I’m excited that Law & Order: SVU‘s Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) has a new role in season 26, which sounds like an opportunity for the perfect spin-off. Rollins continues to be a popular character, making it disappointing that she was written out in season 24. Mariska Hargitay couldn’t stop Law & Order: SVU from letting Giddish go but has been vocal about wanting her to return. Since leaving Rollins has had several guest appearances while also teaching forensics at Fordham University.
Rollins’ guest appearances were never satisfying enough for me, as she only appeared in a few scenes during each visit. Her final appearance in season 25 seemed to open the door for her full-time return, but that didn’t seem to be in the cards when Benson’s Law & Order: SVU season 26 team didn’t include her. However, Rollins will again return as a guest star. This time, her role has changed significantly, setting up a perfect opportunity for a spinoff centered around her work and family life.
Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Gives Amanda Rollins A Brand New Job
Rollins Will Not Be Working For SVU But Will Return To Police Work
When Rollins returns to Law & Order: SVU, she will be working for the new-to-the-franchise Intelligence Unit. This unit exists in the real NYPD and is a counter-terrorism division that uses information gained via undercover operations and espionage to disrupt terrorist plots and keep New York safe. Rollins will be doing a lot of travel as part of her role in this unit and will work with other NYPD divisions, including SVU, when they have a common goal.
I thought Rollins’ new role on Law & Order: SVU was insulting to Kelli Giddish when I first heard about her return terms. It seemed unfair for her to be given a job in a new unit regularly instead of bringing her back to the Special Victims Unit full-time. However, after learning more about it, Rollins’ new role sounds like good news because it opens up many opportunities for her to work with other characters in the One Chicago universe. In addition, it also allows NBC to further delve into her marriage to Carisi, making for a compelling side story.
Rollins’ New Job At The Intelligence Unit Sounds Like A New Law & Order Spinoff
There Are Many Storyline Opportunities Deserving Of Their Own Show
Rollins’ mission overlaps naturally with many of the cases on Law & Order: Organized Crime, and there may also be opportunities for crossovers with Chicago P.D., which focuses mainly on cops in Chicago’s Intelligence Unit. Additionally, Rollins could crossover with any of the shows in the FBI franchise since she is doing counter-terrorism work, including FBI: International since she will be traveling throughout the world for her job. It would be easier to write these stories if Rollins had her own show rather than having her be a guest star as part of a crossover episode.
It seems unnecessary to have this much detail of what Rollins will be doing if Wolf Entertainment only plans to use her sparingly
Law & Order: SVU‘s season 26 Rollins update offers a lot of detail about what she will be doing, I’ve rarely seen this much attention paid to the details of a recurring character’s life and work. It seems unnecessary to have this much detail of what Rollins will be doing if Wolf Entertainment only plans to use her sparingly. Additionally, her new job is intriguing and different from the standard jobs in the franchise. Thus, it makes sense for these guest appearances to lead to a spinoff.
Kelli Giddish Leading A New Law & Order Spinoff Makes Up For Her SVU Exit
It Would Make Amends For Writing Her Out In A Manner Untrue To Her Character
Giddish’s exit was not good news for Law & Order: SVU. Rollins was a popular character, and her reasons for leaving the Special Victims Unit didn’t make much sense, as she had not established herself as an expert in forensics, nor had she ever expressed an interest in teaching before. This poor exit story made Rollins’ removal from the series twice as upsetting. Law & Order: SVU season 25 attempted to rectify it by having Rollins decide that teaching wasn’t for her and allowing her to join Benson in a difficult case even though she was not officially part of the unit.
Although it’s disappointing that Rollins isn’t part of the full-time Law & Order: SVU season 26 cast, giving her a leading role in a spin-off would be the next best thing. This would allow Rollins to appear regularly on television and give her increased opportunities for crossovers with Law & Order: SVU and other shows in the One Chicago universe. Thus, I would feel better about her dismal exit story if it led to an intriguing spinoff that gave her the chance to shine.
