Spoilers ahead for the March 20 episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 26, available streaming now with a Peacock subscription.
Law & Order: SVU delivered a case that was dark even by its own standards in the latest episode of the 2025 TV schedule, but the case of a young comatose woman who was pregnant after being raped also included some hints of what's next for ADA Carisi. The trial of one of the men who had held him and other victims hostage in the deli is coming up next, and the promo for that episode delivers the good news of Kelli Giddish's return as Amanda Rollins to reunite with Peter Scanavino... and the bad news that Carisi is about to relive some of that trauma from late 2024.
The Next Episode Of SVU Revisiting Carisi's Trauma
All in all, the latest reunion of Kelli Giddish and Peter Scanavino could be pretty devastating as he has to revisit the trauma that had him off his game earlier in the new year. This will be Giddish's first return since the winter premiere back in January, after SVU set up a way for Rollins to return to the NYPD. The upcoming episode is called "Accomplice Liability," and even the very quick preview is proof that Carisi (and viewers) are in for an emotional ride. Take a look:
Carisi himself didn't actually appear in the March 20 episode, but the Special Victims squad dropped some exposition about the case ahead. Deonte Mosely, the surviving bad guy from the deli standoff, is pleading not guilty on the claim of duress and self-defense instead of taking a plea deal, so the case will have to go to trial. Per Benson, the lawyer taking Mosely's case is "some young hotshot attorney who's looking to make his bones."
On the subject of Carisi in the witness box, Fin said that he "might have to show up to see him held in contempt." And honestly, based on the promo, Fin might not be too far off! Fortunately, Carisi will have his wife on hand, and it looks like Rollins at least will deliver emotional testimony. The episode description from NBC reads:
Carisi attempts to put aside his role as prosecutor to serve as a witness in a trial. Benson tries to help a rape survivor struggling with her recovery.
I can't help but wonder at this point what the balance will be between Carisi's ordeal and Benson trying to help a rape survivor. I'm on the record that the deli standoff episode was so intense (with a powerhouse performance from Peter Scanavino) that I forgot that an episode of Law & Order: SVU likely had to include an assault at some point, and it'll be interesting to see how the episode approaches the crisis this time around. Whatever happens, it looks like Carisi is on the verge of going through the emotional wringer all over again.
So, I was happy to remember what Peter Scanavino told CinemaBlend earlier this year about Kelli Giddish for why the actors probably had a much better time filming the episode than their characters will have in it.
Peter Scanavino Hyped Kelli Giddish In Season 26
I spoke with Scanavino timed to the winter premiere about Carisi needing a "wake-up call" from Benson back in January, and it was also the episode that brought back Kelli Giddish for her third episode of Season 26. There were some sweet Rollisi moments before the final credits rolled, and the actor only had good things to say about reuniting with his longtime co-star:
Oh, it's been great. I mean, Kelli [as Rollins] is such a big part of what drives [Carisi], and I think it's kind of this family life that he has with her now that's a culmination of a lot of stuff that they've gone through independently and also together. So just to have Kelli there and kind of open a window into that part of his life has been great. It's a real joy and pleasure to work with Kelli again.
In a treat for fans of the Rollisi relationship, Season 26 also provided a window into the family dynamic with Carisi, Rollins, and their three kids. The emotional winter premiere even showed a family outing that included their baby son Nicky, so when I spoke with Scanavino at the time, I had to get his thoughts on Kelli Giddish describing him as "the baby whisperer" in real life on the SVU set. Laughing, Scanavino responded:
You know, Kelli has kind of taken over the title of baby whisperer. I feel like my skills have waned. I'm not as good as I used to be here. Maybe there have just been so many babies, I'm just babied out. My son doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me. [laughs]
The laughs may be few and far between when "Accomplice Liability" airs on NBC on April 3, but I'm guessing that the cast enjoyed having Giddish back on set to film it. With SVU taking an week off between episodes, you'll have time to revisit the fall finale and winter premiere episodes for a refresher on what Carisi went through in that deli and his attempts to move forward from the trauma in the new year. All of Season 26 so far is available streaming on Peacock now.
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