NBC Says Chris Meloni's Law & Order Character WON'T Be Killed Off

NBC is keeping the door slightly open for Chris Meloni to someday return to Law & Order: SVU.

During the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour on Monday, NBC boss Robert Greenblatt said Meloni’s character, Det. Stabler, WILL NOT be killed off when the show returns this fall.

So how will the actor’s departure be addressed on screen? “I think you should just watch and see,” he hedged, before adding, “It’s not a big shocking mystery.”

Greenblatt also answered questions regarding Meloni’s leading lady Mariska Hargitay, whose Benson character is rumored to be taking on more of a supervisory role this season. “That remains to be seen,” he said. “That’s something we talked about, and I don’t know if that’s actually where it’s going to go in the latter half of the season yet. But that could happen.”

Regardless, Hargitay will in fact appear in every episode of SVU‘s 13th season, which will introduce new detectives played by Danny Pino (Cold Case) and Kelli Giddish (The Good Wife). “There maybe a day every couple of weeks that she’s not working,” he added, “but I don’t think you’ll notice it "on screen".