The best wayLaw & Order: SVUcan make up for the terrible way it wrote Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) out is to make a rumored spinoff a reality. From seasons 13 to 24, Rollins was a central character who appeared in several ofLaw & Order: SVU’s creepiest episodes, including helping find Benson after Benson was kidnapped by a psychopath. She was a complicated character who had a gambling addiction issue, an unstable sister, and a history that included surviving rape in Atlanta. Her issues made her a relatable and popular character.
Despite her popularity, the series chose to write Rollins out in the middle of season 24. Co-starMariska Hargitay was unable to stop Rollins' exit fromLaw & Order: SVU,and the matter was made worse by the ridiculous exit Rollins got. She supposedly left the Special Victims Unit to pursue the opportunity to teach forensics to college students even though she had never expressed an interest in teaching, and her decision seemed unconnected to having gotten shot earlier in the season. However,SVUseason 26 plans for her character could lead to a Rollins-centered spinoff.
Kelli Giddish’s Amanda Rollins Intelligence Unit Position Explained
Rollins Will Work In The New-To-The-Franchise NYPD Department
Rollins will not be part ofBenson’sLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 team. However, she will consult with her periodically while working for the Intelligence Unit. This is an NYPD unit that has not been seen before in theLaw & Orderfranchise. The real Intelligence Unit focuses mostly on counter-terrorism, often working with the FBI, NSA, and other federal agencies to stop terrorists from succeeding in plots to attack innocent people living and working in New York. In both real life andSVU, the job involves travel as well as coordination with multiple law enforcement agencies.
Chicago PDcenters around the Chicago Intelligence Unit, so it would be a natural fit for a crossover appearance.
This position will hopefully be more fulfilling for Rollins than her ill-suited teaching job. It also will give her a reason to visitLaw & Order: SVUor other shows in the sharedOne Chicagouniverseperiodically, as her work relates to every police show currently produced by Wolf Entertainment. She will appear onSVUon a recurring basis, working with Benson on cases where her unit’s interests overlap with what the Special Victims Unit is investigating.
Law & Order: SVU Season 26’s “Back To Basic” Story Is Great News For Olivia Benson’s Future
Law & Order: SVU Season 26’s latest storyline update promising a return to the past is great news for Olivia Benson’s (Mariska Hargitay) future.
A New Law & Order Spinoff Led By Amanda Rollins Makes Her SVU Exit Worth It
A Spinoff Would Explain Why She Isn’t Working For SVU Anymore
Rollins' story since her exit has been one of a character in search of a purpose. She wasn’t happy teaching, and in her last guest appearance in season 25, she had quit that job and tagged along with Benson on an SVU case. Although Benson refused to rehire her unless Rollins was sure she wanted to stay with the Special Victims Unit long-term, it seemed like a set-up for her season 26 return and thusit seemed like more poor writing for Rollins to be given a different job and continued recurring appearances in the new season.
There would be no spinoff if Rollins were still withSVU, so her absence would seem like a necessary evil for her to transition into her own series.
However, if Rollins leads a new spinoff about the Intelligence Unit, that would make her exit fromLaw & Order: SVUworth it. Instead of the character bouncing from job to job when she could have easily rejoined the Special Victims Unit, Rollins' decision to change careers would make sense. There would be no spinoff if Rollins were still withSVU, so her absence would seem like a necessary evil for her to transition into her own series. Additionally, she would be on-screen regularly, which would take the sting out of her absence from her parent series.
How Rollins' Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Return Sets Up Giddish’s Spinoff
Her New Role Establishes The Intelligence Unit
Rollins will work alongside Benson in her first guest appearance inLaw & Order: SVU.This episode will introduce the Intelligence Unit as well as Rollins' new job within that department.This episode could also serve as somewhat of a back-door pilot for a Rollins-centered spinoff, as it may introduce characters Rollins works with along with her new role. Additionally, the episode could touch upon how Rollins' new job is affecting her marriage to Carisi (Peter Scanavino), who may be at home alone with the kids while Rollins is traveling for work.
All of these story threads could easily be weaved into the premise for a new spinoff ofLaw & Order: SVU.Rollins could still continue to visit her parent show as needed while appearing regularly on her own show, should NBC and Dick Wolf Entertainment go ahead with the proposed spinoff. This would keep that part of the audience happy that is still heartbroken by Rollins' exit several years after she was first written out.
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.
