Will fans have to wait for updates from the network to know for sure? If you want to know the current status of all three Law & Order shows, then continue reading to find out more.
Fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of NBC’s fall 2023–24 broadcast season. One question looms large in their minds: Will the NBC network behind the three iconic police procedural and legal dramas of the Law & Order franchise, which has spanned over decades with a dedicated fan base, bring back the three series this fall season or not? As there is no doubt that in the last few years, major networks like NBC and its various competitors like ABC and CBS have faced some of the most difficult times in rolling out television series, filled with many uncounted hurdles that have been heading their way, and sadly, they don’t seem to stop anytime soon!
First, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that halted the production of major television shows, including one of the longest-running shows on the network, that has cemented itself in the network’s legacy! Yes, you guessed it right—it’s the one and only Law & Order franchise, which was created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, and it still includes the three well-known shows that have not ended their run and were renewed for new seasons earlier this year, which include the following: Law & Order Season 23, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 25 and Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4.
These shows are widely popular among viewers due to the shared universe concept that engages characters from respective shows in various crossover episodes, which makes it an exciting series that die-hard fans regularly stream every new season, making it one of the reasons why the network gave them early renewals for additional seasons earlier this year for the 2023–24 fall broadcast season, which was confirmed to premiere at the same time slot every Thursday starting with Law & Order at 8:00 p.m., followed by Law & Order: SVU at 9:00 p.m., expect Law & Order: Organised Crime, which was always set to release in 2024 on NBC and later be available to stream exclusively on Peacock.
Hence, when the 2023–24 fall schedule was confirmed, the cheerfulness among the fandom was at an all-time high, but sadly, the celebrations were short-lived as the second wave of hurdles finally made its stop at the doors of the NBC network much sooner than expected, due to which the production houses across major Hollywood studios have once again come to a temporary halt! This time around, it’s the ongoing dual strikes, which include the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, that has caused both writers and actors to join hands in protest regarding their fair compensation and stop the production stage of many series.
These ongoing situations, which have lasted much longer than anyone was expecting, have gained momentum for the first time in 63 years, putting Hollywood on a double strike that has caused some major disruption in the previously confirmed schedule for NBC, due to which the production has been put on a definite stop 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 official release. As a result, the previously confirmed 2023–24 fall release window for the three Law & Order police procedural and legal drama television series has also been shifted!
On the other hand, these major protests are speculated to last until October 2023, leaving no chance that the actors and writers will back down easily without reaching a fair agreement, which they truly deserve to get as they are the ones who are the backbone of the entertainment industry, and it’s because of them that scripts are written with great actors taking roles in the projects in order to give them life and bring the magic from the screenplays onto the television screens around the world. So, this is an unfortunate update to report, but there is no chance that we will be getting to see our beloved shows premiere this fall season or sometime later this year!
If you have been keeping up with the latest changes, then you’ll know that even if, for your convenience, we consider this situation, it is not far-fetched to foresee why the entire NBC’s 2023–24 fall broadcast schedule has been revised, which has decided to schedule all scripted shows until next year, as there is no guarantee when both sides will reach an agreement. Moreover, the production for the new season, which usually begins around late July or August each year for the creators to successfully premiere new episodes by the fall release window for the respective works, also doesn’t seem likely to happen this year.
Recently, the negotiation meetings have also not reached any fair agreement, with the last meeting at the Sherman Oaks office of the Carol Lombardini-led organization concluding with “mixed results,” according to well-placed sources, leading to no new details emerging as to whether the parties will meet for further talks or if more proposals will be offered. But Deadline reported that the Writers Guild and AMPTP are resuming talks, and the WGA will be delivering their counter to AMPTP’s counter-proposal on Friday. Due to this, it has become very hard to predict the most accurate schedule for when the filming will commence once the strike concludes, let alone an official premiere date.
So, for your consideration, we are certain in making our best assumption that the three beloved crime drama television series that was created by Dick Wolf for NBC will most likely premiere sometime around early 2024, which will be the first quarter (January, February, and March) of the broadcast schedule, with the new episodes airing at the same time slot every Thursday starting at 8 p.m. and concluding at 10 p.m. on NBC and later available to stream on Peacock. To add some cherry on top, new reports also indicate that NBC plans 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.
We would also like to emphasize that the chances of three Law & Order series airing new episodes by late 2023 are still a possibility only if the dual strikes reach an agreement within the next few weeks, as it will help avoid any further delays. But, even if we are hopeful for the strike to conclude early, there is no doubt that the chance of Law & Order returning in the fall of 2023 is not possible due to the revised schedules. Hence, we ask fans to be patient with new information on the new release dates, which will be acknowledged later. Until then, we can just assume what direction the writers and crew will take moving forward! *Finger’s Crossed*
Will the official episode count for the three ‘Law & Order’ shows be reduced?
If you recall, 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. But after the ongoing dual strikes have gained more momentum and don’t seem to reach an agreement anytime soon, causing delays in production. Then it’s not far-fetched to say that the chances of the official episode count being decreased for the other two shows are still on the table, as the network might decide to air shorter seasons with 15 to 18 episodes as a part of cost-cutting, which will be a direct result of the ongoing dual strikes.
As 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 supersized seasons in the future if it ever gets renewed. On the other hand, all details on the episode titles and synopsis for the three Law & Order series will be released later, once the premiere date draws near, in order to prevent early spoilers.
All the prior seasons of the series are exclusively available to stream for free on NBC’s official website and app based on the user’s location. The viewers can also catch up with all the previous seasons on Peacock, Hulu Plus, FuboTV, and Sky TV in the UK. For international viewers, it is also available for renting or purchasing on Vudu or Amazon Instant Video, with a vast number of membership plans that depend on the user’s region. Some of the other platforms where the series is being broadcasted, along with Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med, are as follows: Sundance TV, TNT, WE TV, NewsNation, Ion Mystery, BBC America, Bounce TV.
if you can hear these photos, you're a true squad member. pic.twitter.com/wAgf9Rs1lh
— 𝐋𝐀𝐖 & 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 (@lawandordertv) August 1, 2023
While you wait for more Law & Order updates, catch up on previous seasons to recall all the plotlines that have happened so far.