Kelli Giddish has teased her return toLaw & Order: SVUas Amanda Rollins in season 26, revealing how her upcoming episode will impact the character’s happy ending. Giddish left the legal procedural in season 24, with Rollins retiring from the NYPD after marrying Dominick Carisi, Jr. (Peter Scanavino), becoming a Professor of Criminal Behavior at Fordham University. Since then, however, she’s continued to pop up in season 24 and 25, with previous confirmation that she’ll be making an appearance duringLaw & Order: SVUseason 26, episode 3, “Divide and Conquer.”
Speaking withEntertainment Weekly, Giddish confirmed thatRollins' return inLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 will not negatively impact her happy ending. Instead, her new role as a sergeant at the NYPD will inspire her to continue using the skills she learned working alongside Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) in a different capacity. The actor also confirmed the forthcoming episode won’t be her only return, with Rollins also coming back for a “totally out of the ordinary” episode airing in November. Check out some of what Giddish had to say below:
I don’t think she’s getting into trouble, but it is different now because she’s not a detective in the Special Victims Unit. She’s a sergeant now. She knows her stuff and with the same dogged determination that she had for tracking down rapists, it’s this global environment that she’s got in her head now and how does it affect locally? She has that information and she’s giving it to all of the NYPD.
What Rollins’ Return Means For Law & Order: SVU Season 26
Expect More Of Her Onscreen Than In Season 25
Although she’s no longer a main character, it appears Rollins will continue to play a vital role on thecast ofLaw & Order: SVUseason 26with her new role in the NYPD. In her first episode this season, her and Benson will be teaming up to tackle a home invasion case that results in a violent assault.The new sergeant believes the perpetrators are connected to an international gang she’s investigating, crossing paths with her old team to help solve the case.
Benson’s Team In Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Explained
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has given Olivia Benson a full team of detectives to work with during season 26 of the long-running procedural.
Giddish’s comments indicate the episode will feel similar to when she was still on the series full-time, especially since Rollins' happy ending won’t be impacted by what transpires. The same can be said for her upcoming November episode, the premise of which hasn’t been revealed as of writing. Given her involvement in some ofLaw & Order: SVU’s best seasons, her constant returns are a stark reminder of everything she’s been through since the series began.Her consistent returns also shows how important she remains to the NYPD, emphasized by her new sergeant position.
What Rollins' Keeping Her Happy Ending Means For Her SVU Return
The Character’s Hardships Are Long Behind Her
Since Rollins will be maintaining her happy ending, it doesn’t sound like anything untoward is going to happen to her during herLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 guest appearances. Instead,she’ll be business as usual, trying to track down criminals with the teamand offering her familiar chemistry with Benson and other veteran members who were around before she left. With her upcoming case providing plenty of investigative work to get involved with, she’ll no doubt prove herself as a perfect NYPD sergeant, justifying her return to the force.
Law & Order: SVUseason 26, episode 3, “Divide and Conquer,” airs Thursday, October 17 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Cast
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a television series that premiered in 1999. Set in the criminal justice system of New York City, it follows an elite team of detectives who investigate sexually-based offenses, focusing on their efforts to solve complex cases and seek justice for victims.
