'Law & Order: SVU' Premiere Date Revealed

“Law & Order: SVU” announced their premiere date after being renewed for a 21st season and becoming the longest-running prime-time drama ever. Fans of the show shared their excitement over watching their favorite character again.

A few months after announcing their renewal for a 21st season, NBC announced the series’ premiere date to be on September 26, with a fixed schedule on Thursdays at 10 p.m.

The upcoming season will experience a slight change as Philip Winchester will no longer be playing Assistant District Attorney Peter Stone.

SVU’s showrunner, Michael Chernuchin will also be replaced by Warren Leight, to work on CBS’ FBI, as reported by Deadline. Leight co-created “Law & Order: Hate Crimes,” which is currently still in the works.

Despite the slight changes in the show, fans of SVU are still excited over its premiere, taking to Twitter their sentiments and gratefulness to SVU star, Mariska Hargitay, for keeping the show as exciting as ever.

“We are so lucky to have 21 seasons of this angel. Thank you for all that you do and all that you are @Mariska,” tweeted one fan.

Hargitay, who has been playing Lt. Olivia Benson since 1999 shared with PEOPLE her eagerness to play the character and take on new storylines. Feeling “challenged,” “inspired,” and “excited,” the SVU actress admits that being on the show is still a learning experience for her.

“With all the new things that I’ve learned, I go, ‘I can’t leave the show.’ I’m learning how to direct; I’m learning how to executive produce, I’m learning how to produce-produce. I’m learning about the puzzle of putting things together and weather and actor availability,” she shared.

On its 21st season, SVU made history as the longest-running-live-action-series, overtaking “Law and Order” and “Gunsmoke,” which both ran for 20 seasons. Hence, Benson was dubbed the longest-running female character in primetime live-action series.

Hargitay won an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series and eight other nominations, and two Golden Globe nominations for her character on the show, which she won in 2005.