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LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT Boss on the Big Squad Changes

September 26, 2019 by  

SVU new ADA Olivia Captain

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT — Season: 21 — Pictured: Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins, Peter Scanavino as Detective Sonny Carisi, Ice T as Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, Mariska Hargitay as Lieutenant Olivia Benson — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

[Warning: This post contains spoilers for the SVU season 21 premiere!]

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT wasted absolutely no time shaking things up in its milestone 21st season.

When Stone (Philip Winchester) quit at the end of season 20, one of the biggest questions was who would fill the ADA role on the long-running drama. The series played its cards close to the vest pre-air, but the show wasted no time in the premiere revealing that Carisi (Peter Scanavino) was leaving Special Victims and essentially replacing Stone.

“I sent Carisi’s character to law school and this opening occurred,” showrunner Warren Leight says. “Philip moved on before I got here, so there was an opening in the DA’s office. I thought, of course this character’s feeling like it’s time for him to make his move. Of course, he’s going to ask for that shot. And the DA’s office likes getting guys who’ve been on the beat and know what the actual crimes are. So I thought this is his shot, this is a chance to make [a move that is a] little bit scary and Carisi should do it.”

But, of course, that wasn’t the only big move: after Dodds (Peter Gallagher) revealed he had been demoted, he told Olivia (Mariska Hargitay) that he agreed to it with the condition she be made captain of SVU.

“I was aware she’s been there 21 years—make her a captain, you know?” Leight says with a laugh. “What does she have to do? Who’s more qualified? In truth, I think it should have happened a while ago. She was a detective until season 15 or 16. She’s an ambitious, intelligent, competent member of NYPD; she should have been moving up the ranks. [Originally] there wasn’t really room for that when I first came in, but I think she’s proven herself. I defy the police department to find a better captain.”

But that will shake up the squad, both with them being short-staffed—which becomes an issue in the second episode—and the evolving character dynamics.

“Carisi and Rollins’ relationship has to change,” Leight previews. “They’ve been they’re no longer partners. What does that do? Benson’s relationship to her staff changes when she becomes Captain. Benson has a new boss now [who will appear in episode 3]. And there was a comfort level she had with Dodds.”

As for what new faces might be popping up, “the reality is these days the NYPD when…the real life Sex Crimes unit gets detectives, they don’t get experienced detectives anymore; they get a newbie,” Leight shares. “So that that will be happening, and that’ll be kind of interesting.”

“You may see some people making it, coming in and sticking [around], but there will be rotating people in,” he continues. “We’re doing a case now set in Chinatown. So we have a guest Sergeant coming in from the the Human Trafficking Task Force. We’ll rotate people in depending on the circumstance.”

What did you think of the SVU season premiere?

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, Thursdays, 10/9c, NBC

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