Great news, legal drama fans, Law and Order is back! No, not Law and Order SVU. Not Law and Order Organized Crime. Not…okay, there are nine Law and Order series in the franchise, so we’ll just tell you. The original Law and Order, the one that started it all, will be returning to your TV screen later this month.
That’s right, after more than a decade-long hiatus, the police procedural is coming back for its 21st season and will premiere on February 24, 2022. Ahead of the new season, Wolf Entertainment, the television company behind both Law and Order and One Chicago, hosted a Law and Order press day cast panel. During this event, the new and returning stars were given a chance to share their excitement for the upcoming season.
When it came time to answer the question, “What made now the right time for it [Law and Order] to come back?” Sam Waterston, Law and Order veteran, eagerly gave his thoughts. “I don’t think Dick [Wolf] has ever stopped talking about it! One of the reasons we are back is because of his persistence. We stopped making the show, but the audience never stopped watching them!”
What made now the right time for it to come back?
— Wolf Entertainment (@WolfEnt) February 11, 2022
“I don’t think Dick has ever stopped talking about it! One of the reasons we are back are because of his persistence. We stopped making the show, but the audience never stopped watching them!” – #SamWaterston #LawAndOrder
‘Law and Order’ Alumni Are Anxious for Show’s Return
As excited as Law and Order fans are for the revival of the show, the actors behind it are just as anxious for its return. And don’t worry, Dick Wolf has already laid all of your casting fears to rest. In a statement on the Wolf Entertainment website, he says, “Very few casting announcements have ever given me this much pleasure. The 21st season is merely a continuation of where we left off”.
Anthony Anderson, who will be reprising his role as Detective Kevin Bernard, said the following about his return to the show. “Coming back to an iconic show in Law and Order was a no-brainer for me”. When asked if there was any rust to shake off in his role as Bernard, he replied, “For me, it felt like no time had passed at all.”
Anderson was so thrilled by the idea of a new season, in fact, that he reached out to Dick Wolf the moment he heard rumors of a 21st season. When Wolf received the call, he said, “Anthony, you have no idea how happy this phone call makes me”. It seems that it’s smiles all around behind the scenes of Law and Order, which can only mean great things for the upcoming premiere!
