As Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler reconvene for Law & Order: Organized Crime’s fifth season, Christopher Meloni reflects on their characters’ near-kiss incident.

Meloni, 64, recently addressed the long-running will-they-won’t-they dynamic between Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and his character Stabler, namely the steamy kitchen scene from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 24.

“I’ll go into the kitchen,” the actor stated during a TVLine Spotlight interview in New York City ahead of the season 5 premiere of Organized Crime on April 17. “Hey, we were attempting something. I don’t think it worked, and I’m not going to tell you why. Have an opinion.”

“I know what happened,” Meloni added, adding that they taped things but didn’t know what would appear in the show. “We do not have that power. We strive to maintain honesty in the scenes we receive. We’re doing our best to keep it honest, not baited. If we ever use bait, I’ll make sure to give a wink.”

“I think it’s good-natured, but maybe you guys are over that, and that’s valid,” said the man. “But what can I tell you? You give us too much credit for the power that we might have — will they, won’t they, and all that stuff.”

In the SUV season 24 kitchen scene from episode 12, “Blood Out,” Stabler moved in to kiss Benson, their foreheads meeting, after years of sexual tension. But Benson backed away.

“I want to—I want to, but I can’t,” Benson said. Stabler asked, “Why not?” She said, “What if it doesn’t work out?” I’m not prepared for this. I’m not ready for this.

Meloni and Hargitay, both 61, have frequently joked about their real-life tensions as former NYPD colleagues. They once mocked the characters’ relationship with a near-kiss parody at the Emmy Awards in 2022.

Hargitay previously discussed the kitchen scene in 2024.

“To be honest with you, Chris and I thought it should go one way, and the powers that be didn’t, so it got changed at the last minute, that near-kiss,” she told Variety of the scene, which creator Dick Wolf “didn’t want.”

“Our chemistry is undeniable.” “It’s just how it is,” Hargitay said.

Meloni spoke at this month’s TVLine Spotlight event on their wishes for the characters vs. the creative decisions of the powers that be.

“Okay, here’s the deal. He said, “I have no idea where they’re going.” “I understand. I’ve had eight showrunners in around four seasons. “We’ve had discussions about where we’re going and what we’re doing as each new team member brings their ideas and perspectives.”

“And, like every meeting, it doesn’t get anywhere! So, on the day, you take what you’ve got and try your best to make sense of it, and then you push back or advocate for something,” he stated.

Law & Order airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by SVU at 9 p.m. ET. Organized Crime episodes 1 and 2 are available exclusively on Peacock.