'Law & Order: SVU' Among Dick Wolf Shows Set to Resume Production as Writers Strike Ends
'Law & Order: Organized Crime' is not resuming production as the search for a new showrunner continues.
As writers' rooms begin to reopen and productions resume following the end of the WGA strike, Law & Order: SVU is among the Dick Wolf shows coming back. According to The Hollywood Reporter, writers and showrunners for the One Chicago franchise, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and the FBI franchise are all getting back to work. One show that is notably absent from the list is the other Law & Order spinoff, Organized Crime. The series will continue to be stalled as it searches for a new showrunner. Chicago Fire and FBI: International have found new showrunners, meanwhile, with Andrea Newman and Matt Olmstead, respectively.
Law & Order: Organized Crime has gone through a lot of changes behind the scenes since it first premiered in 2021. Olmstead was set to serve as showrunner but stepped down in October 2020. Ilene Chaiken took over that December, and by February 2022, Barry O'Brien had replaced her as interim showrunner. Bryan Goluboff then became showrunner before Sean Jablonski took over that September. Jablonski exited as showrunner in March of this year, and it seems like the show has yet to find a replacement.
When the writers' strike initially started at the beginning of May, many actors also took to the picket lines to stand in solidarity. SVU's own Mariska Hargitay gave an impassioned speech in New York during a rally. Later in the summer, during the SAG-AFTRA strike, FBI: Most Wanted's Dylan McDermott teamed up with Dermot Mulroney to take to the picket lines and have jokes about their names while doing so.
Even though the writers' rooms are reopening, it still could be a while until things get back to normal in Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA is still on strike. Although talks have resumed with studios, it's still unknown how much longer it will last. The good news is that once the strike does finally end, it shouldn't talk long for full production on shows to get back up and running. There is a lot that goes into making a show and a lot of pre-production that takes place. So it's possible that there will still need to be a lot of work to be done before the actors go back. For now, writers are getting back to work, as are showrunners and likely other crew members. It's a lot better than we were just a few weeks ago.
It's unknown when the Dick Wolf shows are aiming to return next year, but it's likely once the actors get back to work, schedules will be more clear. For now, fans will just have to settle with what they have. Both the One Chicago and Law & Order franchises are streaming on Peacock, with the FBIs on Paramount+. Fans can also catch select episodes from the franchises on NBC and CBS, respectively, as part of their fall 2023 schedules.