Out of ‘Order’: Kelli Giddish will exit ‘SVU’ soon
Q: Is Kelli Giddish really leaving “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”? Is there any chance she’ll change her mind? – Sandy Young, via email
A: Well, people can always change their minds ... but as of the time this column was written, and with some reports suggesting that her exit wasn’t her idea, she was set to depart from the role of Detective Amanda Rollins by the time the NBC police drama reached the midpoint of its 24th season (which begins Thursday, Sept. 22). Some characters leave the “Law & Order” universe forever, while others have an opportunity to return later. It’ll be interesting to see which end of that scale Rollins lands on, though producers are promising a “happy ending” for her. In any event, she’ll certainly live on through the bountiful repeats of the series seen on multiple
networks and the Peacock streaming service.
Q: I remember the series finale of “M*A*S*H” being unusually long. Were many episodes of the show done that way? – Dan Coffey, Shadyside, Ohio
A: With the series marking its 50th anniversary this month, there were some hourlong shows – typically season premieres – that are split into two episodes when repeated now, but the great bulk of the acclaimed military comedy’s stories over 11 years were half-hours to begin with. That being said, the much-watched finale (subtitled “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen”) was a huge exception for series television in general, running 2-1/2 hours (with commercials). Directed and co-written by series star Alan Alda, it bundled multiple stories that gave each of the regular players his or her moments. The climactic portion, which sees the characters dismantle the 4077th and go off in individual directions, remains one of the most
memorable and emotional sequences of TV to date.