SVU‘s First Female Showrunner on What’ll Be Different This Time Around

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After 26 seasons, *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* returns this week and holds a unique place with its audience, unlike most other crime shows. Despite some criticisms, the series has been particularly impactful in how it portrays sexual assault, resonating deeply with survivors. Star Mariska Hargitay, through her character Olivia Benson, has become a symbol of the support and care many people hope for when sharing their experiences with assault.

After decades on television, *SVU* is reaching a new milestone with its 27th season: for the first time, a woman is leading the show as showrunner. Michele Fazekas, who previously wrote and produced for *SVU* in the early 2000s, is returning after nearly 20 years.

After five years working on the show, I started to feel like I needed a break from the difficult subject matter. Being immersed in stories about sex crimes was emotionally draining, and I think leaving at this point was the right decision,” Fazekas explained to TIME with a laugh.

When *SVU* first began, it featured a very different group of actors. Mariska Hargitay, along with Christopher Meloni (who now stars in *Law & Order: Organized Crime*), Ice-T, the late Richard Belzer, and Dann Florek were all part of the original cast. Today, only Ice-T and Hargitay are still with the show, though some of the original crew members remain. Fazekas has particularly fond memories of working with Hargitay.

Fazekas credits Hargitay as a major draw for returning to the show, calling the experience of working with her one of the best of his career. He describes her as a positive and talented presence on set – hardworking, skilled, and genuinely fun to be around. Hargitay consistently delivers a strong performance, both on and off screen, embodying the spirit of her character, Olivia Benson.

While still well-liked, Fazekas first appeared on *SVU* before the show became the addictive and emotionally resonant experience many viewers enjoy now.

Fazekas believes it’s acceptable for *SVU* to show a hopeful version of law enforcement – officers who support survivors and help them heal without causing further trauma. She feels this kind of portrayal has value, even if it doesn’t perfectly reflect reality.

A common theme in Fazekas’ work appears in both *SVU* and season two of *Gen V*, the Prime Video superhero series and spin-off of *The Boys*. *Gen V* centers on young, often hesitant, superheroes as they learn to control their powers. The show is notable for its focus on the experiences of young women, especially Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), whose powers emerge during her first period, and her roommate Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway), whose ability to change size reflects struggles with eating disorders and body image.

She explains that she values having a diverse writing team, including people with varied backgrounds and life experiences. For example, while working on *Gen V*, male writers would share college stories, and almost every woman in the room had either personally experienced or knew someone who had experienced sexual assault during college. This highlights how different life experiences shape perspectives.

I enjoy exploring the conflict between good and evil in my stories, and I love creating difficult situations for my characters. Seeing them overcome those challenges is a core part of what I do, and it really defines my approach to storytelling.

The new season of *SVU* doesn’t stray far from the formula, with only minor updates like new cameras and a refreshed look for the squad room. Like recent seasons, the cast has changed, and this year sees Kelli Giddish back as Amanda Rollins full-time, alongside several new actors, including Noma Dumezweni who plays Benson’s new boss, the chief of detectives.

She’s been revisiting successful elements from the show’s original run and combining them with what’s currently working well on *SVU*.

She explained that the show is moving at a different speed now. She prefers things to move faster, so she let the producer know they’d be filming many more scenes, but reassured them not to worry – the scenes would just need to be shorter and quicker.

Fazekas is emphasizing the detailed legal processes of the show-what she jokingly refers to as ‘Dick Wolf law school’-and exploring the complex, often unclear, parts of the legal system.

I’m really curious to see if these changes will affect how much we, as viewers, get invested in those really tough cases on *Law & Order: SVU*. Will it change that feeling of getting justice when the detectives finally catch the bad guys? I guess we’ll find out when Season 27 starts!

Scarlett Harris is a writer and culture critic who authored the book *A Diva Was a Female Version of a Wrestler: An Abbreviated Herstory of World Wrestling Entertainment*. You can find her on Bluesky and read her articles on her website and Substack, called The Scarlett Woman.

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2025-09-25 23:28