NBC Makes Decision on ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 28

April 16, 2026, 9:10pm

The Manhattan Special Victims Unit just got some very good news.

According to Deadline, Law & Order: SVU will keep its title as the longest-running primetime drama on broadcast with Season 28 this fall.

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Evidently, the news isn’t a surprise, and not because SVU continues to be a staple on NBC. The network had actually ordered a two-season renewal last year when it was picked up for the 2025-2026 season, but the second year wasn’t made public. After joining SVU at the start of Season 27 as the show’s first female showrunner, Michele Fazekas is expected to continue in her role.

Pictured: (l-r) Kelli Giddish as Sgt. Amanda Rollins, Peter Scanavino as A.D.A Dominick “Sonny” Carisi Jr., Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson, Ice T as Sgt. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola, Corey Cott as Det. Jake Griffin — (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)

Despite going into its 28^th season, SVU’s momentum has not stopped. It’s improved +27% on Peacock this season vs. last season and is a Top 10 mainstay, ranking as NBC’s most-watched next-day series. Additionally, the series is NBC’s No. 1 drama among adults 18-49 demo in multi-platform viewing.

Mariska Hargitay’s Captain Olivia Benson is the longest-running primetime live-action character of all time. In addition to Hargitay, the Season 27 cast includes Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, Kevin Kane, Aimé Donna Kelly, and Corey Cott. As of now, it’s unknown if the cast will remain unchanged for the upcoming season, but Season 27 ends on Thursday, May 14, so fans might find out then.

Meanwhile, there is no word yet on whether the Mothership will be joining SVU next season. Law & Order, currently in its 25^th season, will reportedly be evaluated alongside fellow NBC bubble dramas The Hunting Party and Brilliant Minds against the network’s five drama pilots. Final decisions might go down to the wire in early May before NBC presents its 2026-2027 schedule on May 11.

Pictured: Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Law & Order: Organized Crime, on the other hand, has officially been canceled after five seasons. The Christopher Meloni-led spinoff moved to Peacock ahead of Season 5 last year, and would be looking for its sixth showrunner if Season 6 were ordered, whether by Peacock or NBC.

As previously mentioned, NBC will unveil its 2026-2027 schedule on Monday, May 11, so fans will find out then when to expect SVU 28. Premiere dates probably won’t come until later this summer, but the wait will surely be worth it. In the meantime, new episodes of Law & Order: SVU return on Thursday, April 23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day on Peacock.