Is the fan-favorite drama series facing difficulties moving forward behind the scenes? Continue reading to find out more about
Law & Order Season 23.
This most-asked question that has been blowing up all over the web is that it has been on the minds of avid fans and readers who have been captivated by the police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf, which launched the Law & Order franchise, making it understandable why the curiosity of the fans is at all times high into knowing if the future of the series is in safe hands or not! After all, Law & Order has been entertaining viewers since its inception back in 1990!
Can you believe it’s been three decades of Law & Order being on air? Hence, it’s crucial that these raging queries need to be addressed as soon as possible in order to avoid more rumors building among the community. With speculation mounting, it’s time to delve into the burning question, “Will there be another season of this beloved show or not?”
We can assure the readers that you don’t have to worry as the popular drama series from Wolf Entertainment’s Law & Order franchise, which follows a two-part approach with New York City Police Department detectives and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, is not going anywhere as it was given an early renewal for its 23rd season back on April 10, 2023. Yes, you heard it right! The network is continuing the tale as there is no chance that NBC will lean towards scrapping an important legacy show that has become very close to prime-time viewers around the world.
The series has been able to capture interest for a while, and there is no doubt that it is not going to wane anytime soon. So, the fans can breathe a sigh of relief and buckle up by speculating what new suspense and thrills the much-awaited 23rd season has to offer the Law & Order fandom! If you want to know more about the next chapter, then we highly urge the readers to continue reading to find out more details, which include the potential release date, plot, cast, etc., which will help you paint a picture of the upcoming season’s overall arc. Here is everything we know so far about NBC’s Law & Order Season 23.
Law & Order Season 23 Release Date: When will it premiere on NBC?
As of writing this, we regret to inform our beloved readers, but sadly, the eagerly awaited 23rd season of Law & Order will not be available to stream on NBC in 2023, making the fandom wait for longer than they anticipated, as it not been a while since the renewal was announced earlier this year, which was a great update to give the fandom a heads up about the timeline, but the current production status behind the scenes has taken a bit of a step back!
If you’ve been watching Law & Order for a while, then you’ll probably know that the network often takes an extended break before the start of the next season, which runs from September to May each year. As a result, the upcoming season was also going to take a brief hiatus, as its predecessors did, but now the timeline has been extended, especially when we consider the fact that there are major changes happening in NBC’s 2023–24 fall broadcast schedule due to the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America strikes (WGA) and 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes.
The emergence of these dual strikes, which started weeks ago and doesn’t seem to end anytime soon, has caused many Hollywood production houses to halt their work temporarily for the first time in 63 years, with reports circulating that the writing for the upcoming season has not started, which is quite unfortunate when we consider the fact that filming usually begins by late summer season if the network is aiming for its fall release later this year. As a result, any anticipation for the show’s early return anytime soon seems impossible!
The network has considered some crucial changes behind the scenes for its fall primetime schedule, just like ABC and CBS. These competing networks have decided to shift the fall schedule for next year and allow the empty slots to be filled with unscripted shows along with reruns of the prior seasons for the viewers to catch up with the series before the new episodes premiere, which will be ideal to avoid any further delays in the production, which can begin as soon as the strike ends.
In conclusion, the network will be skipping the entirety of the 2023–24 fall premiere and setting the release window for some time around next year, which can start for the first quarter of 2024 (January–March) with the same time slot of every episode dropping on Thursday at 8/7c on NBC and later on Peacock. To add some cherry on top, NBC has also planned to air reruns of the three series starting October 5, 2023, at the time slot of 8 p.m. to compensate for the lack of new episodes. Hence, we ask fans to be patient, as details about the new release dates will be acknowledged later.
Law & Order Season 23 Plot: What to expect?
The new season will contain the 500th episode, and it will air alongside Season 25 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Season 4 of Law & Order: Organized Crime. Moreover, the next season is anticipated to expand the core premise of the show, which follows:
“Lives hang in the balance as detectives and prosecutors pursue justice in New York City. In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney’s office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place – and keep the worst offenders off the streets.”
“I’m pleased to continue my four-decade relationship with Universal Television and NBC,” Wolf said in a statement. Further adding, “All six shows being picked up again is the ultimate accolade to our incredible casts, producers, and writers. I’d also like to thank our loyal fans who have kept our NBC shows on the air for what will be a cumulative 84 seasons.”
So, it’s fair to say that the exact plotlines haven’t been disclosed, as everything has been kept under wraps for the time being. But we are certain that the 23rd season will undoubtedly pick up from the final episode, “Open Wounds,” of the 22nd season, in which the viewers got to see that as a senator is gunned down at his daughter’s wedding, McCoy pushes for a severe sentence and squares up against a formidable DA – his own daughter; Price aims to stay neutral but can’t help but empathize with the defendant over shared trauma.
Take a look at the official promo of the episode to recall what transpired in the finale episode below:
Law & Order Season 23 Cast: Who will reprise their roles?
The original Law & Order was picked up for a 21st season in 2022 after a 10-year hiatus, and it currently stars the following main cast members who are expected to reprise their roles in the upcoming season:
Jeffrey Donovan as Senior Detective Frank Cosgrove, Mehcad Brooks as Junior Detective Jalen Shaw, Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Kate Dixon, Hugh Dancy as Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price, Odelya Halevi as Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun, and Sam Waterston as District Attorney Jack McCoy.
The recurring cast members of the series include Connie Shi as Detective Violet Yee, Alayna Hester as Lily Cosgrove, Milica Govich as Judge Leanne Dreben, Harriett D. Foy as Judge Arlene Jones, Marsha Stephanie Blake as Defense Attorney Erica Knight, David Moreland as Defense Attorney Lou Jenkins, and Lawrence Arancio as Judge Desmond.
“We understand the emotional connection our audience has with these characters, and we can’t wait to bring more of their stories to the forefront next season,” said Lisa Katz, president of scripted programming at NBC Universal and Streaming. “A huge thank you to Dick and his amazing team who are the masters of producing incredibly compelling television week after week.”
We would also like to emphasize that there can be some new additions and removals from the cast, which will be disclosed later. Moreover, Dick Wolf is the creator and executive producer. Rick Eid, Arthur Forney, and Peter Jankowski are executive producers. It is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment.
Law & Order Season 23 Episodes: Where to stream?
When the renewal was confirmed, the series received a 22-episode order from the network, except for Law & Order: Organised Crime, which will have 13 episodes that are expected to air on a weekly basis. But after the ongoing dual strikes have gained more momentum and don’t seem to reach an agreement anytime soon, causing delays in production, the chances of the official episode count decreasing aren’t far-fetched, as the network might decide to air a shorter season with 15 to 18 episodes as a part of cost-cutting, which will be a direct result of the ongoing strikes.
After all, there is no chance that any major network like NBC will rush to produce all the episodes in such a short time frame when the scripts are not even completed, which can cause major chaos on the sets. As a result, it makes sense that the show creators might opt to produce fewer episodes for this season alone, which can later be compensated with a supersized 24th season if it ever gets renewed. On the other hand, all details on the episode titles and synopsis will be released later, once the premiere date draws near, in order to prevent early spoilers.
In the meantime, viewers are recommended to catch up on all the seasons on NBC (television broadcast), Peacock, Hulu Plus, and FuboTV. All seasons are also available for renting or purchasing on Vudu or Amazon Instant Video, with a vast number of membership plans according to the preferences of the users. Moreover, the series is also available to watch exclusively on NBC’s official website and app for free, where the episodes are published after they air on the channel.
The series is also being broadcast on Sundance TV, TNT, WE TV, NewsNation, Ion Mystery, BBC America, Bounce TV, and Paramount Network as per the viewer’s location. Since mid-2020, selected seasons of Law & Order have been available for streaming on Peacock along with Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. However, unlike some shows on Peacock, such as selected seasons of SVU, which are free, access to Law & Order requires a paid Peacock subscription.
Law & Order Season 23 Frequently Asked Questions
How many seasons of Law & Order are there?
There have been 22 seasons of Law & Order, which means that the premiere of the next season in fall 2023 will be the landmark 23rd season, which was ordered back in April 2023, alongside its sibling series, Season 25 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Season 4 of Law & Order: Organised Crime. Moreover, this season will contain the 500th episode of the series.
What is the production status of Law & Order Season 23?
The filming has not begun as the ongoing dual strikes have halted the production of the show until a proper resolution is made. Recently, The Writers Guild said Wednesday that the AMPTP’s latest counteroffer for a new contract “is neither nothing nor nearly enough.” In a message to its members released today, the guild said it “will continue to advocate for proposals that fully address our issues rather than accept half measures like those” offered by the companies in its latest offer on August 11, 2023. The guild said that “we remain committed to direct negotiations with the companies.”
The strike is now in its 115th day! Hence, it will cause more delays in the commencement of writing and the production of the new season.
Is there any promo or teaser trailer available for Law & Order Season 23?
We would also like to highlight that the network hasn’t released any new promotional stuff for the next season, as the release date and the filming status are neither here nor there due to the ongoing dual strikes (2023 Writers Guild of America strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike), leaving a lot of time for the official marketing tour to begin. In the meantime, check out all the prior seasons to recall the events that have transpired so far in this beloved police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, in case you haven’t watched the show yet!
c'mon partner let's go on a #LawAndOrder hot boy walk🚶🚶 pic.twitter.com/55loxjftPc
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) August 14, 2023
While you wait for more updates on Law & Order Season 23, catch up with the previous seasons and let us know which season you like
the most.