The tides of change are sweeping in on the thirteenth season premiere of 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' (Wed., 10PM ET on NBC). After twelve seasons on the top-rated show, Christopher Meloni won't be a part of the show after contract negotiations failed, while Mariska Hargitay is reducing her workload.

In the season premiere, we learned that Det. Stabler has put in his retirement papers. And since Meloni wasn't available to be in the show, Det. Benson had to learn this second-hand. While publicly she appeared to take it pretty well, she had a breakdown in private.

Now it's going to be the show's task to reinvigorate the show with a different energy and some new faces without the face of one of its biggest stars. Why does that sound familiar?

It's been a confusing time for fans of 'Law & Order: SVU' over the last few months. First, veteran showrunner Neal Baer stepped down, and then came news of star Christopher Meloni's surprise exit.

After producers hired not one, but two, new actors for lead roles in the wake of Meloni's departure, worried fans have been left to question the fate of Mariska Hargitay and her character, Det. Olivia Benson.

Now producers have acted to reassure fans, telling 'Entertainment Weekly' that the new additions to the cast do not pose a threat to Hargitay, and that she will continue to play a marquee role in the 'Law & Order' franchise when it returns in the fall.

A NBC spokesman said that Hargitay will appear in every episode of the upcoming Season 13 even though Kelly Giddish ('The Chase') and Danny Pino ('Cold Case') have joined the cast.

It's only been a month since Christopher Meloni stepped down from 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,' but producers are reportedly screen-testing his possible replacements in New York today.

Production on the upcoming Season 13 is due to get underway soon and, according to Deadline.com, 'SVU' creator/executive producer Dick Wolf and NBC have narrowed the field to a short list of five.

The actors, who have all doubtless just spent a sleepless night in the Big Apple rehearsing their lines, have been named as: Danny Pino ('Cold Case'), Kevin Alejandro ('True Blood,' 'Southland'), David Conrad ('Ghost Whisperer'), Michael Raymond-James ('Terriers') and Rhys Coiro ('Entourage').

Each one will test today with Meloni's co-star, Mariska Hargitay, who plays Det. Olivia Benson on the drama. Both Alejandro and Raymond-James recently guest-starred on 'SVU,' so could be feeling like they've got the edge.