The Rollins-centered episode of Law & Order: SVU was a backdoor pilot for a new spinoff, and nothing will convince me otherwise.
That doesn’t mean it’ll actually come to pass, but all the signs were there.
Rollins has a new, more fulfilling job but works long hours and barely sees her family while working complicated cases. It’s somewhere between a brand new series and a Stabler-less reboot of Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Exhibit A: The Photo Above Looks Like The Opening To Every Law & Order Series, Ever
The “Law & Order opening titles walk” is iconic.
In every one of the franchise’s many spin-offs, the titles end with all of the cops and lawyers walking side by side down a hallway.
The second I saw this Law & Order: SVU photo of Benson, Fin, Rollins, and Corgan walking down a city street together, I couldn’t unsee the resemblance. Different setting, same iconic stance.
Of course, if there were to be a Rollins-centered spinoff, it probably wouldn’t include Fin and Benson as main characters. They already have a show.
Still, the similar posing can’t be a coincidence, can it?
Exhibit B: Rollins Gave Us A Pitch-Perfect Premise For A New Series
Rollins summarized the whole premise when she and Benson caught up and discussed Rollins’ new job.
It didn’t feel like an info dump, even though that’s what it was. Instead, Rollins quickly and effectively told Benson that:
- She enjoyed getting to eavesdrop on the whole world
- She’s feeling more fulfilled than ever and proud that she is now a sergeant
- She’s working long hours and missing out on family time but feels it’s worth it because she’s finally living her purpose
That’s it in a nutshell: the premise of a new spinoff featuring Rollins as the lead detective.
The idea of the detective who doesn’t have time for their family is somewhat of a tired TV trope, but there’d be a twist here.
Most of these shows feature a male detective who doesn’t have time for his family.
Think Elliot Stabler during the early seasons of Law & Order: SVU or Linda Reagan telling Danny on Blue Bloods that she was putting her foot down about the family being second fiddle to his police work.
But if Rollins were the workaholic detective, it would reverse the roles in a way rarely seen on television.
Her husband would be responsible for balancing childcare and work duties while Rollins was traveling or otherwise busy with work, and that would be an original, fresh twist.
Exhibit C: The Rollins-Centered Episode of SVU Didn’t Have Enough Time To Delve Into Rollins’ Family Life
When Rollins visited during Law & Order: SVU Season 25 Episode 11, the show began with her making breakfast for the kids and secretly packing a pancake for Carisi.
That’s the kind of family stuff fans are hungry for (no pun intended), but there wasn’t any time for that during Rollins’ latest visit.
She interacted with Carisi a little professionally, but there were no personal scenes, and her kids were MIA.
That wasn’t cool, but it’s forgivable if this was set up for a Rollins-centered spinoff.
That would be the place to have Rollins’ family and professional lives collide, leaving her stretched thin and unwilling to give up the job she loves for more time with her husband and kids.
Carisi talked about taking her to Sunday dinner once, so maybe we could even get somewhat of a replacement for what we’re losing when Blue Bloods leaves a rival network.
Yeah, I’m dreaming about the last one (and still annoyed these two shows take place in separate universes because I need Stabler and Danny Reagan to meet, but that’s a discussion for another day.)
Still, between meeting the easy-to-like Detective Corgan, the opportunities for Rollins-centered stories, and that iconic Law & Order pose, turning this episode into a spinoff seems like a no-brainer to me.
What about you, Law & Order: SVU fanatics? Do you think there will be a spinoff? Would you watch it if one premiered?
Hit the comments with your thoughts.
Law & Order: SVU airs on NBC on Thursdays at 9/8c and on Peacock on Fridays.
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