TV viewers were left angry and upset after an offscreen death of a character they’ve known for 35 years.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit returned for its 27th season on Thursday (25 September) and the premiere started with a funeral for NYPD captain Donald Cragen.
The character, played by 75-year-old Dann Florek, first appeared in the original Law & Order series, which began in 1990, and remained a part of the procedural until 2004.
But he was also a series regular on spin-off Special Victims Unit, which started in 1999. Florek stepped down as a full-time cast member in 2014, but has returned to the franchise numerous times over the years.
Most recently, Captain Cragen appeared in another spin-off Law & Order: Organized Crime, which started in 2021.
In the season 27 premiere of Special Victims Unit, which is TV’s longest-running live action series, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) paid tribute to her former leader, calling him the best boss she’s ever had.
“Everything I know about being a captain, I learned from him,” she said.
Fans have been reacting to the revelation of Captain Cragen’s death, with one writing: “What do you mean we didn’t even get a proper goodbye scene between Captain Benson and Captain Cragen?? He is just gone???
Another wrote: “Was excited for Law and Order: SVU to come back and they killed off Cragen?!?!?” while an additional fan said they are “so sad” by the decision.
The episode also led to a reunion between Benson and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), with whom she’s had a will they, won’t they relationship for years.
Hargitay and Meloni first portrayed Benson and Stabler in the pilot for Law & Order: SVU and fans often highlighted their onscreen chemistry.
Meloni left the series in 2011, but returned in 2021 for Law & Order: Organized Crime. Hargitay has remained a main cast member on SVU.
“You alright?” Benson asked Stabler after she found him outside Cragen’s wake. “I just feel like we’re entering into our ‘all our friends are dying’ era.”
Stabler reminisced on their working relationship, telling Benson: “We had a pretty good run there for a minute.” Benson replied: “We still do – just different,” with Stabler signing off with: “Love you.”
Other former stars who returned for the episode included George Huang (BD Wong), Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters) and Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish).
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