Kelli Giddish will appear in another episode of Law and Order: SVU season 26 this year!
By Sabrina Reed
Minor spoilers ahead of Law and Order: SVU season 26 episode 3
Kelli Giddish made her return to Law and Order: SVU with "Divide and Conquer," an episode that gave us a major update on Amanda Rollins' life. Not only has she returned to the force but she's been promoted to sergeant and she's a part of the NYPD's Intelligence Bureau.
Her first on-screen case coincided with Olivia Benson's though the two initially reunited just before Rollin's first briefing with the department's brass to discuss a gang of international thieves her unit has been tracking. Those same robbers later invaded a couple's home, zip tied them and their two guests, stole what was in the safe, and one member raped the wife. That crime put the case firmly in the SVU's jurisdiction, so Benson and Rollins worked together.
"Divide and Conquer" didn't really give us much regarding Rollins' new position. However, there was a moment where it was clear she and Benson had different priorities. Benson was concerned with the SA survivor who didn't want to get a rape kit done, and Rollins had her mind on how the DNA the kit would provide could help to put the thieves away.
While they were both seeking justice, Rollins was initially thinking about the end result and not the woman who'd been assaulted. Olivia's tone got firm and she called Rollins by her title as she explained what her main concern was, as in the victim. Between this and Rollins' partner Det. Corgan feeling out of his element working with the SVU, especially since he said Intelligence stays clean (re: doesn't deal with dead bodies), the episode gave us crumbs to work with in terms of a spinoff.
A backdoor pilot this was not but the hope for a Giddish-led series is still alive, especially since episode 3 won't be the last we see of Rollins in season 26. She's going to make more appearances, including one that'll air sooner than you think!
When will Kelli Giddish return to Law and Order: SVU?
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Giddish revealed when fans can anticipate seeing her again on Law and Order: SVU (though she didn't share the date!):
"Sure. I'm open to returning again. There's another episode that I'm in the middle of filming now that's going to air in November and it's a very wild episode. So that's been really fun so far. And it's totally out of the ordinary, this episode. So that's been different. It feels different and so it's exciting to come back and do something totally out of the ordinary with an SVU episode."
November is nearly here and fans have spotted that the episode Giddish is referring to is likely episode 8, "Cornered," which should air Thursday, Nov. 21 if the procedural isn't preempted for any reason and the episode order isn't changed. There's no information on the case of the week yet but hopefully we get to see more of Rollins' dynamic with Corgan. "Divide and Conquer" was light on their interactions.
As for whether a spinoff is in the cards or that's just wishful thinking, Giddish told People how a new entry in this universe could get the greenlight:
"If enough people talk about it, let's see! I mean, I love this character. I love being on this show and in this world and in the universe that Dick and company have created. So, gosh, if that came my way, I'd be thrilled."
Fans were plenty loud when the news broke that the actress would be leaving the procedural as a series regular. It's likely that outpouring of love from viewers, as well as the vocal support of Mariska Hargitay, resulted in Giddish making multiple guest appearances since her exit. Perhaps a similar level of noise and enthusiastic clamor could be the catalyst for a spinoff that she leads. If you want it, make sure Wolf Entertainment knows!
New episodes of Law and Order: SVU air Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Next day streaming is available on Peacock. Stay tuned to Americans Undercover for coverage. Follow us on X and Facebook for more content.