Are you ready to dive into the heart-pounding world of justice and crime as Law & Order returns for its highly anticipated Season 23? If yes, then continue reading to find out more about Law & Order Season 23.
We know that since the series was renewed for its 23rd season by NBC back in April 2023, fans have been curious to know what the potential release window is going to be. After all, how can the fans 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 where every episode brings a new case that challenges our understanding of right and wrong?
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 holds 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 three decades! Here is everything we know so far about the potential release date 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 July 2023, making the fandom wait for longer than they anticipated, as it’s only been a few months 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, especially when we consider the fact that there are major changes happening in the fall schedule for various networks due to the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America.
It has been weeks since the strike officially began, and it doesn’t seem to stop anytime soon, which can cause the network to thoroughly revise their upcoming fall television season by postponing the release date of the most beloved shows, including Law & Order, entirely for next season. Just like their competitor CBS, which has also been rumored to undergo a quick review of the upcoming 2023–24 fall lineup by releasing a new schedule in the coming weeks.
If we take all these factors into consideration, then it’s not farfetched to say that the possibility of this legal drama series returning in 2023 is uncertain, as there is a chance that the creators might shift the release window from September 2023 to sometime later this year or even for 2024 with the same time slot of every episode dropping on Thursday at 8/7c. Of course! This can only happen if the situation isn’t resolved by August, as that’s when the majority of NBC’s shows begin filming new episodes.
Until there is any official confirmation, we’ll just have to wait and hope that the best outcome arrives from this sudden change in the primetime schedule, which can be delayed further if the possibility of an actor’s strike happens too, in case a solution isn’t made within the new extended deadline. It will be interesting to see what direction the writers and crew will take moving forward! In the meantime, also check out the official announcement as shared by the show’s official Twitter handle:
Alert the squad! 🚨Law & Order and SVU return Thursdays this fall and Organized Crime returns in 2024 on @NBC and streaming on @Peacock. pic.twitter.com/a8FMJFKbPa
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) May 12, 2023
Law & Order Season 23 Plot: What to expect?
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,” 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 episode below:
Law & Order Season 23 Cast: Who will reprise their roles?
The main cast members of the series who are expected to reprise their roles in the upcoming season are as follows:
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 NBCUniversal and Streaming. “A huge thank you to Dick and his amazing team who are the masters of producing incredibly compelling television week after week.”
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?
Previously the network confirmed that the exact episode count for Law & Order Season 23 is expected to be around 22 episodes with a runtime of 40 to 48 minutes, which will air on a weekly basis. It is intended to follow the same count to maintain the story’s flow. But the official titles and synopsis have not been released, as these details will be revealed once the release date draws closer to avoid any early spoilers of the plotlines.
Moreover, the official episode count might vary if the network decides to air a shortened season as a part of cost-cutting due to the ongoing writer’s strike. In the meantime, the fans can check out the previous seasons to recap all the events which are available to stream on the NBC website and app based on the user’s location.
The viewers can also catch up with all the seasons of Law & Order, SVU, and Organized Crime on 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 for free, where the episodes are published after they air on the channel.
Law & Order Season 23 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the official premiere date of Law & Order Season 23?
No updated release date has been confirmed by the network as it is still subject to change due to the ongoing writer’s strike, but we speculate the release window of Fall 2023 with new episodes every Thursday at 8/7c on NBC is still fixed and can remain unchanged if the strike is resolved by August. We’ll just have to wait and see!
Is Law & Order coming back in 2023?
As aforementioned, the ongoing writer’s strike has made everything uncertain. If everything goes well and the strike ends soon, we might get to see Law & Order in 2023.
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?
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 haven’t been disclosed yet, 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.
What other streaming options are available?
As of 2023, the series is also being broadcast on Sundance TV, TNT, WE TV, NewsNation, Ion Mystery, BBC America, Bounce TV, and Paramount Network. 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.
Thanks for joining us for an exceptional season finale! #LawAndOrder and #SVU return Thursdays this fall and #OrganizedCrime returns in 2024 only on @nbc and streaming on @peacock. pic.twitter.com/Uu9KldSi0s
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) May 19, 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.