What is the potential release date for the highly anticipated Law & Order Season 23? Here is everything we know so far.
As fans speculate about the potential release date, the question on everyone’s mind is whether there is any hope for the network to release new details in September 2023. This query is being raised all over the web, especially after how the last season ended with a major cliffhanger that has raised my curiosity more! To say the least, the fans want to know how the story of these special characters, which was created by Dick Wolf, who launched the Law & Order franchise, will be continued, due to which the interest in knowing everything has boosted over the past few weeks!
Hence, if you want to know more about the next chapter, then we can assure you that you have reached the right place to get all your answers about the potential release date of the much-anticipated 23rd season of this beloved American police procedural and legal drama television series, which we definitely think is going to captivate the audience once again, just like the prior seasons were able to do so with so much potential, which the fans truly deserve to see over the years! So, it’s time to buckle up and get ready to know all about NBC’s Law & Order Season 23.
Law & Order Season 23 Release Date: When will the series return on NBC?
Just like many scripted television shows, sadly, the entire Law & Order franchise, which includes the beloved crime drama series Law & Order Season 23, renewed earlier this year on April 10, 2023, has also been impacted by the ongoing strikes, which include the 2023 WGA strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. This ongoing dual strikes situation has caused the workings of Hollywood to come to a halt until a proper resolution is made for the work to effectively resume and the production to conclude on time without causing any further hurdles to the release.
Due to these ongoing dual strikes, which sadly don’t seem to reach an agreement in the coming weeks and are expected to last until October 2023, we don’t think that any new updates will be provided anytime soon, especially not in the month of September 2023, making the entire Law & Order 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 Writers Guild of America strikes (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
As a result, the network has decided to skip the entirety of the 2023–24 fall premiere and set 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 from the new season?
Right now, we can confirm that nothing about the plot has been revealed since the network does not want any early spoilers to emerge before viewers get a chance to see the new season. But we are certain it will be true to its original plot. It 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 finale episode below:
Law & Order Season 23 Cast: Who will reprise their roles?
The main Law & Order stars 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 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. This will simplify the explanation of character descriptions so that viewers may better comprehend their dynamics and learn more about those characters in the next season. Moreover, Dick Wolf is the creator and executive producer. Rick Eid, Arthur Forney, and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.
Lastly, the show is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment.
Law & Order Season 23 Official Episode Count: How many will be there, and 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 dual 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
When was Law & Order Season 23 renewed by NBC?
As stated above, back on April 10, 2023, the popular American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television launched the Law & Order franchise, which was renewed for its 23rd season. It was slated to premiere in the fall of 2023, but due to the Writers and Screen Actors Guilds Strike, the season was postponed to 2024. It will air alongside Season 25 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Season 4 of Law & Order: Organized Crime.
What is the production status of Law & Order Season 23?
As stated above, due to the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, we speculate that the production might have been put on a temporary halt, just like many other original NBC series, which has also stopped their work due to a lack of writers and actors leading to a major delay in the official production, which has yet to commence. Moreover, in a recent negotiation meeting, which was held for the first time in more than three months!
Due to this, we are certain that the season’s production will be delayed further.
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!
Ultimately, there is no doubt left that there will be a huge delay in the release of any such official promos for Law & Order Season 23.
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
on NBC.