Original Law & Order Renewed for Season 21 after 11 Years off Air

The show that started it all—Law & Order—will be back for its 21st season after being off the air for 11 years and counting.

As the OG, Law & Order back in 1990 set a precedent for successful crime procedural dramas. It also gave birth to a vast and successful franchise that branched out in six spin-offs, including the two currently on air: SVU and Organized Crime.

Of this, SVU, with its 23 seasons, has the claim for the longest-running drama in TV history.

However, the original Law & Order’s own run was cut short after 20 seasons in 2010 itself. NBC decided to focus more on the spin-offs and gave Law & Order the boot.

But now, a decade later, the show is back to save the day, as it will be filling in for For the Defense, a Law & Order spin-off that fell through before it could even debut.

Law & Order Season 21 is set to take up the Thursday night slot, along with on-air counterparts SVU and Organized crime. As of yet, there are no cast or release details available, so it is unsure if the show will be back after the franchise’s usual midseason break.

Of the popular names tied to Law & Order (including Steven Hill, S. Epatha Merkerson, Jessie L. Martin, and the late Jerry Orbach), Sam Waterson, who played DA Jack McAvoy, is one being eyed to make a major comeback.

It is also possible that the renewed season will also feature fresh faces and new dynamics, updating the show to the current sociopolitical era.

The show’s original format had the first half of the episode deal with the investigation of the crime itself, while the latter half focused on the court proceedings. It is believed that the renewed season too will continue the same format.

While fans all around are overjoyed at the news, there’s no one happier than creator Dick Wolf who had endlessly rallied for Law & Order’s revival when cancellation news first broke out in 2010 and years thereafter.

Wolf, who expressed in a statement that this was a dream come true, will be returning as executive producer. Rick Eid will be back as showrunner as well.

With characters old and new, rousing cases, and possible crossovers with SVU and Organized Crime, Law & Order is shaping up to be an exciting affair!

About Law & Order

Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama TV series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment. It is the original show that launched the Law & Order franchise, which has a total of six spin-offs to date.

Law & Order’s original run of 20 seasons was between September 13, 1990, and May 24, 2010. In September 2021, NBC renewed it for its 21st season. Details TBA. 

Set and filmed in New York City, the series follows a two-part format: the first half-hour is the investigation of a crime by the NYPD detectives, while the second half focuses on the legal proceedings in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

The longest-running main cast includes Steven Hill, Jerry Orbach, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, and Jesse L. Martin.