Law And Order: SVU Returns Feb. 26 With Recast Judge in “Corrosive”
The law and order franchise's Special Victims Unit returns to its regular Thursday slot on February 26 with an episode titled "Corrosive, " ending a short hiatus while the Winter Olympics aired. The first post‑Olympics installment brings a recast in a judge role that had been shelved earlier and spotlights new friction between Detective Griffin and Captain Benson.
Law And Order Thursdays Return
New episodes of the two Thursday-night dramas resume with back-to-back airings, with the SVU episode scheduled for 9 p. m. ET following the earlier hour drama. Episodes will be available to stream the next day on the series' usual platform. The return marks the end of a pause in the schedule tied to major sports coverage.
Episode "Corrosive" Plot Details
"Corrosive" centers on an attempt on the life of a respected judge that is tied to an anonymous video posted to the SVU tip line. The episode includes a scene in a college dorm where Detective Griffin and Captain Curry confront an unusual situation, and Rollins is tasked with helping a victim work through the aftermath of abuse. In one clip released ahead of the broadcast, Griffin declares that Benson "can't stand" him, underscoring interpersonal strain that features in this chapter.
Recast and Production Notes
The episode was initially slated to air earlier in the season but was shelved amid allegations involving a guest performer; that role was subsequently recast and a different actor is now set to portray the judge. The new schedule puts this recast episode on February 26. Griffin's arrival to the unit with unexplained ties to a senior detective has created tension with Benson, a dynamic referenced in the episode preview. Separately, one long‑running cast member has a reduced role this season following an on‑set injury earlier in the run.
What to Watch Next
Viewers should watch for how the judge storyline resolves and whether Griffin's uneasy relationship with Benson broadens into a larger arc across remaining episodes. If the post‑hiatus schedule holds, expect weekly Thursday airings with the two-hour block restored. Rollins' work with a victim in this episode may also signal follow‑through in later installments.
- Return date: February 26, SVU at 9 p. m. ET (back-to-back with the hour that precedes it).
- Episode focus: attempted judicial assassination tied to an anonymous tip video.
- Production note: judge role was recast after an earlier planned airing was shelved.
