The Law & Order franchise has been ripping from the headlines for many years, including with the original show's revival in 2022. The next new episode of Season 24, called "Folk Hero" in the 2025 TV schedule, is delivering an investigation inspired by pretty recent events, and guest star Jesse Metcalfe of Desperate Housewives fame opened up about why it could be one of the most talked-about episodes from the whole season.
"Folk Hero" airs on Thursday, March 20 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and streams next day with a Peacock subscription, with Metcalfe playing the kind of character he definitely never portrayed as a Hallmark star. As Sgt. Danny DeLuca, he'll team up with Det. Riley to track down the killer who assassinated the CEO of an insurance company. The promo confirmed that it was pulled from the headlines, and it's clear that this will be the Law & Order take on the late 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City and subsequent manhunt.
Speaking with CinemaBlend, Jesse Metcalfe confirmed that the episode finished filming "only a little over a month" before it airs on NBC, meaning that the show really didn't waste any time in adapting the real-life story to a Season 24 episode. When I asked the former John Tucker Must Die cast member what it was like for him to make his franchise debut in a ripped-from-the-headlines episode, Metcalfe shared:
Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better episode to have been a part of. I think that this particular episode is incredibly compelling. I think it's really going to resonate with the fans of the show, and spark a lot of conversation… Honestly, I couldn't ask for more. It was a perfect character and a really big episode to be a part of. I think it's probably going to be one of the most popular episodes of the season.
The actor, who came to Law & Order as a fan of the original show as well as the spinoffs, only had good things to say about the episode that introduces Sgt. DeLuca. "Folk Hero" will also be an installment that takes full advantage of filming on the streets of New York City. Metcalfe went on:
This is my very first opportunity to shoot in New York City, so that was quite a thrill for me. And this is not a small production. We shot all around Lower Manhattan and we were sort of running through the city in 20 degree degree weather for two weeks. I mean, it was really thrilling and it's almost like you're not acting. It just makes everything you do feel very real and intense. So I definitely think shooting in Manhattan lends a certain level of authenticity.
One of the risks of filming in New York City in February is bitterly cold weather, but Metcalfe made a case for why that paid off for this episode of Law & Order. He shared that he and Reid Scott were "outside all day, every day" for more than a week, which makes "what you're doing feel very real and gets the adrenaline going." He went on:
There's something about yelling in a scene and having steam come out of your mouth that just adds an extra bit of edge to the moment and to the scenes. So I embraced it.
If that's not a clear enough sign that Riley and DeLuca will be in the thick of the action during "Folk Hero," Jesse Metcalfe went on to share that he really "loved the action" of the episode. He shared:
I thought that was something that made this episode different and special. The first half of the episode was all action, and then the second half of the episode was the trial. But I would love to see the character of Sergeant Danny DeLuca expanded, and who knows? Maybe he could end up becoming a detective. I'm sure he has aspirations.
It remains to be seen if DeLuca will turn up on Law & Order again, but Metcalfe is certainly willing if the opportunity arises. When I noted that it's impressive to see what the show is able to pull off in action-packed episodes on the schedule of a network TV show, he responded:
I couldn't agree with you more. All I can really say about that is it's a well-oiled machine. It's a massive production in the middle of Manhattan, and this production team and cast and crew are total professionals, and they really make it look easy. I would be remiss if I didn't shout out my friend and former actor who directed the episode, Carlos Bernard. He's very good at what he does. He's a real actors' director, and although a lot of these action sequences were very complicated, he made it look easy, and I think the finished product speaks for itself.
The wait for the finished product is nearly over. "Folk Hero" airs on Thursday, March 20 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and the promo sheds a bit more light on the case that was ripped from the headlines and adapted into a story for this corner of the Law & Order universe. Take a look:
You can also stream new episodes the day after they air on NBC via Peacock, as well as other past episodes. NBC's Law & Order Thursdays were different in the 2024-2025 TV schedule with Law & Order: Organized Crime's move to Peacock, although SVU kept the 9 p.m. ET time slot. All three shows will nevertheless air on the same night once more when Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 gets a special primetime premiere on April 17.
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