When will the iconic drama series grace our screens? Continue reading to find out more about Law & Order Season 23.
We have been aware of this ever since NBC renewed the adored series for a 23rd season in April 2023 after offering viewers unlimited entertainment over the previous three decades. The fans were curious to know what the potential release window was going to be. After all, how can they not be excited as this iconic series continues to push boundaries and explore the complexities of the legal system by taking the viewers on a rollercoaster ride with every episode that brings a new challenging case?
So, if you are wondering the same thing, then we can assure you that you have reached the right place to know all your answers about the much-anticipated 23rd season of Law & Order! In short, it’s time to mark your calendars and hold onto your seats because we definitely think that this new season will also captivate the audience once again, as it has done for the last twenty-two seasons! Here is everything we know so far about the potential release window of 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 August 2023, making the fandom wait for longer than they anticipated, as it’s 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!
Yes, you read it right! 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 strikes, which started weeks ago and doesn’t seem to end anytime soon, has caused many Hollywood production houses to halt their work temporarily, 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 the summer season if the network is aiming for its fall release later this year. As a result, any anticipation for the show’s return anytime soon seems impossible!
The network might have 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, if the strikes don’t reach an agreement within a few weeks, then the creators and 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. Hence, it’s only a matter of time before the modified broadcast schedule becomes known to the viewers through the release of a press release or announcements on NBC’s social media channels.
Finally, to answer your question, we can assure the readers that there is no chance that the police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf will be back in August 2023 with the brand new 23rd season of Law & Order!
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 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.
One word: legendary. #LawAndOrder pic.twitter.com/HHciEkC5F0
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) May 19, 2023
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.
The jury agrees: Jack McCoy is an absolute #LawAndOrder legend. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/a9Q272OdXq
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) May 19, 2023
Law & Order Season 23 Frequently Asked Questions
Is Law & Order coming back in 2023?
As aforementioned, the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strike has made everything uncertain. If everything goes well and the strike ends soon, we might get to see Law & Order in late 2023, but if the strikes continue to gain momentum and don’t reach an agreement within a few weeks, then the series will be rescheduled to air sometime around 2024 at the previously designated time slots.
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 which are 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.
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, 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!
Cannot imagine going toe to toe with this squad. pic.twitter.com/uyZY3IbYRG
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) July 11, 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.