Law & Order: SVU Celebrates 500th Episode with Trailer and Deleted Scene

By Matthew Aguilar

Tonight is a huge milestone for Law & Order: SVU, as NBC celebrates the big 500th episode of the long running fan favorite. The epic episode will feature number of returning faces, including the former Captain Donald Cragen and the shocking return of Danny Pino's Nick Amaro. Ahead of the big episode NBC revealed a new trailer teasing some of these returns as well as a deleted scene from the 500th episode featuring Amaro and Rollins. You can check out the full trailer and the deleted scene in the videos below.

The trailer shows Cragen on the phone talking to Olivia, and he says "Captain, you don't know how proud it makes me to say that." We then see her walking into a room to the shock of Amaro's return, who greets her with "What, you don't like surprises?"

The deleted cscene features Amaro and Rollins going through the evidence lock-up and catching up on old times and each other's families. They are looking for the Hayley West documents on the case Amaro wants reopened, but their time is cut short after Amaro gets a text, and you watch the full scene in the video below.

Pino spoke to TV Line about his big return, including how it felt to be back on the set. "It's amazing how much felt the same,"Pino said. "It's saying a lot to walk onto a set that has been working at such a high level for so long and to feel that same enthusiasm and commitment to the storytelling." He credits Mariska Hargitay, who has been a series regular for all 23 seasons, with setting the tone. "That all really flows from Mariska, who is so incredibly connected and energized and committed to telling these stories still."

As for what draws him back to SVU, Amaro has a case he needs reopened, and with Benson being the Captain now, she's the one who can make it happen.

"[Laughs] He was never scared of speaking truth to power. And in that situation, in that hierarchy, Benson is certainly the powerful one. She is the one who pulls the strings. Amaro is coming to her to beg, to ask, to plead to reopen this case, right. And she's the one who really has the strength," Pino said.

"And then when you couple that with his overwhelming respect and love for Benson, to see that maybe she has a blind spot, and potentially because, you know, they're not working directly with each other, it's easier for him to say that than it would be for Rollins, you know, or for Tutuola... And sometimes, it's your really good friends, it's your maybe closest friends who...it's their responsibility to put all of that trust on the line to reveal something to a loved one, a dear friend, and maybe cause an uncomfortable situation. And I think Amaro walks out of that room not knowing where that relationship is at that point," Pino said.

Law & Order: SVU airs tonight on NBC at 8 PM CST.

Which part of the big 500th episode are most excited for? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things Law & Order: SVU with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!

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