NBC may have made a big move regarding the three Law & Order shows by renewing them for the 2023-2024 TV schedule (and the stars wasted no time before celebrating), but fans are stuck waiting for new episodes of the current season. Law & Order, SVU, and Organized Crime have all been airing reruns ever since the last new episodes on April 6. The good news is that L&O fans won’t have to wait too much longer to see the cops and attorneys back in primetime, and NBC has already dropped some details to tease how the shows will return on April 27.
Law & Order – ”Private Lives”
The next new episode of Law & Order is called “Private Lives,” and will air in the show’s usual 8 p.m. ET time slot on NBC Thursday nights. Even though fans may see less of their favorite characters in the L&O franchise next season, NBC’s episode description for the April 27 return indicates that all hands will be on deck:
Cosgrove and Shaw investigate the murder of a family physician whose outspoken politician wife suspects she was the intended target. Price and Maroun’s case hangs in the balance when the defense calls one of the doctor’s young patients to testify as a witness.
It seems that this case will be a particularly rough one on both the law and order sides of the long-running drama, and not deliver what actor Hugh Dancy has said he wants to do more of after his character did what he describes as a “terrible thing” not too long ago. Based on the promo for the episode, a fundamental question will be whether the crime was committed for vengeance or love. Take a look:
A case involving a young patient who might be forced to do something against his wishes is normally something that L&O fans might expect to see on SVU, but Mariska Hargitay’s show is going in a different direction.
Law & Order: SVU - “Bend the Law”
On April 27, the new episode of SVU will be “Bend the Law” and air at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, and it will bring back none other than Betty Buckley as Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell. It doesn’t sound like this appearance will be too similar to when she made an implicit deal with Benson about a murder. The network previewed this episode description:
Carisi must tread carefully when Maxwell’s husband becomes a person of interest in an SVU investigation. Benson sends Velasco to take an old friend into custody.
It doesn’t sound like Benson will be singing for Maxwell like how Mariska Hargitay serenaded Betty Buckley recently! It also seems that Benson hasn’t let up on Velasco since giving him an ultimatum. Check out the episode promo for more of what to expect:
Welcome back, Bruno! If the Special Victims team finds out that Maxwell’s husband has been assaulting underage girls, then seeing Bruno again may be the only thing to celebrate.
Law & Order: Organized Crime – ”A Diplomatic Solution”
Meanwhile, on Law & Order: Organized Crime at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, Stabler and Co. have a big threat to try and neutralize in “A Diplomatic Solution.” With the life of a diplomat on the line, Stabler will also have some personal complications to deal with… and no, not of the Benson variety despite what happened in their most recent interaction! NBC’s episode description reveals:
The team scrambles to find the group responsible for an assassination attempt on a UN diplomat. Whelan and Reyes find a key clue in the depths of the city’s tunnel system. Stabler struggles to balance the investigation with his mother’s increasing need for support.
Would it really be Law & Order: Organized Crime if Bell’s task force isn’t assigned a high-stakes and high-profile case guaranteed to get explosive? Organized Crime hasn’t featured as much of the extended Stabler family in Season 3, so hopefully Stabler struggling with his mom’s need for support means a return from actress Ellen Burstyn as Bernie. Check out the promo for April 27:
While there are still days to go before the three Law & Order shows are back and there are only so many times you can watch your favorite reruns via a Peacock Premium subscription, the end of the break is nigh… as well as the end of the TV season, as Mariska Hargitay recently celebrated wrapping on Season 24 of SVU. In the meantime, you can also check out our list of questions (and possible answers) about the Dick Wolf TV universe now that the three Law & Order, three FBI, and three One Chicago shows are all renewed.
