Law & Order Season 23: Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know

Law & Order Season 23: Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know

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Law & Order season 23 is on the way, and news on the next chapter in the legal procedural is just as sought-after as ever. Law & Order was the show that started Dick Wolf’s entire procedural franchise and was the blueprint for many cop shows to follow. After initially ending in 2010, Law & Order returned in 2022 for its 21st season, with season 22 following shortly after. Law & Order season 23 is coming soon from NBC, and many are eager to see what awaits Shaw, Cosgrove, Dixon, and the rest of the NYPD 27th.

When the show returned after its decade-plus hiatus, it was mostly rebooted, with a new Law & Order cast taking on the roles of the NYPD detectives and attorneys. The one mainstay was Sam Waterston returning as district attorney Jack McCoy, giving old-school fans something familiar. The cases were much of the same, ripped from real-world headlines and showcasing dark stories that often kept viewers guessing. When it comes to Law & Order season 23 the Dick Wolf show is likely to keep up the same winning formula.

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Law & Order Season 23 Recent News

Law & Order Season 23: Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know

NBC announced the return dates for six of its shows delayed by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, including the next season of Law & Order. Alongside Law & Order: SVU season 25 and Law & Order: Organized Crime season 4, the 23rd season of Dick Wolf’s central Law & Order show will return on January 18, 2024. The three shows will all be part of the same weekly Thursday programming block, with Law & Order starting the evening at 20:00, followed by SVU at 21:00 and Organized Crime at 22:00. However, Canadian-set spinoff Law & Order: Toronto doesn’t share this release, and still isn’t expected until Spring 2024.

Additionally, a new member of the cast will be added for Law & Order season 23 with Veep star Reid Scott playing a new detective. The move comes after the sudden departure of cast member Jeffrey Donovan, who played Detective Frank Cosgrove for two seasons, though Scott’s exact role has yet to be disclosed.

Law & Order Is Renewed For Season 23

Jack McCoy in Law & Order.

NBC has confirmed that Law & Order will be returning for a 23rd season. The Law & Order season 23 renewal was announced on April 10, 2023. The show returned for season 21 in 2022, after a 12-year absence from television. The announcement came with Dick Wolfe saying he was happy to keep his four-decade relationship with NBC (via NBC Insider).

“All [the Law & Order and One Chicago shows] shows being picked up again is the ultimate accolade to our incredible casts, producers and writers. I’d also like to thank our loyal fans who have kept our NBC shows on the air for what will be a cumulative 84 seasons.”

Law & Order Season 23 Release Date

A composite image of Hugh Dancy and Sam Waterston in Law & Order

The release date for Law & Order season 23 has been set for January 18, 2024. Initially, it was expected that new Law & Order episodes would arrive as part of NBC’s Fall 2023 schedule. However, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes halted production (alongside many other NBC shows and those at other networks, as well as movies). This led to Law & Order season 23 being pushed back to 2024 alongside spinoffs SVU, Organized Crime, as well as Dick Wolf and NBC’s One Chicago block.

Law & Order Season 23 Cast

Law and Order Season 22 Sam Waterston

The main cast of Law & Order season 23 should look familiar, with Mehcad Brooks as Detective Jalen Shaw, and Hugh Dancy as lawyer Nolan Pierce. Also returning for the show is Carnryn Manheim as Kate Dixon and Odelya Halevi as Samantha Maroun. Veteran Law & Order actor Sam Waterston also returned for his classic role as district attorney Jack McCoy. Waterston was happy to return to the series after such a long time and felt good taking on the role of McCoy once again (via NBC Insider).

“Obviously I haven’t really been trying hard to escape [Jack McCoy]. Because here I am after a 10, 12-year break, right back where I was before. I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have such a long run doing something of real quality that really talks to this country in plain language about what’s going on right now today. It’s just been a wonderful blessing.”

Cynthia Nixon and David Harbour in Law & Order Special Victims Unit

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It’s also been confirmed that Law & Order will be losing a main cast member. Jeffrey Donovan, who has played Detective Frank Cosgrove since season 21, has opted not to return to the procedural for season 23. The established revival mainstay has specifically cited “creative reasons” for his departure, though those reasons were not revealed. Donovan is being replaced in the cast by a new full-time actor as Reid Scott will be joining the ensemble as a detective in the latest season.

Law & Order Season 23 Story

Jeffrey Donovan and Mehcad Brooks in Law and Order

The Law & Order season 23 story will likely follow a similar formula to previous seasons. There is rarely an overarching storyline in the procedural series, and each episode is a “pulled from the headlines” police case and mystery that the detectives have to solve. The Law & Order season 23 story focus is almost guaranteed to be on whatever case the NYPD’s 27th Precinct and the DA are tackling in each episode.