Amanda Rollins' new role inLaw & Order: SVUis an insult to the actress Kelli Giddish after the way she was written out. Rollins is one of the most popular characters in the long-running police procedural. AfterGiddish’s season 24 exit fromLaw & Order,Rollins made several guest appearances on the series, including the penultimate episode of season 25. That final appearance left the door open for her to return toSVU, as Rollins had quit her teaching job and tagged along on a case with Benson to ease her boredom.
Lead actress Mariska Hargitay has been vocal about wanting Giddish to be rehired full-time, but afterBenson’sLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 teamwas announced, it seemed like this would not happen. A new update indicates a brighter future for Rollins than expected. However, she will not be returning full-time, andanother twist in her story is not only disappointing, but insulting to Giddish after the way she was written out despite her character’s popularity.
Why Kelli Giddish’s Law & Order: SVU Exit Is Controversial (& Bad)
Kelli Giddish’s character Amanda Rollins will leave the show in Law & Order SVU season 24 and fans are (understandably) not happy about this exit.
Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Brings Back Rollins, But There’s A Caveat
She Will Be Working For A DIfferent Unit As A Recurring Character
When Rollins returns toLaw & Order: SVU,it will be as a recurring character who does not work for the Special Victims Unit. Instead, she will be working for the new-to-the-franchise Intelligence Unit. This unit has officers stationed worldwide, which means Rollins will be doing a lot of traveling (viaTV Insider). This aspect of Rollins' job will likely account for her absences in episodes that she does not appear in.
Rollins' new job means that when she does appear onSVU, it will be in a consulting role. This is similar to how she was used post-exit, when Benson or other team members would visit her at Fordham College when they were in need of her expertise. However, now that she is no longer employed by the college,she could have returned to SVU full-time instead of working for a different unit.
Rollins' Expanded Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Role Is Insulting
After An Unnecessary Hiatus, Her Return Should Be To Her Previous Position
Rollins' exit was controversial due to the character’s popularity as well as multiple suggestions that Giddish did not leave by choice. Rollins' decision to leave SVU to pursue teaching opportunities didn’t fit her character, and the series was left to search for a new female detective who would fill her shoes. No such character materialized; instead,the unit burned through a seemingly endless number of temporary characters who departed almost as quickly as they arrived, proving thatLaw & Order: SVUneeded Rollins to returnto fix its casting mistake.
Molly Burnett lasted the longest of all the temporary characters, as she was the only one to remain for a full season.
Rollins' final guest appearance in season 25 signaled a willingness to correct this error by undoing the plot point of Rollins becoming a college professor. Although the episode ended with Benson telling Rollins she wouldn’t rehire her unless Rollins was sure that’s what she wanted, it seemed obvious that Rollins would eventually come to that conclusion and return full-time. TheLaw & Orderseason 26 casting news that Rollins would only be a recurring character was thus disappointing, andit adds insult to injury that she is not even working for SVU.
Putting Rollins in a new unit simply swaps out her previous guest role as a teacher that consults with SVU for one as a cop turned consultant.
Having Rollins work for another unit would be acceptable as a back-door pilot for her to star in aLaw & Order: SVUspinoffabout the NYPD Intelligence Unit. Instead,SVUbrought the popular character back without making her a full part of the series. Putting Rollins in a new unit simply swaps out her previous guest role as a teacher who consults with SVU for one as a cop turned consultant.SVUtends to rotate cast members throughout episodes as a cost-saving measure, so Rollins could have rejoined SVU but not appeared in every episode.
Can Law & Order: SVU Properly Bring Back Rollins?
Benson Now Has A Full Team, Making It Difficult To Rehire Rollins
When Rollins was considering returning to the Special Victims Unit at the end of season 25, Benson was extremely short-staffed. However, that’s not the situation in season 26. The announcement of Benson’s new team suggested that Rollins would not be returning toLaw & Order: SVU, at least not as a new SVU detective, sinceBenson has a full roster of detectives to work with for the first time in several years.
Rollins' new role onLaw & Order: SVUopens several storyline possibilities for her despite her not being allowed to work for her original unit. She and Carisi will likely have marital stress due to Rollins' constant travel, which leaves him to care for their three children by himself, and Rollins might be able to cross over to other shows in theOne Chicago universebecause of her job. However, none of that changes the fact that it’s insulting that SVU eliminated Rollins from the cast unnecessarily and then re-inserted her as a recurring character with a different job.
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.
