The long-running Law & Order franchise is no stranger to characters coming and going. After a quarter of a century on the air, it’s expected that even regulars won’t be on forever. However, Law & Order: SVU has a particularly unpleasant notoriety for having a revolving door when it comes to main characters, and the departure of Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins in Season 24 is an exit that still stings for many fans.
But after a public outcry, all hope was not lost. Detective Amanda Rollins returned near the end of Organized Crime, Season 3 (running in conjunction with SVU’s same 24th season) as a one-off consultant for Detective Elliot Stabler and his task force. Thankfully, that was not the end of Rollins’ returns to the Law & Order universe, with her latest SVU appearance seemingly leaving the door open for a more permanent return — but in what capacity?
A Brief History Of Detective Amanda Rollins
Following Detective Elliot Stabler’s abrupt departure from the SVU universe, Kelli Giddish’s Detective Amanda Rollins joined the squad in the Season 13 premiere. A transfer up from Georgia, she brought some much-needed fresh energy to the squad room — and some baggage. With a troubled sister, Kim, and a gambling problem and debt (Rollins attended Gamblers Anonymous meetings), Amanda Rollins was a complex, flawed, compelling addition to the team.
During her run, Rollins was shot, taunted by a serial killer, promoted to Detective 2nd Grade, reconnected with her estranged father, and more, and through it all, Rollins was part of some of the most important personal plotlines in SVU. After many years of “will they/won’t they”, she and ADA Sonny Carisi finally got together romantically. The rollercoaster ride to their romantic relationship culminated in the two of them getting married in what would be Rollins’ final episode as a main SVU cast member.
In that same episode, Rollins officially left the force to became an adjunct professor of Criminal Behavior at Fordham University. And during her time away, she and Carisi had a son. But Rollins hasn’t been able to stay away. She had a guest appearance in Organized Crime, assisting Stabler and his team. And then in Law & Order: SVU Season 25, Episode 11, “Prima Nocta,” Rollins comes back to help the SVU squad on a one-off case, as she has already left the teaching job.
Her episodic return reignited a passion for something in her, and Benson left the door open in a somewhat cryptic manner for Rollins to come back, though not as a regular quad member. And in a historic season with a lot of backlash, that possibility has been a shining light.
Why Audiences Loved Rollins’ Character
When she came onboard, Giddish had some big shoes to fill. The void left by the departure of Christopher Meloni’s popular character, Stabler, was felt by audiences all over. Bringing in a new female detective with a wildly different personality gave Rollins the room to grow and be her own person while carving out a new identity on the squad. SVU has always shined brightest when it focuses on the emotional complexities of characters and Rollins was an immediately compelling figure.
She also added some intensely complex character stories, from her troubled family life to her own strong personality. Though Rollins and Captain Olivia Benson, SVU’s longstanding heart of the show, initially butted heads, they went on to form a truly deep friendship, adding dimension to both women and giving them both companionship and someone to lean on.
Throughout the years, Rollins’ personal storylines would drive many important plots. From Seasons 17 to 20, she had two daughters, Jessie and Billie. Her sister Kim popped up in multiple seasons, usually disrupting Rollins’ focus on a case, with Rollins eventually shooting her sister’s ex-boyfriend who was physically abusing her.
Rollins brought a much-needed second female presence in the squad room in a show that can sometimes struggle with maintaining diversity. Because of her own muddied past and headstrong nature, Rollins was instantly intriguing. Her heart, soul, spirit, and personal connections — as well as her immense character growth after over a decade — made her an SVU favorite.
How Rollins Could Return To The Franchise
With Rollins’ most recent return to the Dick Wolf franchise, it seems all but certain she’ll be back again. After all, many fan-favorite characters have left and made a return over the years. But the question is: how? Benson explicitly left the door open for Rollins to become a major player once more, but she also made sure to mention that being on the SVU squad hadn’t brought Rollins happiness. If going back to her old role is out of the question, how best could Amanda Rollins return to the show?
With her teaching experience under her belt, Rollins could return as a consultant. She could go the ADA Alexandra Cabot route and join a more hands-on approach to helping abuse survivors, but one working more in sync with the squad. She could become a private detective who works alongside Benson, or, with her original return to the franchise being through Organized Crime, she could join Stabler’s task force.
Law & Order: Organized Crime is a bit more free-flowing with its characters than SVU, with the task force expanding and evolving over the seasons as cases see fit. They bring on different experts, like Dr. Kyle Vargas, who joined the cast in Season 4. With that precedent, there could be a place Rollins to fit into without any awkward storytelling hoops to jump through.
Stabler famously left the Law & Order franchise in Season 12 of SVU, only to return a decade later with his own spinoff show, Organized Crime itself. Having Rollins depart from SVU only to come back through Organized Crime would be a perfectly meta moment. Plus, with the latter show making the move from NBC to Peacock for its upcoming season, it could only benefit from the added viewership of Rollins’ fan base.
Further, the Law & Order world has a well-documented history of characters hopping from one role to another. In fact, Kelli Giddish’s first SVU appearance wasn’t even as Amanda Rollins. Back in Season 8, Episode 12, “Outsider,” Giddish had a one-off role playing a sexual assault survivor named Kara Bawson. It would be another five years before she was cast in the role of Rollins. And Rollins’s own husband, Carisi, was a detective on the SVU squad for many years, taking law school classes at night, before becoming an assistant district attorney.
So the Law & Order world is wide open for Amanda Rollins. There is consistent positive feedback when her character returns to the franchise even just one episode at a time, so bringing her back more fully would only be good for the show. Whether as a consultant (similar to BD Wong’s Special Agent George Huang), a task force member, or anything else one thing is for certain: she’ll be welcomed back with open arms.
