Law & Order (season 21)

On September 28, 2021, NBC renewed Law & Order for a twenty-first season revival, nearly a dozen years after its abrupt cancellation.[1][2][3] Despite being billed as a twenty-first season, NBC gave a "straight to series" order,[4] a term typically used only for new television series.[5] Series creator Dick Wolf will return as an executive producer.[6] Wolf signed an overall deal with NBC and Universal Television in 2020 that will keep at the network through 2025.[7] Rick Eid, who was an executive producer and the incumbent showrunner on Chicago P.D. and FBI, which share a fictional universe with the Law & Order franchise, all of which are produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, stepped down as showrunner of Chicago P.D. to take over showrunning duties of Law & Order.[8] Eid will also be an executive producer during the season and retains that role on Chicago P.D. as well.[8] Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski will also serve as executive producers.[9] When first announced it was unclear whether season would air in the 2021–2022 or 2022–2023 television season;[10] it was later reported that it would premiere as a mid-season replacement on February 24, 2022.[11] The season will air on Thursdays alongside spin-off series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Organized Crime;[12] and is set to see fictional crossovers with both series.[13] Production on the season began on December 8, 2021.[14]

On November 1, 2021, Jeffrey Donovan was cast as a series regular to portray a New York Police Department detective.[15][16] At that time it was also reported that Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson, who starred in earlier seasons of the series, and additional former cast members were also in talks to return.[17] Waterson previously stated in 2015 that he would be open to returning.[18] Other previous cast members S. Epatha Merkerson, Jeremy Sisto and Alana de la Garza hold starring roles on Chicago Med and FBI, both series that exist within the same fictional universe and are produced by Wolf Entertainment.[19] On November 23, 2021, it was announced that Hugh Dancy had been cast as an Assistant District Attorney and that Anderson had signed a one-year deal to return as Detective Kevin Bernard.[20] On December 10, 2021, it was revealed that Camryn Manheim had been cast as Lieutenant Kate Dixon, the successor to Merkerson's character, Lieutenant Anita Van Buren. Manheim portrayed minor characters in previous seasons of the series.[21]