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3 reasons the Elliot Stabler SVU spinoff is good for One Chicago

By Brittany Frederick

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT -- Season 1 -- Pictured: (l-r) Dean Winters as Detective Brian Cassidy, Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen, Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson, Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler, Michelle Hurd as Detective Monique Jefferies, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch -- Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC
LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT -- Season 1 -- Pictured: (l-r) Dean Winters as Detective Brian Cassidy, Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen, Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson, Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler, Michelle Hurd as Detective Monique Jefferies, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch -- Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC /
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 30: Chris Meloni discusses “Happy!” during the Build Series at Build Studio on November 30, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images) /

Law & Order: SVU is bringing back Elliot Stabler, and here’s why Christopher Meloni’s spinoff series is good news for the One Chicago franchise.

Tuesday was a massive day for the Law & Order franchise, as it was revealed that Christopher Meloni will be reprising his fan favorite role as Elliot Stabler in a Law & Order: SVU spinoff.

After almost a decade of SVU viewers campaigning for his return, Meloni will finally be playing Stabler again, and Dick Wolf is giving him his own series to boot. The new project will premiere on NBC‘s streaming service Peacock, though a premiere date hasn’t been announced yet.

But if you think this news doesn’t matter because you’re not a Law & Order: SVU fan, think again. There are several reasons why Christopher Meloni getting his own series is also wonderful news for fans of Dick Wolf’s One Chicago franchise.

It sets precedent for the One Chicago shows

To understand how incredible the Elliot Stabler spinoff is, you have to understand everything that went into it behind the scenes. It was Meloni’s decision to leave SVU almost a decade ago, and he has never reprised his role since, not even for the show’s landmark 200th episode. He was totally fine with never playing this part again, and now he’s agreed to do it not just as a guest star but as a series regular.

Plus, this show is the first part of Dick Wolf’s new contract with NBCUniversal, which included “multiple series commitments” as in he’ll be making multiple new shows. And it’s announced just months before NBC launches Peacock, so they’re already looking for tentpole shows and will be in the future.

Add those three things up and they open up a world of possibilities for One Chicago, too. Wolf will want more series ideas in the future, specifically ones that will appeal to an NBC audience. Having another One Chicago show, or a character-centric spinoff like this one focused on Stabler, has to be at least considered. There could even be a movie; Law & Order had the Exiled TV-movie that brought back Chris Noth as Mike Logan.

And if nothing else, this gives hope to One Chicago fans. If Christopher Meloni is willing to reprise his role after nine years, it’s possible that other actors like Sophia Bush or Monica Raymund might also decide to bring back their characters for a new show or project, too.

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