Notorious Law & Order Villain Returning For New SVU Season 27 Episode
Law & Order: SVU season 27 is bringing back a notorious villain. Between Kelli Giddish returning as Amanda Rollins, Fin’s (Ice-T) SVU absence, and the funeral of Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek), it has been a memorable new season for the long-running procedural.
On Instagram, Law & Order and Ethan Cutkosky have now revealed that the actor is returning to SVU in a guest-starring role for season 27. He previously played psychopathic murderer Henry Mesner in season 14, episode 19, and season 22, episode 14.
In the video announcing his return, Henry is captioned saying, “Can I get a dirty martini?” Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) responds by telling him, “Sir, this is Law & Order: SVU.” Undeterred by her reply, Henry asks, “Can you make it a double?” Check out the video below:
Henry is easily one of Law & Order: SVU’s most evil villains. During his debut episode in season 14, he pushes his sister down the stairs to see what will happen and later almost kills her through a fire he sets. He also drowns his friend’s dog, wounds his mother with a knife, and shoots Detective Nick Amaro (Danny Pino).
Season 22 saw Henry getting out of juvenile detention, after which he sexually assaults his psychiatrist’s daughter and goes on to kill his father, stepmother, and half-brother. He also threatens that he will kill Rollins and her child and stabs ADA Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino). Rollins told Henry at the end of the episode that she would kill him if he ever got out of prison.
With Rollins in Law & Order: SVU season 27, the series is poised to deliver a payoff for her threat five seasons later. Henry finding a way out of prison seems likely, as does a confrontation with Rollins that will force her character to make a difficult decision.
Along with Cutkosky playing one of SVU‘s most memorable villains in just two episodes, he was a series regular in all eleven seasons of Shameless. He played Carl Gallagher in the popular series. Cutkosky has played young Tommy in an episode of Power, Caleb in an episode of The Conners, and Wayne in Happy Gilmore 2.
With his return to Law & Order: SVU, Cutkosky will further cement his legacy as the villainous Henry. Since the midseason hiatus is currently in effect, 2026 would be the earliest that he could return. The series already promoting his appearance is a good sign that he will be featured in one of the first episodes after the hiatus concludes.