Rumor Report: Three Law & Order Series Will Return With Historic Franchise Event
In case you haven't noticed, it's a great time to be a "Law & Order" fan. There are currently three different franchise iterations on the air to choose from, including the recently revived original series from the 1990s and early 2000s that was made famous by legendary names like Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, and Sam Waterston. And with all three programs — "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and "Law & Order: Organized Crime" — getting ready to come back in the fall of 2022, NBC reportedly may have something extra special up its sleeve for viewers.
All three of the current "Law & Order" programs are slated to return on September 22, 2022, according to TVLine. For "SVU," it will be the long-running series' staggering 24th season. "Organized Crime" and "Law & Order," meanwhile, will be debuting Seasons 3 and 22, respectively. If rumors are to be believed, it appears that the synergy of this fall premiere has set up a perfect opportunity for NBC to do something it has never done before, even when the franchise was at the height of its popularity.
Law & Order, SVU, and Organized Crime may have a historic three-way crossover event
According to TVLine, NBC is apparently considering gifting fans with a crossover event that would see all three current "Law & Order" shows collide. There have been plenty of two-way exchanges throughout the franchise, but never before in "Law & Order" history has the network bridged its creative gap between three of the franchise's programs — not even when "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" or any of the other spin-offs were on the air.
It's important to note that this hasn't been officially confirmed. However, it seems to be an idea that is being taken seriously, according to TVLine's reporting, and considering all three shows are set to premiere on the same night ... you do the math. That being said, TVLine also notes that while the idea was pitched as a big season premiere extravaganza, it's possible that if the event happens, it will get pushed back to a later date.
Longtime "Law & Order: SVU" actors and IRL friends Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni — the latter of whom is now on "Organized Crime" — have both spoken very highly of the revived "Law & Order" and have said they would love to do a crossover with the show, especially with one of its most famous stars, Sam Waterston, who is still a cast member. "He was iconic then, not to mention now," Hargitay told ET in February 2022. She also said, "Dick [Wolf] has already told me that we're going to [do a crossover], so it's just a matter of time ... It's a three-show crossover, which sounds impossible. But we can do it."