After its cancelation in 2010, Law & Order embarked upon a long journey back to television, which it achieved with a 21st season a decade in the making on Feb. 24, 2022. And now that the show’s here, it doesn’t want to go away again anytime soon.
NBC has renewed Law & Order for season 22, bringing the flagship series of Dick Wolf’s legendary TV franchise just two seasons shy of its own spinoff, Law & Order: SVU (which was renewed for a 24th season) in terms of longevity.
“The iconic Law & Order brand has long been synonymous with NBC, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring back all three of these dramas for the 2022-23 season,” Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Programming, NBCU Entertainment and Streaming, said in a statement to the press. “It’s a testament to the brilliance of Dick Wolf’s storytelling that audiences remain compelled by these unforgettable characters week after week, year after year.”
Audiences have indeed been compelled by these unforgettable characters week after week, year after year, and Law & Order‘s successful revival is just the latest reminder. Law & Order season 21 performed comparably ratings-wise to the final season of the show’s initial run in 2010, which is no small feat in a far more competitive TV landscape.
The renewal also assures that uber-producer Dick Wolf (now 75 years old) will continue to be among the busiest men in show business. In light of the announcement, it’s worth checking out this fascinating Variety piece about how Wolf produces nearly 200 hours of television per season between his Law & Order and Chicago franchises.
Here is everything we know about Law & Order season 22.
Law & Order Season 22 Release Window
We know a lot about when Law & Order season 22 will air…aside from its actual release date. NBC has announced that the show is a part of its 2022 fall TV schedule as part of an all-Law & Order Thursday night programming block.
Law & Order will air on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET followed by Law & Order: SVU at 9 p.m. and Law & Order: Organized Crime at 10 p.m. On which Thursday in the fall will this Law & Order night premiere, however? It’s not know for sure but last year’s NBC fall lineup began on Monday, Sept. 20. If a similar timeline holds, look for Law & Order season 22 on Thursday, Sept. 22
Law & Order Season 22 Cast
The cast of the Law & Order revival is made up of a mix of new and old faces. They are:
- Detective Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson)
- Detective Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan)
- Lieutenant Kate Dixon (Camryn Manheim)
- Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy)
- Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi)
- District Attorney Jack McCoy (Sam Waterson)
Of course, part of the appeal of the Law & Order franchise is that every episode of the show features a roster of guest actors ranging from the unknown to the extremely notable. The Law & Order season 21 finale even played host to SVU lead Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay).
Stay tuned for more news about Law & Order season 22 as it arrives.