Stephanie March Returns to SVU

Well, for about six episodes. Here's what Yahoo is reporting today:

LOS ANGELES – Stephanie March is back on the job as New York prosecutor Alexandra Cabot on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

March will guest star on NBC's top-rated drama for six episodes, beginning Feb. 17, series executive producer Neal Baer said Thursday. The show airs at 10 p.m. EST Tuesday.

The actress compared the program to "an old flame."

"Every time I run into it I think, `Hmmm, what if?' I look forward to spending some time working with a production that has always been so rewarding for me," March said in a statement.

She starred on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for four seasons, leaving the show in 2003 as her character was forced into witness protection because of efforts to break a drug cartel.

In a 2005 episode, Cabot came out of the protection program to testify against the head of the cartel, who ultimately was killed in prison. March also briefly reprised the role of Cabot on NBC's drama "Conviction," which aired in 2006.

As Baer tells it, Cabot wasn't ready until now to put her difficult experience behind her and return to work with her former special victims unit colleagues. He welcomed having Cabot's "commanding presence" back in the courtroom, Baer said.

During Cabot's return, prosecutor Kim Greylek (Michaela McManus) will be temporarily on assignment in Washington, D.C., working with the Justice Department.

March, who is married to celebrity chef Bobby Flay, appears in the upcoming movie "This Side of Truth" with Ricky Gervais and has guest-starred in series including "30 Rock," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Rescue Me."

It's unclear what this means for Michaela McManus' character in the long run; why bring on a new actress just to shunt her to the side after half a season? But we'll see....