The Law & Order franchise is still going strong in the 2024 TV schedule with the three shows taking over NBC Thursday nights. That said, change is on the way to the original series, with Sam Waterston stepping back after more than 400 episodes as Jack McCoy. He comes in at #3 on the list of Law & Order actors who appeared in the most episodes, and the show is undoubtedly going to be very different without McCoy. But with him on the way out, could an SVU vet arrive on the show? Read on for what we know!
Law & Order Says Goodbye To Jack McCoy
Sam Waterston's final episode is called "Last Dance" and will air on Thursday, February 22 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The case of the week will pick up with the murder of a woman in Central Park and two suspects: a billionaire and a street vendor. McCoy comes into it when he has to make a drastic action for the case, while facing extreme political pressure.
The stakes are clearly high for McCoy in "Last Dance," and I have to wonder if whatever action he takes to make the case will result in his ousting from his role as District Attorney, or at least realizing that it's time for him to step back. After reuniting with his daughter in the Season 22 finale (which also happened to be Waterston's 400th episode), I can imagine him wanting to spend more time with family without the burdens of the job getting in the way.
Whatever happens, Law & Order doesn't seem to leave the door open for him to return to his role as DA, as Scandal's Tony Goldwyn has been cast as the new District Attorney in Season 23. As it happens, the news about Waterston leaving and Goldwyn arriving broke not too long after I spoke with SVU alum Tamara Tunie for her guest role on Law & Order: Organized Crime to reconnect Melinda Warner with Elliot Stabler, and she had thoughts about coming to the original show.
Could A Franchise Vet Arrive?
While Tamara Tunie is certainly best known for her years as ME Melinda Warner on Law & Order: SVU, her most recent appearance in the franchise was in Organized Crime Season 4 for what the actress describes as a "personal" moment between her character and Stabler. Her OC arrival meant that she'd appeared in two of the three current L&O shows, so I took the chance to ask if that meant she should come to the original next. The fan-favorite responded:
Hey, you never know. Right?... Nothing's ever off the table. You just never know. If I'm available, I am always happy to come back to the SVU family and make an appearance and solve some crime.
While Tamara Tunie remains such a favorite among SVU fans that she is approached regularly about playing Warner, I know I'd be happy to see her on any of the three shows, including a McCoy-free Law & Order. For as important as she has been to SVU off and on for two decades now, it only seems right for her to appear in all of the currently-airing series. Heck, I'd be happy to see her turn up on One Chicago, since those shows also share a universe with SVU! Who doesn't love Melinda Warner?
Whether Melinda Warner appears in the franchise again in 2024 – and I have high hopes, in light of SVU's milestone 25th season – remains to be seen, but Sam Waterston's exit from Law & Order is just days away. Check out the promo for his final episode:
Tune in to NBC on Thursday, February 22 at 8 p.m. ET for Sam Waterston's final episode of Law & Order as District Attorney Jack McCoy. As always, L&O is followed by SVU at 9 p.m. and Organized Crime at 10 p.m. You can also revisit Waterston's earlier years in the franchise streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription now.
