Law & Order laid the foundation for the interconnected procedural dramas that dominate networks today. It's hard to imagine a TV landscape without the franchise, and yet, it has been subjected to the same trials and tribulations as its peers. SVU has been forced to write two detectives off before its next season, Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) and Kate Silva (Juliana Martinez), and now, the franchise will have a new show following it on Thursday nights.
Law & Order used to hold down prime time on Thursday night by itself, between Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime. The third of these shows was moved over to Peacock, however, meaning there's a huge vacancy where the Christopher Meloni-led series once was. And the network is going to try to fill it with a new series (again).
If you're struggling to think of what show follows Law & Order: SVU on Thursday nights, don't worry because NBC has had a similarly difficult time sticking to one. Found was the show that closed out the prime time slot at 10 pm, but it was recently canceled by the network. Fans weren't thrilled, and efforts are currently underway to revive the show on another platform, but as it stands, Found is not going to be the wind down after Law & Order anymore.
The Hunting Party will follow SVU on Thursdays
To make matters even more confusing, NBC aired the season 5 premiere of Law & Order: Organized Crime on April 17, completing the franchise trifecta but confusing the heck out of fans, since the rest of Organized Crime has aired exclusively on Peacock (Found was dropped back in the 10 pm slot the following week).
The network has chosen The Hunting Party to take over the 10 pm slot in the fall, after deciding to renew it during Upfronts on May 12. The Hunting Party was on the bubble heading into Upfronts, with many unsure whether it would survive to get a second season. Especially given how many surprising cancelations NBC dished out in the days prior.
Barring the Law & Order and One Chicago franchises, The Hunting Party is one of the few NBC scripted dramas to get another season. The network is throwing most of its weight behind NBA coverage, as evidenced by its decision to sign NBA icon Michael Jordan as a "special contributor" and reshape its Tuesday night lineup.
The Hunting Party replaces the canceled Found
The Hunting Party is going to be moving from Monday nights to Thursday, but in both tone and content, we could see the show doing well alongside Law & Order and SVU. The series revolves around a group of investigators who are called in when a massive prison break allows the most notorious serial killers in the United States to roam free.
The show is tense, well cast and places an emphasis on procedural detail. Fans coming off two hours of Law & Order will find plenty to like here. Let's just hope the show fares better in the Thursday night slot than either of its predecessors.