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Between its semi-revolving cast of non-lead detectives, recurring defense attorneys, criminals with extended arcs, and the ever-evolving A.D.A. position, has given audiences plenty of fresh cast members over the years without doing away with any of its sacred leads (that'd be as Olivia Benson and as Odafin "Fin" Tutuola). Inevitably, some of these cast members earn the love and approval of fans right off the bat (see: Raúl Esparza as ), while others, for one reason or another, simply don't make the cut.
With regard to the deeply flawed and intentionally polarizing character of Detective Amanda Rollins, who joined the unit in Season 13, the audience reaction wasn't quite so black-and-white. For years, Rollins' gambling addiction, poor decision making, refusal to reject , and problematic response to victims who forced her to confront her own latent trauma or bias turned fans off. "She has the wiring of a corrupt cop," wrote Reddit user on the , while called her "a disrespectful hypocrite (who) needs to work on her addiction issues."
In a turn of events atypical of most fandoms, however, viewers' dislike of the detective doesn't seem to have bled into their thoughts on the
Many were quick to agree, including , who commented, "Kelli Giddish also sells the hell out of the material she's given," adding that they "couldn't imagine anyone else doing better as Rollins.
Elsewhere on the popular subreddit, fans highlighted the actor's performance in specific episodes. "After watching last night's episode," wrote of Season 23's "Burning with Rage Forever," "I was surprised by just how much Kelli Giddish's performance struck me ... What a great performance for the actress.
And there you have it. Despite many viewers' ambivalence toward Rollins, they know exactly where they stand with regard to the series' decision to cast Giddish in the role.
