The Rollins-centric episode of Law & Order: SVU was a backdoor pilot for a new spinoff, and nothing else convinced me.
That doesn’t mean it’s actually going to happen, but all the signs are there.
Rollins had a new, more fulfilling job, but worked long hours and rarely saw his family while working complex cases. It falls somewhere between an entirely new series and a Law & Order: Organized Crime reboot without a stable version.
Attachment A: The photo above looks like the beginning of every Law & Order series
The “Law & Order” opening credits walk is iconic.
In the many spin-offs of the series, each one ends with all the cops and lawyers walking side by side down the hallway.
When I saw this photo of Benson, Finn, Rollins, and Cogan walking down a city street together from Law & Order: SVU, I couldn’t ignore the similarities. Different scene, same iconic stance.
Of course, if there was a Rollins-centric spinoff, it probably wouldn’t feature Finn and Benson. They already have a show.
But the similar pose can’t be a coincidence, can it?
Exhibit B: Rollins provides the perfect premise for our new series
When she and Benson met to discuss Rollins’ new job, Rollins summarized the entire premise.
It doesn’t feel like an infodump, even though that’s what it is. Instead, Rollins quickly and effectively told Benson:
- She likes to eavesdrop on the whole world
- She feels more content and proud than ever because she is now a sergeant
- She worked long hours and missed time with her family, but she felt it was worth it because she finally achieved her goal
In a nutshell: That’s the premise of a new spinoff starring Rollins as the lead detective.
The idea of a detective not having time for his family is a bit of a tired TV trope, but there’s a twist here.
Most of these shows feature a male detective who doesn’t have time for his family.
Think of Elliot Stabler in the early seasons of “Law & Order: SVU,” or Linda Regan telling Danny in “Blue Bloods” that she was adamant about family taking a back seat to his police work. second.
But if Rollins is the workaholic detective, the roles are reversed in a way rarely seen on television.
When Rollins is traveling or busy at work, her husband will be responsible for balancing parenting and work responsibilities, which will be an original and fresh twist.
Exhibit C: A Rollins-centric episode of SVU doesn’t have enough time to delve into Rollins’ family life
When Rollins stopped by during Law & Order: SVU Season 25 Episode 11, the show began with her making breakfast for the kids and secretly packing Carisi a pancake.
This is the kind of house stuff that fans crave (no pun intended) but didn’t have any time to do so during Rollins’ latest visit.
Her interactions with Carisi are somewhat professional, but there are no personal scenes, and her children are lost.
It’s not cool, but it would be forgivable if this was set up for a Rollins-centric spinoff.
This would be where Rollins’ family and professional lives collided, leaving her exhausted and unwilling to give up the job she loved in order to spend more time with her husband and children.
Carisi talked about taking her to a Sunday dinner one time, so maybe we can even get some replacements to make up for what we lost when Blue Bloods left a rival network.
Yes, I dream about that last one (and am still annoyed that the two shows take place in different universes because I need Stabler and Danny Regan to meet, but that’s a discussion for another day.)
Still, between meeting the easy-to-like Detective Corgan, the opportunity for a Rollins-centric story, and the iconic Law & Order pose, turning this episode into a spin-off feels right to me It seems natural.
What about you, a Law & Order: SVU fanatic? Do you think there will be a spin-off? Will you watch it if it premieres?
Hit the comments with your thoughts.
“Law & Order: SVU” airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC and Fridays on Peacock.
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