May sweeps is just another phrase for season finales, which, in turn, lead to summer repeats.
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” airs its season finale at 10 p.m. Wednesday on NBC. After 13 seasons, it's hard to say how much longer the show can last.
Even though it was recently announced the show has been renewed for a 14th season, “SVU” can only boast 8 million loyal viewers.
The departure of actor Christopher Meloni (Det. Elliot Stabler) after contract negotiations fell through at the end of the 12th season, and limited appearances by Mariska Hargitay (Det. Olivia Benson) during this 13th season certainly didn't help.
Even when the original “Law & Order” series was winding down (oh, I'd say the series jumped the shark about four years ago when actor/politician Fred Dalton Thompson departed the show to run for president), its “SVU” spin-off was riding high in ratings glory, mainly because of Meloni and Hargitay's portrayal of Stabler and Benson.
Or should I say their chemistry played a part?
Their characters were so in sync with each other, and I suppose after 12 years of working together, Stabler and Benson became second hat — almost like a married couple — because their rapport was so automatic.
I didn't watch every show this season, but the ones I did watch didn't hold a candle to seasons past. Hargitay's Benson just seemed lost with Stabler.
