Law and Order
"In the Wind"
SVU, Episode 27.01
Production number: 27001
First aired (US): 25 September 2025
First aired (CAN): 25 September 2025
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Written By
Michele Fazekas

Directed By
Brenna Malloy

Summary[]

Danger swirls around the squad as they investigate a suspect for rape and try to protect their key witness. A new chief of detectives puts Benson to the test. An off-duty Tutuola tries to stop an assault in progress.

Plot[]

plot

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

  • Michael Park as Attorney Charles Valentine
  • Audrey Corsa as Ella Parsons
  • Juan Francisco Villa as Jorge Ruiz
  • Cayleb Long as Eric Burnett
  • Rafael Castillo as Fat Jimmy
  • Gene Gillette as Detective Rick James
  • James Ciccone as Detective Giordano
  • Natascia Diaz as Camila Ruiz
  • James Evans as Cricket
  • Omar Ezat as Khalil
  • Seth Goodfellow as Lead Agent
  • Reese Madigan as Retired Detective #1
  • Johmaalya Adelekan as Court Clerk
  • Kevin Allen as Court Clerk #2
  • Omar Madden as Paramedic
  • Ashley Pynn as Woman
  • Salar Ghajar as Man

References[]

Quotes[]

quotes

Background Information and Notes[]

  • Kelli Giddish returns to the main cast as of this episode after previously departing in the twenty-fourth season. This is the second time a main cast member who departed Law & Order: Special Victims Unit returns to the series as a main cast member. The first was Stephanie March, who returned in the eleventh season as Alexandra Cabot after departing in the fifth season before taking a guest-starring role in the sixth season and a recurring role in the tenth season. With her return, Giddish receives the "and" billing, the first time an actor has received such a distinction since Raúl Esparza's exit as a main cast member in the ninteenth season. She joins Esparza and Dann Florek as the only main cast members to receive the "and" billing.
  • Aime Donna Kelly joins the main cast as of this episode after recurring in the series since the twenty-second season and unofficially joining the SVU squad in the twenty-fifth season.
  • Despite being announced as departing after the previous season, Octavio Pisano retained his series regular status.
  • Donald Cragen dies in this episode, making this his final appearance in the franchise.
  • George Huang and Brian Cassidy return in this episode, albeit briefly.
  • Octavio Pisano and Kelli Giddish get new intro cards.
  • For the first time since the fifteenth season, there are seven cast members on SVU. Although the twenty-third season had seven cast members throughout, all seven weren't credited at the same time.
  • This episode ties the record with the twenty-third season episode "The Five Hundredth Episode" for having the most former main characters in one episode at three, with Cragen, Huang, and Stabler appearing. It should be noted that Dean Winters was never a main cast member, though he was credited as a special guest star.
    • Like in "The Five Hundredth Episode", Cragen does not appear with the cast in person but rather on a screen. In this case, the new footage is of him giving a speech.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

Arraignment Court
Trial Part 37
Sunday, September 21

Grand Jury Room
100 Center Street
Monday, September 22

Home of
Camilla Ruiz
105-51 42nd Ave
Queens
Tuesday, September 23

4 5 6

Supreme Court
Molineaux Hearing
Trial Part 17
Wednesday, September 24

Supreme Court
Trial Part 17
Thursday, September 25

Office of
Chief of Detectives
Kathryn Tynan
One Police Plaza
Thursday, September 25

Previous episode:
"Post-Rage"
"In the Wind"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 27
Next episode:
"A Waiver of Consent"
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