Law & Order: SVU is no stranger to intense partner dynamics, but where Benson and Stabler didn’t, Rollins and Carisi almost did…and still might?
In “At Midnight in Manhattan,” the Thursday, Oct. 24 episode of SVU, the squad has three big cases that span a weekend. They’re frazzled, there’s tension and then there was the big scene between Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and new ADA Carisi (Peter Scanavino) where it all came out. While debating the veracity of a victim’s ID, the two had some words over Carisi’s departure from the special victims unit.
“What did you think would happen when you moved over to that place?” Rollins asked him. “Because it’s all about politics, which is not your strong suit.
Carisi said he was just doing his job, but Rollins charged it seemed like he was more worried about his boss than the victim. And that’s not the only case he had on his plate in the episode. Everybody’s nerves? Frayed. “We’re drowning because you left,” Rollins told him. Carisi said he had to leave, he had to take his shot.
“I would be fine if you were right here beside me!” Rollins said. “You said you’re my partner. You walked out on me.”
Benson (Mariska Hargitay) put an end to the fight, but all the feelings are not out there.
On the SVU podcast, Giddish said she added that line to the scene. “Because I think—I was like there’s something missing here. Like, she says something, but she doesn’t go all the way. I feel like you guys want her to go all the way here. She would be fine in this trench that they’re in…if you have somebody that you trust, that is your friend and your partner beside you, then you’re OK. You’re OK going through it. When you’re alone, you doubt yourself and you doubt your capabilities. When you have your wingman, your partner, you’re like come hell or high water, you’re going to figure this out,” Giddish said.
Was there more behind it than work partner? “I don’t know,” Giddish laughed.
“I think it has been more than work at times with them. He comes over, gets along great with kids…it’s easy. It’s a really easy relationship because they understand each other,” Giddish said.
Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays, 10 p.m. on NBC.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)