‘Law & Order’ Star Sam Waterston Says Stepping Back Onto the Set Is a ‘Step Back in Time’

Law & Order fan favorite Sam Waterston opened up about returning to the procedural a decade after the series ended. Waterston was one of the longest running cast members in the show’s history.

“It was totally surreal. Unbelievable,” Waterston told Variety. “It’s a step back in time. They built the 42 sets in every detail down to the books on the shelves to the linoleum on the floor. You know perfectly well that it wasn’t all being done for you, but you can’t escape the feeling that you’re being given this opportunity to step back in time in your own life.” 

According to Waterston, returning to Law & Order was always creator Dick Wolf’s goal. The actor explained: “Dick, from the day that they suspended the show — I guess it’s fair to say a suspension because it’s coming back — he’s been saying that that was a terrible mistake, and they should bring it back. And every time I’ve seen him, he’s said that. Five years ago, he almost did it. He really is perseverance personified because he never gave this up. Having people like that involved in your career, I don’t know how you have a career without them.”

Beyond Wolf’s investment in the show, Waterston suggested that now more than ever, Law & Order is incredibly relevant.

“We’re not shying away from any of those [timely] conflicts,” said Waterston. “In fact, it’s always been the goal of the show to get people throwing their shoes at the television, and certainly there are issues that are going to infuriate people and frustrate people about how they turned out. That’s the pleasure of watching Law & Order; there is a resolution but there’s a lot of dissatisfaction with the way it goes.”

Waterston Talks Deciding to Return to Law & Order

Additionally, Waterson discussed his choice to come back to Law & Order. Some questioned the merits of doing another turn as Jack McCoy. After all, why do something that’s been done before?

“I thought at first, ‘Haven’t I done this already?’” Waterston recalled. “I’m so glad I didn’t miss this chance, because you’re racing through your life and you’re in a big hurry all the time. You don’t really get much opportunity to ever look at it or look back at it or look down at it at the height of it. You know, a life is a big deal.”

The actor also felt like returning to Law & Order presented the unique challenge of properly aging McCoy to match the ways that he–and the rest of the world–have changed.

“It does feel familiar, but we are completely different people,” he explained. “The structure of the show, the names of the characters, they’re there from the past. But I feel like I have to find a new way to live in the show. I think that’s what will make it interesting. We’re going to do that together. It’s the same show but it’s a new day. The new people who Jack will be working with most of the time are going to change McCoy, and the relationships will be different. It’s really the most extraordinary thing, the overlays of past and present.”

However, Waterston said that there’s still some growing to do in terms of adjusting to the role. He added: “I don’t think he’s gotten weary. In his heyday, he was a happy warrior, and I think he still is. I don’t know how much he’s changed. Ask me in six or seven episodes.”