How was Stabler written out of SVU?

Stabler was a lead for the first 12 seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. As a result of Meloni’s sudden departure from the cast at the end of the SVU twelfth season, Stabler abruptly retires from the police force off-screen during the SVU Season 13 premiere.

When did Detective Stabler leave SVU?

The show followed Stabler and his partner, Detective Olivia Benson, as they worked in the Special Victims Unit in a fictionalized version of the New York City Police Department. Meloni starred on the series for 12 seasons until he left in May 2011.

Why did Elliot leave in season 13?

However, Meloni’s salary negotiations for Season 13 stalled out: He reportedly wanted a pay increase, but the network wouldn’t budge and allegedly offered $8 million per year (which would have been a pay cut if the $400,000-per episode salary reports were accurate), so he walked.

Does Elliot come back to SVU?

The episode aired on April 1, 2021 on NBC. It features the reintroduction of the character Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), who had been written out of the series in the premiere episode of its 13th season, 10 years previously.