feelings toward Benson could turn into romance later, although Benson’s decision not to keep the necklace seemed like an ending to what had once been a hopeful chapter in their relationship.

Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Premiere Totally Ignores Benson & Stabler’s Situation

Stabler’s Name Was Not Mentioned, Nor Was The Necklace

Benson sits in her desk chair, leaning her jaw on her right hand and looks up at Stabler, who is sitting on the edge of her desk to her right. There is a glass window behind Benson and an American flag to her right. There is a gift box on her desk.

Law & Order: SVU season 26 could have easily rebuilt the Stabler/Benson connection by having Benson again wearing the necklace. This would have put an end to the unpopular Maddie Flynn saga and reaffirmed the series’ commitment to Benson and Stabler as a couple. However, this did not happen. Instead, Law & Order: SVU continued the season 25 policy of not mentioning Stabler at all. This is a marked difference from when the romance was on track and Benson would talk regularly to her friends in the squad about her feelings about Stabler.

The omission of any Stabler references was a deliberate choice by the writers that indicated that they are no longer interested in pursuing a romance between Benson and Stabler on-screen.

Throughout the episode, Benson focused mostly on the case, but did take some time to talk to new detective Kate Silva about Silva’s backstory. Thus, it was not simply that this episode didn’t have time to include any references to Stabler, as it had room for Silva to resent being treated like a nepo-baby because her father was also a cop. Thus, the omission of any Stabler references was a deliberate choice by the writers that indicated that they are no longer interested in pursuing a romance between Benson and Stabler on-screen.

Benson & Stabler’s Romance Taking A Break Is What Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Needs

Benson Should Focus On Cases, Not Personal Drama

Law & Order: SVU's Olivia Benson tries to distract herself during a run

Although it’s frustrating that Benson and Stabler’s romance has evaporated, it’s the best choice Law & Order: SVU could have made. The series has promised to go “back to basics” in season 26, which requires focusing on cases and allowing personal stories to be subplots. SVU has been out of balance in recent years and has devoted too much time to the Stabler/Benson romance and similar stories. Thus, taking a break from this romance subplot helps reset the series as it heads into its 26th season.

Benson has a full team in Law & Order: SVU season 26, which has not been the case in recent years. Thus, there is no better time for her to shift her focus to supervising detectives and going out in the field as needed. Eileen Flynn’s continued possession of the compass necklace and the lack of references to Stabler make it clear that this couple’s romance will be on hold indefinitely while the series shifts back toward its primary focus on cases involving sexual abuse and assault rather than personal stories.