[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 7 “False Idols.”]
Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola (Ice T) has certainly been missed — briefly catching up with him while he recovered from his premiere attack just wasn’t the same — on Law & Order: SVU, but unfortunately, his return to the squad set him up to be absent for future episodes again.
In the Season 27 premiere, Fin thought he witnessed an assault and tried to help only to be attacked himself and his gun taken. Since then, he’s been recovering from his injuries, with Detective Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) briefly checking in with him before he left for a job with the DEA. In Episode 7, Fin surprised everyone by showing up at work. He greeted Detective Terry Bruno (Kevin Kane), welcomed Sergeant Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) back with open arms, and even had fun messing with new guy Detective Jake Griffin (Corey Cott) a bit. Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) was surprised to see him because she never got word he was cleared and checked he was good to return to full duty. He was, he confirmed, and it was in her inbox.
When Benson approached him separately, Fin reminded her that he’s been hurt on the job before. “I’m good. I’m very good,” he insisted. She wanted to make sure he was getting everything he needed from the department (support, time to process). “Eyesight’s good, no headaches, I’m out-working kids in the gym half my age,” Fin said. “I’ve never felt better.” When he checked if she doubted him, she told him, “No, you have been extremely clear about how physically prepared that you are,” but he stressed, “I’m prepared, period.”
But there was a moment when, as Fin and Rollins went to arrest a man for rape and a security guard stepped in, Fin reached for his gun. Rollins played mediator and identified themselves as NYPD. It was quick, but in the context of this episode, worth mentioning.
Then, near the end of the episode, Fin asked Benson if she thought that him getting jumped could have happened “back in the day,” and she argued that it could have happened to any of them. Fin didn’t seem reassured. As he saw it, “Even a couple years ago, I would have bene faster, caught on quicker, definitely wouldn’t have lost my gun.” Benson didn’t see it that way, but, “I just think I need a little bit more time before I come back, just get my head around it,” Fin admitted. “Take all the time you need. There’s always, always going to be a place here for you,” Benson assured him.
Ice T has been on SVU since Season 2, and so it’s hard to imagine the show without him. Nothing’s been said that suggests this will be permanent, but Fin is going to be missed when he’s once again away from the squad. That being said, there’s no character better to explore this with (which the show should do after this many years), given how long he’s been around and that Benson has stressed this season that she’s happy where she is with Chief Kathryn Tynan (Noma Dumezweni) trying to push her into a job at 1PP.
Plus, he did admit he’s been thinking about retiring in the premiere. “It’s crossed my mind. I don’t want to do this forever. Do you?” he asked Benson at Cragen’s wake. But after the attack and after he hid the fact that his gun was taken from his captain, he told her, “I thought this might have been a message for me to get out while I still can, but I’m not throwing anything away, Liv. And I’m not ready to retire until I earn your trust back.”
What do you think of what SVU is doing with Fin this season? Let us know in the comments section below.
Law & Order: SVU, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC
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