Why Bruno Was Missing on Tonight’s Episode of Law & Order: SVU
While Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27’s “Career Psychopath” was in no shortage of jaw-dropping twists, SVU fans may have found themselves missing a squadroom asset: Kevin Kane’s Detective Terry Bruno.
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Watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC and next day on Peacock.
From his endless sarcasm to his preternatural investigative instincts, it doesn’t take long to notice Detective Terry Bruno missing from a case during his rare day off from the SVU. Bruno missed out on the thrilling return of known squad room villain Henry Mesner during SVU‘s latest, but fortunately his squad members picked up the slack. Bruno’s lack of presence was duly noted by his colleagues, so luckily, fans weren’t left in the dark about their beloved Bruno.
Fret not, Law & Order fans: Detective Bruno will return to Benson’s squad room soon enough. Read more about his absence from SVU‘s January 22 episode, below:
Where was Detective Terry Bruno on Law & Order: SVU this week?
An explanation for Bruno being M.I.A. was given after the SVU detectives met back at the precinct to work the mind-boggling case. The short answer? Bruno was out of office to attend a funeral.
Despite being the victim that sparked the manhunt — and being forced to use her service weapon during the scrapple — Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) dragged her feet in completing her mandatory psych evaluation. After her Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) checked in for a status update, Rollins used Bruno’s rare absence as a convenient excuse.
“Look, Bruno is out for a funeral,” Rollins said. “We’re down a man, so I just figured I-”
“You figured what? You figured I’d just let you skip that part?” Benson said. “No, that’s just not good for anyone.”
Tynan had expedited the appointment; the quicker Rollins talked to someone, the better because the more she waited, the worse it would feel. Plus, Benson had pulled some strings to get Rollins’ psych evaluation expedited, so Rollins felt fortunate to get it over with, at least.
So there you have it, folks: Bruno is OOO due to bereavement, but will likely return to his post soon in upcoming episodes.
Kevin Kane says Terry Bruno “wants to help” on Law & Order: SVU
Introduced to the squad in Season 23 of SVU and recently bumped to series regular in Season 27, Kane’s Detective Terry Bruno has emerged as one of Benson’s most reliable recruits, and fans can’t wait to see what heinous case he tackles next.
Bruno always goes above and beyond for his squad, even taking the brunt of the damage during an explosive raid during SVU and Law & Order‘s 2026 crossover event. If it wasn’t for Bruno’s spot-on instincts, all of the Law & Order fan-favorites would have landed in jeopardy, but Bruno doesn’t miss a beat.
Whether he’s grilling a perp in the interrogation room with Fin Tutuola (Ice T) or chasing a criminal through the streets with the full squad, Bruno’s passion for delivering justice never wavers. That infallible commitment comes from winning a millionaire lawsuit against his former NYPD precinct, so you know that Bruno’s thirst for justice runs deep. Set up financially for life, Bruno weighs in on cases because he truly cares, a sentiment Kane shared in a 2025 interview with NBC Philadelphia.
“I think it’s just been fun to just not have to play by the rules,” Kane said while chatting about Bruno’s zeal on SVU. “He’s there because he wants to help, and he found a group of people that, like, it’s really in their heart to do it.”