The Law & Order mothership is about to come home.
NBC has released the first teaser for the Season 21 revival of Law & Order, coming out in February. To no surprise, the first dialogue of the new show features Sam Waterston’s Jack McCoy, ready to welcome folks back.
For two decades, Law & Order was a mainstay of NBC programming. Millions tuned in each week to watch the now-iconic series, with the first half focusing on a murder investigation and the second the prosecution of the criminals.
While cast members came and went, the show never shied away from storylines “ripped from the headlines” and discussions of justice, moral rights, and more.
The series won an Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in 1997 with accolades for the writing as well. It also began its own franchise with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, among others.
The long road to revival for Law & Order
In 2010, most expected the series to have a record-breaking 21st season, making it the longest-running scripted prime-time drama. Instead, shockingly, NBC canceled the show with no warning.
NBC wanted to focus on the Law & Order: LA spin-off. However, that show never became as popular and was hurt by some mid-season retooling, and was canceled at the end of its sole season.
That left Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as the only remaining show of the franchise until Law & Order: Organized Crime premiered in 2021.
Now, after twelve years, the original Law & Order is back and ready to make up for the lost time.
The first look at Law & Order’s return
The clip shown by NBC and Dick Wolf Entertainment is a short one focusing on Waterston, who is back as District Attorney Jack McCoy.
The D.A. delivers an ominous warning to someone that “it’s okay to play the hero..as long as you win.”
The clip also shows some new characters for the series: ADA Samantha Maroun (Oldelya Halevi); Detective Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan); and ending with Hugh Dancy as senior prosecutorial assistant Nathan Price.
Not shown in the preview are Anthony Anderson reprising his role as Detective Kevin Bernard and Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Kate Dixon.
So far, there is no word on the plotlines for the revival show. Dick Wolf has stated it will not be a reboot but a continuation of the series as if the twelve-year absence from TV never happened.
The show will kick off Law & Order on Thursdays as the lead-in for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order; Organized Crime. Obviously, NBC will be busy for most of February with the Winter Olympics but are already prepping this big premiere.
While a longer trailer is likely coming soon, this is the first glimpse at what the return of one of television’s most iconic series will be.
Law & Order Season 21 premieres Thursday February 24 at 8/7c on NBC.