Why did Molly Burnett's Muncy leave Law & Order: SVU? Details explored

NBC’s Law & Order: SVU has been on the air for more than two decades, making it the longest-running primetime live-action drama in television history. The show first premiered in 1999 as a spinoff of Law & Order and has since become a staple of crime television.

Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson has been the heart of the show from the beginning, while other key characters like Ice-T’s Fin Tutuola and former fan favorites like Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler have helped shape its success.

But as much as Law & Order: SVU is known for its long-standing cast members, it also frequently introduces new detectives. One of those was Detective Grace Muncy, played by Molly Burnett, who joined in season 24.

Muncy was an important addition to Benson’s team, bringing experience from the Bronx gang unit. However, her time on Law & Order: SVU was short-lived, and by the end of the season, she was gone without an explicit reason.

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The real reason behind Molly Burnett's Muncy leaving Law & Order: SVU

Molly Burnett joined Law & Order: SVU in season 24 as Detective Grace Muncy. She was a former Bronx gang unit officer who Captain Olivia Benson brought in to assist the team. She first appeared in the second episode titled The One You Feed and soon became a full-time member of the Special Victims Unit.

Muncy had a direct and blunt personality and a strong work ethic. She wasn’t the most approachable team player in the beginning but proved her value over time by handling gang-related cases and high-pressure investigations.

Even though her role was expanding, Burnett’s time on SVU did not last long. She left the show in the season 24 finale, which aired on May 18, 2023. In that episode, Muncy shared that Chief McGrath had recognized her work on the Elias Olsen case and offered her a position with a DEA task force.

The job provided better career opportunities, so she accepted the offer and officially left Benson’s team. Her final scene showed her packing up her desk as Fin gave her a heartfelt goodbye.

Muncy’s exit did not come as a surprise. Reports about Burnett leaving had surfaced months before the finale. There was no indication that her character would continue into season 25. The reason for her departure was never explicitly stated, but it was most likely a creative decision made by the show’s producers.

Law & Order: SVU (Image via NBC)

Some fans speculated that SVU was going through another transition period, similar to when Jamie Gray Hyder (Katriona Tamin) and Demore Barnes (Christian Garland) were written out after just two seasons. Others believed that Burnett may have chosen to leave due to other career opportunities.

Although Muncy wasn’t on SVU for long, her character had an impact on the team. She handled gang-related cases in a way that other detectives couldn’t, using her background from the Bronx to connect with victims and suspects in a different way.

Her biggest case involved tracking down Elias Olsen, a serial r*pist responsible for multiple attacks. When Olsen was initially let go after a mistrial, Muncy took it personally and pushed harder to bring him to justice. She eventually helped put him behind bars in episode 21 (Bad Things), one of her final major contributions to the unit.

From a storyline perspective, her exit didn’t leave a major gap in the show, but it did change the team dynamic. Her presence brought a younger, more aggressive approach to investigations, something SVU had been missing since Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) left. With Muncy gone, the unit relied more on Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) and Fin, with new detectives rotating in.

Unlike some past exits, Muncy’s departure wasn’t dramatic—she wasn’t killed off or forced out. She left on good terms, which means there’s always a chance she could return. But for now, Molly Burnett’s time on SVU is over.

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The next episode of Law & Order: SVU (season 26, episode 12) is set to air on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 9 pm ET on NBC.