‘Law & Order: SVU’: Benson & Squad (Including New Detective!) Work First Season 26 Case in Premiere Photos

Meredith Jacobs September 30, 2024, 4:34 pm

'Law & Order: SVU' Season 26 Premiere — Virginia Sherwood/NBC (2); Ralph Bavaro/NBC

There may be at least one major change coming to the Law & Order: SVU squad in its 26th season, but it looks to be business as usual for the unit in the October 3 premiere.

NBC has released photos from the episode, “Fractured,” offering a look at the entire squad—Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Sgt. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola (Ice-T), A.D.A Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino), Det. Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano), Det. Terry Bruno (Kevin Kane), Captain Renee Curry (recurring guest star Aime Donna Kelly), and the newest member, Det. Kate Silva (Juliana Aidén Martinez)—working the premiere case. In the episode, the unit investigates a brutal home invasion and attack on a group of law students. Benson hopes for a break in the case when a hidden camera is discovered inside the apartment. Carisi’s best chance at conviction is catching the defendant in a lie.

Kane was upped to series regular between seasons, while Martinez was cast as a new detective on the squad. Benson started building up her unit last season, and Curry—though the same rank—was part of that. We also know Kelli Giddish is returning as Amanda Rollins in multiple episodes this season (starting on October 24), now a sergeant working for the NYPD’s Intelligence Unit.

“Rollins loves her new job,” Giddish told TV Insider. “She says it’s like getting to eavesdrop on the whole world. And I feel like she’s really happy, and it’s fun to play that version of Rollins.”