Overview
- The 600th episode, titled "Obedience," aired on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, and features Christopher Meloni returning as Elliot Stabler in a reunion with Mariska Hargitay.
- Mariska Hargitay directed the installment and described the hour as personal to her, saying it focuses on a woman finding her voice and on power dynamics in relationships.
- Variety reported that Hargitay earns roughly $850,000 per episode as the show’s lead star and an executive producer, a figure cited widely in coverage of the milestone.
- Meloni originally left SVU in 2011 after failed contract negotiations confirmed by NBC, and his Nov. 12 appearance continues a pattern of occasional returns that began in 2021.
- Cast and production leaders, including creator Dick Wolf and Wolf Entertainment COO Peter Jankowski, marked the milestone with a dinner where Hargitay gave a tearful toast, underscoring the series’ long-running cultural impact and advocacy ties through her Joyful Heart work.