‘Law & Order: SVU’ Boss Previews Barba’s Return: He ‘Has Something to Prove’
Preview
Raúl Esparza is back on Law & Order: SVU in the January 7 episode, but there’s something different about his character, ruthless former assistant district attorney Rafael Barba.
Although he briefly video-chatted from Iowa with SVU captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) in a February episode, when we last saw Barba in New York City, he had “left the DA’s office under a cloud,” showrunner Warren Leight tells TV Insider. (Barba had taken a comatose infant off life support.) “He comes back seeking if not revenge, at least closure.”
In “Sightless in a Savage Land,” the SVU squad tracks down an Amber Alert on New Year’s Eve, then Barba and ADA Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) face off in court. Now serving as defense counsel, Barba “has something to prove,” Leight says.
Producers looked at those scenes, with the former detective (Carisi) and the man who mentored him (Barba), “as rounds of a boxing match. One fighter more or less trained the other; now they are in the ring, neither wanting to give an inch,” the showrunner previews. “Director [and EP] Norberto Barba brought a pugilistic approach to each round. Emotionally, I think it’s obviously more loaded for Carisi than Barba—it’s never easy to go up against your mentor.”
Leight isn’t ruling out the possibility of seeing Esparza again soon. “I have learned, repeatedly, it’s futile to predict the future this season. Or even to predict the next hour,” he says, teasing, “We hope to bring Barba back, and we even have an episode worthy of the intelligence and theatricality he brings to the role of a defense attorney. With luck we’ll shoot it before season end.”
For now, let’s just get ready to see Barba and Carisi go head-to-head in the courtroom.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC
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G
YES! Please bring Barba back as many times as possible! He is just amazing.
16
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O
Please bring Barb's back🙏
10
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C
Love Barba ! We need more! This cast is great and so well crafted, love them all, but Barba has an intensity that adds so much , also love his chemistry with Benson!
9
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G
I think Barba is great. Please bring him back permently. Carisi is good as a detective, but not as a lawyer.
9
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O
OMG YEAH!!! He makes an awesome DA. And he better keep that beard...Looks awesome!!!!
9
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R
I enjoy Raul Esparza
7
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R
i hope he come back. as much as I like the show its not the same. He adds so much to the show. Please bring him back permanently. He would be the lifesaver
6
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R
I enjoyed him totally i like Carisi3 just not as an attorney
5
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P
I love this I hope it works out great I know I love this show it’s my favorite show on TV so happy it’s on TV still .
2
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B
Bring back Barba he was the best. So same as Stabler but at least we get to see him in the new spinoff. Also would really love to see Cassidy back love that guy
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O
I think advertising that Barba is returning to Law and Order SVU is very very deceitful considering he had only a guest appearance and apparently that is all he will be
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R
I am confused. Sources say barba will be back... on svu, no sign yet...then they show love scenes between barba and benson I missed on svu. Lastly, they say raul is doing a TV movie or series called suspicion. I will be glad to see this fine actor back in anything.
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