Mariska Hargitay and Law and Order SVU Reach 600th Episode Milestone

Mariska Hargitay is celebrating a major television milestone as her NBC crime drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" reaches its 600th episode. Hargitay has starred as Captain Olivia Benson on the show since it started in 1999.

Episode Details

The 600th episode is titled "Obedience" and is scheduled to air on November 12. The special hour features the return of Benson's former partner Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni, who left the series in 2011 and has since made a few guest appearances. The episode reopens an old case and explores the complex relationship and power dynamics between Benson and Stabler.

Cast Celebration

A celebration dinner brought together the current cast and crew, series creator Dick Wolf, Wolf Entertainment chief operating officer Peter Jankowski, and Christopher Meloni. During the gathering, Hargitay shared a tearful toast and read a speech honoring the show's massive run.

Behind the Scenes

Before filming the milestone episode, Hargitay experienced a busy period that included winning two Emmys in September for her documentary "My Mom Jayne," hosting the show the following week, and shooting another "SVU" episode right away. After Meloni left the show, Hargitay took over the top spot on the call sheet and now works as both the star and an executive producer, earning close to $850,000 per episode. Outside of her acting work, she has also helped change the conversation around sexual assault through her Joyful Heart Foundation.

Context

Reaching 600 episodes is an extremely rare achievement in network television history, where shows traditionally celebrate a major milestone at 100 episodes. NBC Entertainment chairman Pearlena Igbokwe and other industry figures point out that the show's long-running success comes from its ability to adapt to a changing world while keeping human stories at its core.