Law & Order: SVU is preparing for its 28th season on the 2026 TV schedule, and it’s hard to believe the show has been around for almost three decades. That also means Mariska Hargitay has been portraying the same character for almost three decades. However, there was a time when she considered saying goodbye to Olivia Benson, and she got a four-word response from Julianna Margulies about why that wasn't an option.
If Hargitay chooses to truly leave SVU, it can be assumed that the show would be ending because if there’s no Olivia Benson, there’s no SVU. Just a few years ago, that very nearly happened. The 2026 Emmys host told Variety that she was thinking about stepping away around Season 25. She recalled a conversation she had with Margulies about it, and the hard truth The Good Wife star shared:
