Fin may not have been dad of the year when his son was young, but he’s stepped up during his SVU tenure.
It’s no secret that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit‘s Sgt. Fin Tutuola (Ice T) is a squad room legend, but some of his most revealing storylines have unfolded outside of the precinct. Case in point: Fin’s once-estranged relationship with his son, Ken Randall (Ernest Waddell).
Fin’s dry humor and sharp instincts make him indispensable in the field, but it’s the glimpses into his personal life that have added unexpected depth over the past two decades. Fin may spend most of his time navigating grueling criminal takedowns, but he’s also quite the family man, and the relationship with his son is one of Fin’s most treasured connections. Through Ken, viewers have seen a different side of Fin, not just as a hardened detective, but as a father navigating a complicated, messy history with his son.
As Fin Tutuola continues to secure justice on SVU, let’s take a look back on his connection with his son, Ken Randall, below:
Sgt. Fin Tutuola’s son, Ken Randall, appeared on Law & Order: SVU for the first time in Season 6
Fin’s son, Ken Randall, was first introduced in SVU Season 6’s “Haunted” after Fin got shot in the line of duty, and has made several appearances on the NBC nail-biter ever since. Ken Randall is Fin’s son through his previous marriage to Teresa Randall, who divorced Fin long before he joined the elite squad. Due to his estranged relationship with his father, Ken opted to adopt his mother’s maiden name.
Viewers met Ken as an adult, learning he shared an estranged relationship with Fin that instantly tested their reunion after the shooting prompted Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) to contact Fin’s next of kin. The emotional distance between Fin and Ken was immediately clear, and the years Fin spent away from his son weren’t easy to smooth over. Many of Ken Randall’s early appearances were tense and uncomfortable as Ken struggled to trust his father again.
Ken Randall has helped his father and the squad on SVU
While investigating a homicide of a gay man who was killed after leaving a nightclub in Season 7’s “Strain,” Fin discovered that Ken had visited the same club moments before the homicide occurred, with Ken ultimately revealing to his father that he’s gay. While Fin and Ken’s relationship was still strained, Fin’s support meant a lot to Ken, who agreed to go undercover for the squad to help them solve the case.
Ken and Fin’s emotional reconciliation was grounded, so while Ken struggled to open up to his father, Fin’s renewed investment helped bridge their multi-decade gap. In Season 13 of SVU, Fin learned that his son was engaged to Alejandro Pavel, a man tragically attacked by a gang in “Learning Curve.” After tracking down the assailants and delivering justice, Fin was happy to celebrate becoming a father-in-law to Alejandro. The excitement didn’t end there, either.
Ken and his husband Alejandro made Fin a proud grandfather on SVU
In Season 17 of SVU, Ken and Alejandro were nervously excited to tell Fin that they were taking the next steps to become parents. Fin was ecstatic for them as he geared up to become a grandfather. In Season 19 of SVU (“Send in the Clowns”), Ken and Alejandro adopted a young boy, Jaden. Ken visited Fin at the precinct with his grandson, and Fin wasted no time gushing over his new grandson with all of his colleagues.
Ken has made several other pop-ins over the years, usually while checking in on his dad or to help the squad on another action-packed case. Through Ken Randall, SVU has given Fin some of his most powerful moments. Ken and Fin’s relationship leaned into the reality of complicated family bonds, evolving slowly, imperfectly, and ultimately meaningfully.
