NBC has a reason for not airing new episodes of the Law and Order franchise tonight (April 24, 2025). Although Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 has already dropped a new episode on Peacock, the two broadcast entries in the franchise are taking a hiatus. This break is especially frustrating because it comes right after a strong crossover episode that revolved around the death of Maria Recinos, a cop who had once been a child that Benson (Mariska Hargitay) rescued from a terrifying situation.

Throughout the two-hour special, SVU's Benson and Law & Order's Brady (Maura Tierney) clashed repeatedly over how to handle the case, and once an arrest had been made, Benson disagreed with the DA's office's decision to subpoena a traumatized rape victim who was reluctant to come forward. Fortunately, this story was self-contained, so there are no significant cliffhangers that have to wait until after the hiatus to be resolved. However, it is still annoying to have to wait for the next episodes in both Law & Order season 24 and Law & Order: SVU season 26.

Why There Are No New Law & Order & Law & Order: SVU Tonight (April 24, 2025)

The Network Is Airing Reruns Instead

While some hiatuses have been due to NBC choosing to run reruns of Suits: LA in place of the Law & Order franchise, that is not the case on April 24. Instead, NBC is rerunning old episodes of Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU. At 8 PM ET, NBC is rerunning Law & Order season 24, episode 3, guest starring Ryan Eggold as Riley's troubled brother, followed by a rerun of Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 7, which revolves around Carisi's pursuit of a pedophile while Bruno tries to solve a serial rape case.

It is common for networks to have short hiatuses at this point in the season. Taking breaks near the end of April allows the network to ensure that there are enough new episodes of each show left to last until mid-May, when network TV programs typically wrap up their seasons for the summer. This hiatus also allows the production team to catch up if it has fallen behind schedule, so that new episodes will be ready to air at the proper time.

When Will Law & Order Season 24, Episode 20 & Law & Order: SVU Season 26, Episode 20 Release?

This Hiatus Is Very Short

Fortunately, this break will last only a week, with new episodes of Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU scheduled to air on May 1, 2025. While this short break is frustrating, it will be over far more quickly than the winter hiatus, which lasted from the end of November 2024 until after the New Year. Additionally, this is likely the last hiatus before the shows wrap up for the summer, as new episodes are scheduled to air in the last month of the TV season.

The one-week hiatus allows the audience to catch up on any episodes that have been missed. All episodes of Law & Order season 24 and Law & Order: SVU season 26 that have already been aired on network TV are available to stream on Peacock, making it easy to watch or rewatch them. Additionally, Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5, episode 3 has dropped on Peacock and thus can be watched at any time that is convenient while waiting for the new episodes of the other Law & Order series to air.

What To Expect From Law & Order Season 24, Episode 20 & Law & Order: SVU Season 26, Episode 20

The newest episodes on May 1 will feature the twists, turns, and thorny legal issues that audiences have come to expect from the Law & Order franchise. First, Law & Order season 25, episode 20, "Sins of The Father," will focus on the murder of an auto mechanic who Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Riley (Reid Scott) suspect was involved in sinister activities. This episode promises to have a big twist in the legal side of the story, with the DA's office being forced to face the truth about who really committed this heinous crime.

This episode [of Law & Order: SVU] will also feature Rollins' latest guest appearance, and she may get involved with the case instead of being present only to Carisi through his trauma.

The Law and Order franchise will follow this up with Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 20, "Shock Collar," which could be one of the creepiest episodes of Law & Order: SVU. This scary-sounding story revolves around a stolen car taken while a young girl was in the back seat, raising questions about whether the girl was the thieves' real target or if it was a coincidence that she was taken. This episode will also feature Rollins' latest guest appearance, and she may get involved with the case instead of being present only to Carisi through his trauma.

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