Law & Order Veteran Sam Waterston to Return for Season 22

Law & Order fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Sam Waterston will be back for Law & Order Season 22 when it launches on NBC in the fall.

Deadline first reported the news, revealing that Waterston's return as DA Jack McCoy makes him the longest-tenured cast member on the parent series.

When Law & Order Season 21 hit the air earlier this year, Waterston was one of two stars back for the revival.

Anthony Anderson confirmed earlier this year that he would not be back for the forthcoming season, with reports alleging he wanted to help get the revival off the ground.

Anderson was coming off an eight-season run on black-ish, so it is thought the star wants to try out some new roles.

“Since day one, Sam has had perfect pitch when it comes to Jack McCoy as a character who both reflects and expands our ability to understand the law,” Dick Wolf said when Waterston initially chose to return for the first season of the revival.

“He is the ultimate conscience of the show and I look forward to him emulating the career of New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, who served until he was 90.”

Camryn Manheim, Hugh Dancy, and Odelya Halevi -- all new stars for the revival -- are expected to return for the next season.

However, it is expected that there will be some new additions to the cast.

Angie Harmon, who played A.D.A. Abbie Carmichael, has expressed an interest in returning.

"I was like, 'Look, guys. I mean, I would love to maybe do an arc or something,'" Harmon said to Entertainment Tonight.

The star said that Abbie was "just so fun and wonderful."

"Just know that was a really, really wonderful time in my life. I mean, what a great time to, you know, begin an acting career," Harmon said, teasing that there could be an opening for Abbie as the D.A.

"That would be perfect. Just hang on, everybody."

Law & Order airs Thursdays, alongside SVU and Organized Crime.

What are your thoughts on Waterston's return?