Why There Are No New Law & Order & SVU This Week (March 6) & When Will New Episodes Release?

NBC has reasons for not airing new episodes of either show in the Law and Order franchise tonight. Law & Order ended on a troubling note, as Shaw revealed he had bent the rules for someone he knows. Like many episodes in Law & Order season 24, "The Price We Pay" starts off with a murder. The case seems straightforward, as an actor addicted to drugs is killed by his supplier. However, things get messy when Shaw learns his old training captain, Darryl, is also getting ketamine from this dealer.

In the last few minutes of the episode, Shaw more or less admits to an angry Price that he pulled strings to get Darryl sent out of the country so he wouldn't have to testify and get himself in trouble, which is actually a crime. Meanwhile, the latest episode of Law & Order: SVU season 26 has Benson trying to stop a seriously ill tourist who was raped from ruining her own case by going vigilante. Benson's next case, as well as any fallout for Shaw, will have to wait until after the hiatus is over.

Why There Are No New Law & Order & Law & Order: SVU Tonight (March 6, 2025)

NBC is Airing Two Episodes of Suits: LA Instead

NBC often schedules breaks for current shows throughout the season, especially as spring approaches. Most network television series wrap up their seasons in mid-May, so broadcasters need to ensure that it has enough episodes left to last throughout the rest of the season. If a series falls behind on its production schedule, the network may also schedule a break to allow it to catch up. This practice ensures that show stays on schedule and are not interrupted because they have run out of already-produced episodes.

Eliot Stabler running through a crowd in Law & Order: Organized Crime

Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 - Everything You Need To Know

The spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime has already followed Detective Stabler for four exciting seasons on NBC, but season 5 moved to Peacock.

Posts

That said, NBC's primary reason for not airing the Law and Order franchise tonight is to attract viewers who missed the premiere of Suits: LA. The new Suits spinoff's first two episodes will air in the franchise's normal time slot. This strategy helps promote this recently premiered show, which originally aired these episodes on a Sunday night. NBC is offering this encore presentation in order to introduce the series to a wider audience.

When Will Law & Order Season 24, Episode 15 & Law & Order: SVU Season 26, Episode 15 Release?

This Hiatus Will Only Last A Week

Law & Order SVU Benson sitting across from a victim

Fortunately, this particular hiatus is not very long. The Law and Order franchise is scheduled to release new episodes of Law & Order season 24 and Law & Order: SVU on March 13, 2025, which is only one week after this scheduled break. This is less frustrating than some other scheduling pauses. For example, the One Chicago shows are not returning until March 26, forcing the audience to wait three weeks for the next installments of their favorite shows.

It is fairly easy to rewatch older episodes of both Law and Ordershows throughout the week while waiting for the newest ones to air on March 13.

Additionally, every episode of Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU that has aired this season is currently streaming on Peacock. This break offers the opportunity to catch up on missed episodes or rewatch favorites from the ongoing TV cycle. All 26 seasons of Law & Order: SVU, along with seasons 13 through 20 of Law & Order, are also available on Peacock. This makes it fairly easy to rewatch older episodes of both Law and Ordershows throughout the week while waiting for the newest ones to air on March 13.

What To Expect From Law & Order Season 24, Episode 15 & Law & Order: SVU Season 26, Episode 15

More Ripped From The Headlines Cases And Exciting Twists Ahead

Law & Order Maroun holding coffee and making a passionate argument to Baxter and Price

Both Law & Order shows have exciting cases planned for their return. First, at 8 PM EST, Law & Order season 24, episode 15, titled "Crossing Lines" focuses on the murder of a rising star in politics. This episode will feature the usual deadends and twists in the police investigation before Price and Maroun take on the prosecution of an arrested suspect. It isn't clear whether there will be any fallout from Shaw's behavior in the previous episode. However, Baxter will have to recuse himself from the new case, which will be an interesting conflict.

When the Next Episodes of the Law and Order Franchise Air
Show	Episode	Air Date and Time
Law & Order	"Crossing Lines" (Law & Order season 24, episode 15)	March 13, 2025 @ 8 PM ET
Law & Order: SVU	"Undertow" (Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 15	March 13, 2025 @ 9 PM ET

Afterward, the Law and Order franchise continues with a particularly polarizing case in Law & Order: SVU, offering yet another challenge for Benson as her team continues to jell. The newest episode, titled "Undertow," involves a complicated case that features the intersection of drug use and sex. This case will not only divide the squad room, but lead to a sensational trial that is red meat for the media. Carisi will need to get the jury focusing on the law and not salacious accusations by the defendant, which will be no easy feat.

Enjoy Screen Rant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.