4 reasons we need Marcia Gay Harden (and Dana Lewis!) back on SVU

Marcia Gay Harden is one of the greatest actors of all time. She’s won an Oscar, a Tony, and was even nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role on SVU in 2007.

It makes sense, then, that Dana Lewis is one of the greatest SVU characters of all time. Now in its 23rd season, the show has quite literally had thousands and thousands of characters, but few are more memorable than Dana Lewis. Read on to discover four reasons why we need her back working with our elite squad.

She’s layered

Dana Lewis is, to put it simply, an icon. From acting as a (frankly unsettlingly convincing) white supremacist to infiltrating an eco-terrorist group, nobody can go undercover quite like her. Not only is it always a blast to see her get deep into character — sometimes as some truly abhorrent people — but it’s just as fun to see her without the aliases.

Dana Lewis is tough, determined, and passionate, but not without her flaws, which makes her a compelling character. It’s always a treat to see her work with (and sometimes against) Benson. You may also remember there is a running joke of Elliot always getting injured when she’s around — he was shot in “Raw” and hit by an explosion in “Informed.” Perhaps we could even do a crossover with Stabler’s show Organized Crime to see if, once again, she proves herself to be a jinx.

Her ending didn’t do her justice

Dana Lewis’ final episode was…controversial, to say the least. In a shocking twist, it was revealed she murdered a woman out of jealousy. The man she was in love with forced her to have an abortion only to announce months later he was marrying his girlfriend Kira Stanger — who was also pregnant. Dana staged a crime scene using the MO of a rapist and murderer who was on the loose, effectively framing him for several decades. She was only caught after Nick Amaro started looking into things.

Some fans argued that this seemed out of character for Dana Lewis after everything we’d learned about her. Marcia Gay Harden wasn’t even completely convinced! Back in 2019, she pitched the idea that perhaps it was all a ruse and that she’s actually deep undercover in prison. SVU is known for its twists, so who knows? Stranger things have certainly happened.

Marcia Gay Harden wants to come back

Marcia Gay Harden has said that she would love to come back for more! In that same 2019 interview, she expressed interest in appearing on another episode, stating she loves the show and character. Who are we to deny this queen everything she wants?

The fans want Marcia Gay Harden back

You’d be hard-pressed to find a character loyal SVU fans want back more than Dana Lewis. There are hundreds of tweets calling for her to make a return. Considering she’s only been on four episodes out of over 500, she’s clearly made the most of her time on the show, having a huge impact. It would be amazing to have her make a comeback! If Elliot can reunite with Olivia after a decade, who’s to say Dana Lewis can’t do the same?

What would you like to see if Dana Lewis does return to SVU? Let us know in the comments below!