Law & Order: SVU is currently in the early days of its winter hiatus after the late November fall finale in the 2025 TV schedule, which had all hands on deck… mostly. Fin was nowhere to be seen, and while the in-universe explanation is that he’s still processing his ordeal from the Season 27 premiere, Ice-T has revealed the real-life reason why he’s been scarce this fall. The reason isn’t altogether shocking, but I’d say that it’s a bummer for longtime fans in light of new cast members joining while the one and only Odafin Tutuola has been absent.
Having not appeared in the last two episodes of the fall season, Ice-T spoke with TMZ about why he hasn’t been around as much on SVU alongside Mariska Hargitay despite holding the record as the second longest-running cast member in the franchise. He said:
It’s just basically business. They brought Kelli [Giddish] back. At the end of the day, they couldn’t really keep both of us on both times, as far as budget-wise. So they said, ‘Okay, Ice, we’ll have you come in and out this year.’ Everybody wanted Kelli back. We’ve got new cops and stuff like that, but I’m not leaving the show. I’m more concerned with going to Season 28. This year, they said, ‘Ice, we’re going to work you a little less.’
Fans were celebrating back in the spring when news broke that Kelli Giddish would return as a series regular, having only made some guest appearances after initially being cut from the cast in Season 24. At the time, there was no indication that her return would result in Fin’s absence. Ice-T’s comments do echo what he recently said to reassure fans and share his hope for Season 28. He went on to share why he’s not upset at appearing in fewer episodes:
Everything was cool with me. I understood. I said, ‘Are you getting rid of me?’ They said, ‘No way. We can’t imagine Law and Order without you.’ I’ve been on this show for 27 years. I am not going to say anything negative about this show. They have taken care of me for so long. I just want to get to Season 28.
I have to agree with the decision-makers at Law & Order: SVU on at least one thing: it’s hard to imagine the Law & Order franchise without Ice-T as Fin, and I’ve always thought that he’s safer from being killed off than anybody other than Mariska Hargitay. The actor/rapper went on to say that the reduced on-screen time means that he’s been able to work on other projects as well. He continued:
I know fans are upset. I’m kind of glad the fans are upset, because what if I was missing and nobody cared? That would be something to worry about. But the fact that the fans want to see a little bit more of Fin, that’s good. I’m gonna be sprinkled throughout this season. Let’s just say that.
Count me in as one of the fans who’s a little upset that Fin was the one affected by budget cuts! Of course Mariska Hargitay was never going to be cut from any episodes, and I can’t hold it against Kelli Giddish that this is the way the numbers crunched. Still, Ice-T’s comments about budget make me feel a little bitter that Season 27 has added Det. Jake Griffin (Corey Cott), ADA CJ Jones (Chicago Med‘s Norma Kuhling), Chief Tynan (Noma Dumezweni), and promoted Aimé Donna Kelly to series regular status as Capt. Renee Curry.
Admittedly, ADA Jones hasn’t appeared in enough episodes to indicate that she’s becoming Carisi’s full-time partner like Price and Maroun over on Law & Order, Aimé Donna Kelly had been putting in the work to deserve series regular status, and I actually love Chief Tynan’s dynamic with Olivia Benson, so I can’t be too bitter. Seeing less of Fin is just a tough price to pay.
That said, Deadline reports that both Ice-T and Kelli Giddish are expected to appear in more than half of Season 27’s 22 episodes and their totals will more or less even out, which if accurate should mean more of Fin in the 2026 TV schedule and Rollins missing more. Based on the promo for the upcoming crossover with Law & Order, both Fin and Rollins will be part of the action.
Law & Order: SVU will return from winter hiatus on Thursday, January 8 at 9 p.m. ET, following the winter premiere of Law & Order at 8 p.m. ET. In the meantime, you can revisit earlier episodes streaming on with a Peacock subscription and/or via a Hulu subscription.