The Law & Order franchise is one of the longest-running and most respected in TV history. The first show aired in 1990, and the franchise has been on TV in some iteration or another ever since. Now we’re getting word that for the first time ever, the three versions currently airing on NBC will come together for a historic crossover event to celebrate the new season.
The whole thing will run from 8-11pm ET on Sept. 22 and start on Law & Order: Organized Crime, continue through Law & Order: SVU, and finish up on the flagship Law & Order show, according to Deadline.
Veterans of the show are all involved in the event, including writers Rick Eid and Gwen Sigan, and the first two hours were directed by Jean de Segonzac. Fellow vet Alex Hall directs the third hour. The show is, of course, the brainchild of Dick Wolf, who said in a statement that he was excited about the bigness of the project.
“Nothing demonstrates the power of the Law & Order brand more than an ambitious three-hour event with a story that is truly ripped from the headlines that starts on Organized Crime, then migrates to SVU and finally the trial on Law & Order. Rick and Gwen did an amazing job writing a compelling script and I can’t think of a bigger and better way to launch the new season of Law & Order Thursday.”
The storyline involves the cold-blooded murder of a young girl with Det. Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) and Det. Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) tasked with the investigation. Capt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Det. Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) are brought in when it becomes clear this isn’t your average murder.
When it comes time to take the case to trial, Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) and ADA Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) are there to take it all home.
The President, Scripted Programming, NBCU Television and Streaming, Lisa Katz, said that the network was also really hyped about the premiere.
“This unprecedented scheduling block is a tribute to all the Law & Order fans who’ve been watching this iconic brand for four decades on NBC. We couldn’t be more excited to open our season with such a historic event.”
For people who don’t watch all three hours live, there will be no opening or title credits for the second and third hours, so viewers are encouraged to DVR if they want to watch later or jump in in the middle. The event will be available to stream on Peacock on Sept. 23. Check out a teaser below.