With hundreds of episodes of Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit behind him, Dann Florek has nothing but love for the elite squad who kicked criminal butt alongside his valiant Captain Donald Cragen.  

Florek was a Law & Order titan, stealing hearts as Donald Cragen first as a squad member in the first three seasons of the original Law & Order and later as the longtime commanding officer of the Manhattan SVU. For 15 years, Cragen guided Christopher Meloni’s Detective Elliot Stabler and the tenacious Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) through whatever mind-boggling case came their way, often returning following his retirement as a mentor to his former squad.

Following Cragen’s heartbreaking passing in the Season 27 premiere of SVU, Florek spoke about his character’s mythic tenure and some of his favorite episodes of the series in a November 2025 episode of the Tis Yourself podcast. During the chat, Florek revealed that he always had a blast when Cragen would collide with Stabler for an episode.

“It was always easiest to work with Chris,” Florek gushed. “I think he said it one time, ‘We dance well together,’ and I think, yes, I agree.”

Dann Florek recalls his “absolute favorite” SVU scenes with Chris Meloni

While reminiscing on some of his favorite episodes of SVU, Florek showed some love for Season 9’s “911” (which won Hargitay an Emmy Award), as well as the Season 6 drama in which Stabler’s daughter got a DUI, and Stabler broke protocol to make the charges disappear, leading to a “very, very real” confrontation between Stabler and his disappointed Captain.

“Of all the scenes, probably thousands of scenes, that might be my absolute favorite,” Florek said on the podcast.

Florek added that the Season 5 SVU episode “Shaken” is another of his “absolute favorites” due to a heart-wrenching scene between Stabler and his trusted Captain. Florek got teary-eyed while recalling the iconic SVU highlight, which featured Cragen driving a drunken and devastated Stabler home from a bar after a hard-hitting investigation.

“It’s hitting me harder than I thought it would, but it’s one of my favorite moments from the show. In the very last scene, he goes — it got me a little bit — he goes to pick up Stabler at the bar because of what happened. It’s a beautiful moment,” Florek said. “It becomes Cragen and Stabler, and it’s Dan and Chris all at once, you know? And those to me are the moments that soar, float.”

Dann Florek took home a special souvenir following Cragen’s final SVU send-off

Following Cragen’s death, the SVU star said the outpouring of grief from fans has been “heartwarming.” And upon bidding farewell to Cragen along with a legion of fans, Florek took home a framed call sheet from Cragen’s send-off, endearingly signed by Meloni and Hargitay.

Florek wanted the keepsake because he had also kept the call sheet from SVU‘s 1999 premiere, as well as the call sheet from Cragen’s final rodeo in the squad room in Season 15 of SVU, completing his “holy trinity” of pivotal Cragen episodes.

In addition to being Benson’s longtime mentor in and out of the squad room, in recent years, Florek guest-starred on Law & Order: Organized Crime, connecting with Stabler about his late father. Florek said it was a delight exploring “a whole new side” of the character, a buttoned-down, out-of-precinct version of Cragen who still cared deeply for his former squad mates as a father figure.

“The journey was amazing, you know what I mean?” Florek said, adding that Law & Order has become part of his “DNA.”

Watch all your favorite moments from squad room icon Captain Cragen and his dedicated squad by streaming episodes on Peacock. Season 27 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit returns Thursday, January 8 at 9/8c on NBC.