The latest season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is proving that nobody is ever safe — not even series mainstay Ice-T.
The actor, who’s spent over two decades as Sgt. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, starts season 27 in a precarious position. In a clip from tonight’s season premiere, debuting exclusively with Entertainment Weekly, Tutuola is walking the streets of New York when he appears to spot a woman in danger. The police sergeant quickly turns his gun on the assailant and ushers the victim over to his side — only to discover that the duo are in on it together.
Before Tutuola can process what’s happening, he’s down on the ground with both of them towering over him. Yes, the procedural is kicking off the season with one of the show’s reliable leads as one of its victims.
Per the official synopsis, Fin’s unfortunate encounter will account for just a fraction of the episode. “Danger swirls around the squad as they investigate a suspect for rape and try to protect their key witness,” the summary reads. “A new chief of detectives puts Benson to the test. An off-duty Fin tries to stop an assault in progress.”
Ice-T previously teased this violent storyline to EW. “I show up this season in the first episode. I get my ass beaten and end up in the hospital,” the legendary rapper and actor said in August. “So I’m like, what the f— is going on?”
He added that, thanks to the ensemble nature of the show, others will step up as Tutuola recovers in the second episode. But no worries, the intrepid sergeant always returns. “As long as I don’t get shot in the head,” Ice-T joked.
Ice-T is one of the most senior members of the SVU cast, having joined the Law & Order spinoff at the top of its second season. Only series star and producer Mariska Hargitay has a more impressive tenure, having launched the series in 1999 as Capt. Olivia Benson, alongside Christopher Meloni’s Sr. Det. Elliot Stabler.
Peter Kramer/NBC
While Meloni departed the show in 2011, Hargitay and Ice-T have stuck together for the long haul. But SVU is no stranger to bittersweet departures. Earlier this year, the rapper admitted to being “blindsided” by the departure of star Kelli Giddish, who is now returning as a series regular for the 27th season: “The fans said they wanted to see Kelli back, so she’s coming back,” he celebrated.
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Along with Giddish, Hargitay and Ice-T, the season will mark the return of Peter Scanavino as Assistant District Attorney Sonny Carisi, Kevin Kane as Detective Terry Bruno and Aimé Donna Kelly as Capt. Renee Curry.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 27 premieres Thursday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with new episodes streaming on Peacock the following day. Watch Ice-T in the season premiere above.
