After the wrap up of the most recent Bachelor season and the announcement of the newest Bachelorette, long-running NBC police procedural Law and Order: Special Victims Unit will air an episode inspired by Bachelor, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
SVU, which is typical for pulling episode ideas from recent headlines, creating the “ripped from the headlines” effect of the episodes, will air the episode later this season. Some of the other ripped from the headline stories they’ve done in the last few years is the decision of parents to not vaccinate their children, a family scandal much like the Josh Duggar scandal or the estate battle of radio legend Casey Kasem.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The hour is said to revolve around a fictional dating show called Heart’s Desire and will put the focus on the behind-the-scenes drama, and particularly the married creators behind the show, as well as the on-screen participants.”
The show is also airing before the second season premiere of Lifetime’s surprising summer hit, UnReal, which is a parody of the Bachelor with its show Everlasting.
This past season of SVU has featured some casting changes and big shocks to squad leader Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), who, in the last new episode, was told she would have to transfer precincts after a botched case.
This past season has also introduced the new character of Mike Dodds, the new sergeant for the squad, who is portrayed by Andy Karl in a recurring role. Cast member Kelli Giddish, who joined the show in 2011, welcomed her first child back in October, and her character, Amanda Rollins, also welcomed a baby on the show. At the end of the last season, series regular Danny Pino left the show after being a cast member for four seasons.
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit got renewed for its eighteenth season on Feb. 1, 2015, according to TVLine.
On Feb. 3, it was reported by TVLine that if the show had not be renewed for its eighteenth season, there would have been talks in place to get Christopher Meloni to return to the show. Meloni left the show at the end of the twelfth season when contract negotiations broke down. However, since the show was renewed, the plans were scrapped, but showrunner Warren Leight said Meloni would most likely return whenever the SVU finale may be.
For fans of Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, they’ll have to settle for the picture that Hargitay and Meloni took this past weekend as a way to keep holding out hope for a reunion.