Insights from the Other Side of the Famous Near-Kiss
Having previously heard from one participant of the notable almost-kiss scene in Law & Order: SVU, it is now time to get the perspective of the other involved party.
Chris Meloni, formerly of Law & Order: SVU and now portraying Det. Elliot Stabler in Organized Crime, discussed the much-discussed romantic tension between his character and Mariska Hargitay’s Capt. Olivia Benson during a recent conversation at the TVLine Spotlight event in New York City.
When asked if the shows SVU and Organized Crime were merely playing with the audience’s hopes for Stabler and Benson to become romantically involved, Meloni admitted, “Honestly, I have no clue where this is heading,” indicating the uncertain future of their relationship.
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The Challenge of Consistent Character Development
Meloni pointed out that the frequent changes in showrunners for Organized Crime have led to a lack of consistency in how characters are portrayed. “Every new showrunner brings their own vision and ideas,” he explained. Additionally, he mentioned the involvement of the team at Wolf Entertainment and the original SVU team, which further complicates decisions about character directions. “We have these meetings where we try to figure out our next steps, but often these discussions don’t lead to clear decisions,” he added.
Highlighting a specific instance, he referred to a crossover episode between SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime where Benson and Stabler share a close moment in her kitchen. The scene intensifies as Stabler expresses his care for Benson, they nearly kiss, but then Benson hesitates, expressing her fears about the potential failure of a romantic relationship. “I want to, but I can’t,” she confesses, revealing her apprehensions about taking their relationship to a romantic level.
“About that kitchen scene,” Meloni remarked, “we tried to achieve something there. I don’t believe it was entirely successful. I won’t say why I think it didn’t work because everyone has their own interpretations. I know what happened behind the scenes.”
In a discussion with Variety earlier in May, Hargitay disclosed that the direction of that scene was altered last minute because of differing opinions between her, Meloni, and the show’s higher-ups.
At the TVLine event, Meloni stressed that both he and Hargitay strive to handle their roles with integrity and avoid merely teasing the audience. “When I do play into the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ aspect, I try to do it with a sense of humor,” he explained. “We might not have as much influence as you think, but we aim to keep it light-hearted, though I understand if some fans might be tired of it.”
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Hi, I’m Samantha from the Decatur Metro team. I bring you behind-the-scenes insights on filming and TV updates.
