If there is one Law & Order: SVU character we love to see back, it’s Kelli Giddish’s Amanda Rollins. Despite leaving the series as a series regular in December 2022, Giddish has been back numerous times.
The most recent appearance was in the Law & Order: SVU Season 25 finale. Rollins, who is now unemployed, came to help Benson with a case. By the end of the episode, Benson told Rollins that she needed to figure out what she wanted to do. Up to this point, Rollins had used SVU as a safety net.
So, what will she do? Well, she’s figured it out.
Kelli Giddish will be in Law & Order: SVU Season 26
Showrunner David Graziano has confirmed with TVLine that we’ll see more of Rollins. Giddish will guest star, but she will be in numerous episodes of the season. However, this isn’t because Rollins hasn’t figured out what she wants to do. Instead, it’s likely because what she has decided to do is going to connect to some SVU cases.
Rollins will join the Intelligence Unit in New York. Don’t get this confused for the Chicago PD Intelligence Unit. The one in New York has officers stationed around the country, and it means that Rollins will do a lot of traveling.
Yes, this means there’s more in story for Rollins and Carisi. Not in a bad way, though. While some shows would write in marital problems when a spouse—especially the wife—is on the road, Carisi is going to use Rollins being gone to his advantage. They will work together as parents when they’re together, and Carisi will own being a solo parent when she’s gone. It’s a welcome challenge.
We’ll even get to see one of their daughters in an episode. It looks like Carisi and his daughter end up in a situation they need to get out of.
Law & Order: SVU Season 26 premieres on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 9/8c on NBC.