When the 20th season finale of “Law & Order” was filmed in the spring of 2010, it probably didn’t occur to anyone in the cast or crew that the veteran cops-and-lawyers series wouldn’t be back with new episodes in the fall, just as it had done every year since 1990.
在乔治的首映H.W. Bush’s presidency, “Law & Order” eschewed the introspection and angst of latter-day police dramas like “Hill Street Blues” and “Miami Vice” in favor of a gritty update of old-school procedurals like “Dragnet.” Even as the age of peak TV arrived, when heavy serialization became the norm, the NBC procedural kept its focus on one-and-done stories using a rock-solid formula that allowed it to weather all manner of cast changes over two decades.
456年episodes, the detectives of New York’s 27th Precinct investigated crimes, and prosecutors in the New York County District Attorney’s Office picked up the threads to prosecute the offenders. That it was suddenly canceled at the end of its 20th year was as much of a shock to creator/executive producer Dick Wolf as it was for the audience — it also didn’t help that its replacement series, “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” which premiered that fall, was quickly canceled after a single season.
Nevertheless, thanks to constant reruns and many beloved spin-offs still on the air, the original, New York-based “Law & Order” has never left the zeitgeist. The newest series in the franchise, “Organized Crime,” premiered in 2020, and veteran workhorse “Special Victims Unit,” currently in its 23rd season, is the longest-running American drama series in history.
That, coupled with the current vogue for dusting off beloved older titles for reboots, makes it not altogether surprising that NBC wheeled the original “Law & Order” back out for a new season 12 years after unceremoniously handing it retirement papers.
If anything, the revival underscores the timeless appeal of procedural dramas, and makes one wonder why it took so long for the network to make this happen.
Written by franchise veteran Rick Eid, the season 21 premiere, titled “The Right Thing,” takes a cue from recent news stories following a well-known entertainer accused of rape by multiple women after he is released from prison due to a bureaucratic mistake (a la Bill Cosby). As “Law & Order” cases go, it’s standard issue, but that’s a feature for this franchise, not a bug. It’s what fans tune in to see.
Most of the actors featured on season 20 — one of the best ensembles of the entire run — have moved on to other projects, but some familiar faces are back for season 21, including Anthony Anderson as Detective Kevin Bernard (after appearing in seasons 18-20). Perhaps most important is the return of Sam Waterston as crusading District Attorney Jack McCoy. Considered to be “Law & Order” royalty since joining the cast in 1994, Waterston’s reassuring presence is the one essential ingredient in making this reboot feel right.
New additions on the “Law” side are Jeffrey Donovan as Bernard’s new partner Frank Cosgrove, a loose cannon in the vein of Chris Noth’s Mike Logan (from seasons one-five), and Camryn Manheim’s Lt. Kate Dixon (replacing S. Epatha Merkerson’s Lt. Anita Van Buren). Meanwhile, new Assistant District Attorneys Nolan Price and Samantha Maroun (Hugh Dancy and Odelya Halevi, respectively) take care of the “Order” portion.
Though the show’s crime-focused format keeps it from going too deep on its characters, the window we get into Bernard and Cosgrove’s complicated partnership, as well as McCoy’s combative relationship with Dancy’s Nolan Price, points toward a cast that will be worth following in the weeks and months ahead.
It’s no doubt a testament to Dick Wolf’s indefatigable belief in this brand that the original “Law & Order” is back with new episodes — he never stopped fighting to make it happen. But what’s perhaps more remarkable is how this latest season manages to encompass the decade-and-change of social and cultural shifts in American society, while seamlessly picking up right where the show left off as though no time has passed.
It’s all still here: The “In the criminal justice system…” opening narration by Steven Zirnkilton; the ripped-from-the-headlines stories; the strenuous focus on cops in the first half and lawyers in the second. And, of course, the “dunk-dunk” transitions between scenes.
While it’s perhaps puzzling to say that a series went before its time after airing for 20 seasons, this revival still feels like the belated righting of an injudicious wrong. Jack McCoy would be proud.
M“Law & Order”:Drama series. Starring Anthony Anderson, Jeffrey Donovan, Camryn Manheim, Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi and Sam Waterston. Created by Dick Wolf. (TV-14). Premieres 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, on NBC. Streaming Friday on Hulu and Peacock.