Warning! Spoilers ahead for Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 3.Amanda Rollins' return toLaw & Order: SVUin season 26 proves she should be added to a different spinoff of the popular police procedural. Kelli Giddish’s character is a fan-favorite who has made several guest appearances sinceRollins was written outin the middle of season 24. Before the series' new year premiered, there was widespread speculation that Rollins would return in season 26. That theory was squashed whenRollins was given a new job at the Intelligence Unit and, instead, will only make occasional appearances onLaw & Order: SVU.
The first of these appearances occurred inLaw & Order: SVUseason 26, episode 3. During this episode, Rollins and Benson work together after a member of an international robbery crew Rollins is investigating a sexually abused woman in her apartment on the night of her wedding anniversary. While many ofLaw & Order: SVU’s best episodesinvolve Rollins working with other departments, this case demonstrated that Rollins would fit best with the team inLaw & Order: Organized Crime.
Rollins' Law & Order: SVU Appearance Feels More Like An Organized Crime Episode
The Only Thing Missing Is Stabler’s Team
Rollins’Law & Order: SVUseason 26 return episode resemblesLaw & Order: Organized Crimein several important respects. She is investigating an international group of criminals with ties to Albania. The Organized Crime Unit also investigates these types of violent groups. At one point,Stabler even worked undercover to infiltrate the Albanian mob in seasonLaw & Order: Organized Crimeseason 2. Now, at least one crew member he worked with is not in jail.
This imbalance contributed to the episode feeling like an episode ofLaw & Order: Organized Crimewith a Benson crossover.
These connections are more solid than the episode’s relevance toLaw & Order: SVU. Benson is called in because one of the crew’s victims was raped as well as robbed, but the episode centers mostly on the search for all the crew members and how they knew the victim’s husband had gold in his safe. This imbalance contributed to the episode feeling like an episode ofLaw & Order: Organized Crimewith a Benson cameo and an assist from the Manhattan SVU team.
Rollins Has Teamed Up With Stabler’s Organized Crime Unit In The Past
She Helped Benson and Stabler With A Joint Mission
Rollins worked with both SVU and the Organized Crime Unit when she was first pregnant with her son. At the time, she was a consultant who offered psychological profiles of criminals while teaching forensics at Fordham University. The episode was significant because Benson noticed that Rollins enjoyed talking about the criminal they were searching for far more than she did her actual job. This conversation was one of the reasons there was speculation that Rollins would rejoinBenson’s team inLaw & Order: SVU, as it was planting the seeds for her to quit her teaching job.
Rollins' Law & Order Spinoff Rumor Is The Best Way To Make Up For Kelli Giddish’s Ugly Exit
Law & Order: SVU has an opportunity to make amends for its disappointing Rollins exit if it goes forward with a rumored Rollins spinoff.
However, Rollins' behavior throughoutLaw & Order: SVUseason 26demonstrates that she would be a better fit for the team inLaw & Order: Organized Crime. Rollins is passionate and knowledgeable, willing to take risks, and works well with Stabler. It is rare for him to get along with a partner. Given this, Sergeant Bell should have been eager to hire Rollins as soon as she walked away from Fordham University’s offer of a tenured position.
Why Rollins Joining Organized Crime Makes More Sense Than Giving Her A New Law & Order Spinoff
Organized Crime Is Already Established
Law & Order: Organized Crimehas been on for three years and has a dedicated fanbase, but a new spinoff would have to first establish itself. Although Rollins is a popular character, getting an audience for a new show could be tricky, as it would have to draw in people who aren’t already familiar with her character or who aren’t particularly invested in her story. Thus,it’s more likely that Rollins would gain the audience she needs to remain in the franchise long-term if she were to joinLaw & Order: Organized Crime.
Rollins joiningOrganized Crimecould attract a larger audience, which makes more sense than investing in a new series that might not be successful.
Law & Order: Organized Crimewas renewed for a fourth season, but it was only given 10 episodes on Peacock rather than being broadcast on NBC. This puts it in a bubble of shows that may be in danger of cancelation if its ratings on Peacock are not sufficiently high. Rollins joiningOrganized Crimecould attract a larger audience, which makes more sense than investing in a new series that might not be successful. This is especially so, given the overlap between the cases inLaw & Order: Organized Crimeand the one Rollins investigated inLaw & Order: SVU.
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.
