Law & Order: Hate Crimes Coming to NBC!!
Carissa Pavlica
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There will be a lot more crime coming to your homes shortly by way.
One of television’s most successful franchises is tackling a very relevant and topical subject matter as iconic Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf brings Law & Order: Hate Crimes to audiences beginning with a 13-episode order from NBC.
As the average household already has Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU scattered across myriad cable networks in day-long marathons, soon there won't be a minute we will have to suffer without some law and order in our lives!
Co-created with former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit showrunner Warren Leight, the latest installment of the enduring and wildly popular Law & Order franchise is based on New York’s actual Hate Crimes Task Force, the second oldest bias-based task force in the U.S.
The unit, which pledges to uphold a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination of any kind, works under the NYPD's real Special Victims Unit and often borrows SVU’s detectives to assist in their investigations. The first incarnation of this new unit will be introduced in the latter part Law & Order: SVU Season 20.
“As Law & Order: SVU enters its remarkable 20th season, it is exciting to get back into business with Dick Wolf on a new Law & Order incarnation that feels extremely timely,” said Lisa Katz, Co-President of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment.
“Considering that last year there was a double-digit rise in hate crimes in our 10 largest cities — the highest total in over a decade — it seemed like this topic is begging to be explored.”
Added Tracey Pakosta, Co-President of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment: “We’re confident that Dick and Warren will examine these cases in all their complexity and deliver another riveting series for our country, currently grappling with an escalation of these crimes and the motivations behind them.”
Law & Order: Hate Crimes is set in New York City, where crimes motivated by discrimination are vigorously investigated by an elite, specially trained team of investigators. Going behind the headlines and viral videos, these diverse, dedicated and passionate detectives will stop at nothing to bring these criminals to justice.
“As with all of my crime shows, I want to depict what’s really going on in our cities and shine a light on the wide-ranging victims and show that justice can prevail,” Wolf said.
“Twenty years ago when SVU began, very few people felt comfortable coming forward and reporting these crimes, but when you bring the stories into people’s living rooms – with characters as empathetic as Olivia Benson – a real dialogue can begin.
:That’s what I hope we can do with this new show in a world where hate crimes have reached an egregious level.”
“I’m extremely impressed by the actual men and women investigating these cases in a city as complicated and diverse as New York,” Leight said.
“The work they are doing puts them on the front lines in a battle for the soul of our city and nation. I’m thrilled about the chance to reunite with Dick and NBC to portray the reality of this crisis.”
What do you say, Law & Order Fanatics? Are you up for more of it in your lives? Is this the right focus for the next installment?
To get a flavor for what the franchise delivers, watch Law & Order: SVU online, and then hit the comments to share your thoughts!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
