The storylines for season 17 of Law & Order: SVU are being formed and some of the showrunners and cast members have already revealed a few details about what fans can expect from the next chapter.

The next chapter of the NBC procedural will return on Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). The same slot has been maintained for the show, Wednesdays at 9 p.m.

In a recent interview with Variety, showrunner Warren Leight dished about some interesting plot points for the next chapter. The show is known to source its inspiration for cases from the news and hot topics. Seems like the buzz surrounding celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox has caught the imagination of the writers.

"We've already started our season 17 storylines. We're doing a story about a transgender teenager," he said.

Leight suggested that while these developments -- like advocating for the rights of the transgender community -- are for the better, there are complicated grey areas that need addressing.

"The world keeps evolving, and there are a lot of dark areas that we need to look at," Leight added.

The executive producer also spoke to the publication about the dangerous pitfalls of working on a long-running show like SVU.

"Part of my challenge and everybody's challenge here is to keep it fresh and to not let a groove turn into a rut, and that can happen for any show at any time," he said. "Everyone here is really invested in keeping the show fresh and keeping the show on. We view every year's upfronts as a place to prove that we still deserve to be here."

While little is known about any of the character arcs, Kelli Giddish, who plays Rollins on the NBC procedural did give away some details about the situations her character will have to combat.

It seems like Rollins is going to deal with some major issues in the next chapter, specifically the dangerous pitfall of detective life: getting obsessed with a certain case to the point of detriment.

"Rollins, I think it's so cool to really see her get enveloped by a case and maybe a subject. I think maybe you'll see her become a little obsessed with that," Giddish said.

The finale for season 16 of Law and Order SVU aired on May 20.

Watch the preview:

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