With the writers’ and actors’ strikes in the rearview, Law & Order finally premiered its 23rd season on Jan. 18, 2024. But the show looked different than it did when it last aired back in May 2023. Jeffrey Donovan, who played fan-favorite Detective Cosgrove in Seasons 21 and 22, did not return to the series (according to TVLine, the star was let go “for creative reasons”).
Keep reading for details on who NBC tapped to replace Donovan and more about about Law & Order Season 23, which is now airing.
Will there be a Season 23 of Law & Order?
Yes. Fans learned that NBC renewed Law & Order for a 23rd season (and third since its revival in February 2022) on April 10, 2023. The same day, NBC revealed spin-offs Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime were also renewed. All three shows are currently airing their new seasons
When was the Law & Order Season 23 release date?
Ordinarily the show would have returned in the fall of 2023, but given production delays, it premiered Jan. 18, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET.
How did Season 22 of Law & Order end?
Spoiler alert! If you haven’t watched the episode and don’t want the ending ruined, keep scrolling.
The Season 22 finale of Law & Order was a timely episode centered around gun control. A U.S. senator was shot and killed at his daughter’s wedding. The suspect, a man named Derek, was suffering from PTSD after having disarmed a shooter during a previous (and deadly) school shooting. As a result, there was controversy over the ethics and morals of prosecuting the case, but District Attorney Jack McCoy (Sam Waterson) insisted on proceeding. Derek was convicted on murder charges, but the mood afterward was hardly celebratory, given the nature of the case.
Which cast member did not return for Law & Order Season 23?
Jeffrey Donovan (Senior Detective Frank Cosgrove)
Peter Kramer/NBC
Previously known for his work as one-time CIA operative Michael Westen on Burn Notice, Jeffrey Donovan assumed the role of no-nonsense, old-school detective Frank Cosgrove for Seasons 21 and 22. However, he did not return for Season 23, reportedly due to “creative reasons.”
