NBC isn’t going to be without Law & Order in fall 2023. It’s just going to be without new episodes of the three shows. Here’s what we know.
When NBC initially set its fall plans in May, it included two of the Law & Order shows. Organized Crime was always going to be delayed until 2024. This was while the writers strike was underway, but there was hope that negotiations would happen. When they didn’t and the actors joined in with the strike in the middle of July, it was clear the networks would need to pivot.
Would that mean a fall full of reality TV and games shows? Fortunately not for NBC fans. There will still be some episodes of the Dick Wolf shows; just not new ones.
Law & Order reruns will happen on Thursdays
Thursday nights will kick off with reruns of the Law & Order franchise, according to TVLine. It’s not clear which shows will air each week, as we just know there are reruns for the first hour of the night. The network will then run into a new episode of Transplant and then Dateline.
The decision to air reruns to kick off the night is problematic. Magnum PI fans will know the disaster that was for Sundays, and it looks like NBC isn’t really learning from the lesson. The upside is that Thursdays will be reruns of a top drama, but they’re still reruns, and people will likely tune into a network that as a new episode of other shows instead.
This isn’t too problematic for Thursday nights, though. Transplant is a Canadian drama that has already been renewed for a fourth season. Airing Season 3 after reruns isn’t a costly problem. NBC licenses the show and doesn’t spend money to make it.
Law & Order reruns will begin on Thursday, Oct. 5 on NBC as part of the fall 2023 schedule.