Law & Order Season 23: Where We Left Off And What Should Happen Now?

The excellent news: Law & Order Season 23 is on its approach!

Now that the writers; and actors’ strikes have been settled, the long-running procedural is all set for a shortened spring season. But it will be quick a solid member since Jeffrey Donovan has parted methods with the collection.

What’ll occur subsequent? We have some concepts, however first, let’s refresh our recollections about what occurred final 12 months.

Law & Order Season 22 revamped Cosgrove’s character a bit. He displayed a softer aspect and extra of a willingness to hear. He additionally skilled the consequences of racism firsthand when Shaw obtained in hassle for standing as much as some white cops who assumed he was a legal due to his pores and skin colour.

Cosgrove and Shaw gelled higher than Cosgrove and Bernard had, making Cosgrove simpler to take. He additionally had a Stabler-like storyline wherein his daughter witnessed a homicide and was traumatized.

By the tip of the season, it was clear that being a cop was taking a toll on Cosgrove’s household life, which leaves the door open for an emotional exit storyline. He might need seen sufficient after the extraordinary occasions of Law & Order Season 22 Episode 22.

On that event, Cogrove and Shaw labored a case wherein a Senator was gunned down in chilly blood at his daughter’s marriage ceremony, and many of the hour centered round McCoy’s daughter defending the shooter whereas her father got here down arduous towards her shopper for such a heinous crime.

But that does not imply it wasn’t a traumatic case for the cops.

Since Cosgrove’s gone, he might need determined to take a depart of absence to spend time together with his household following that case. That could be a pure response after investigating a father being murdered in entrance of his daughter on what ought to have been the happiest day of her life.

What Will Happen For Shaw Now?

Donovan’s absence leaves Shaw and not using a accomplice. As far as we all know, Mechad Brooks is returning, opening up fascinating storylines for Shaw.

He would possibly go solo for some time — in actual life, detectives do not all the time journey in pairs — or could be pressured to as a result of the division hasn’t discovered anybody to exchange Cosgrove but.

His lawsuit towards the cops may additionally intrude; since he is often called a whistleblower who will not put loyalty to different cops over his insistence on being handled pretty, some cops could not need to work with him.

Shaw working alone would make his circumstances much more difficult, which could possibly be fascinating, however we’d additionally lose one thing: the banter between cops.

Law & Order has lengthy been identified for this. In the Nineties, Jerry Orbach’s Lennie Briscoe cracked snarky one-liners on the crime scene — a task that Cosgrove usually took over.

Cop: She noticed somebody run west.
Cosgrove: Well, except he was a fish, he did not run east.

Since Cosgrove’s gone, another person should take over the one-liners; it will not be as enjoyable if Shaw has nobody to bounce off of within the opening scenes (or every other scenes).

Law & Order will survive it doesn’t matter what they resolve to do. The authentic collection is far more Dragnet-like than many of the remainder of the franchise; it is solely not too long ago that the cops and legal professionals started having private tales.

What About a Different Type of Partner?

Since the 2021 reboot, Cosgrove has been with two Black companions, each of whom strongly disagreed together with his concepts about race and racism.

That modified considerably after Shaw obtained in hassle due to some racist cops, however he nonetheless was used to offer the voice of a white conservative cop as a rule.

While social points corresponding to racism in policing are important to deal with, it did not all the time appear pure. Sometimes, Cosgrove and his accomplice obtained into it for the hell of it.

We’d love for Shaw to have a special kind of accomplice. A girl of colour would possibly present an fascinating alternate perspective to Shawn’s as a Black man, and the Law & Order franchise has been criticized previously for not having sufficient LGBTQ+ illustration.

This could be the right time to appropriate that. Many followers are nonetheless bitter that Kat was written out of Law & Order: SVU Season 23; we would love for her to affix the unique collection as a substitute!

Will There Be Pressure From the DA’s Office?

One of the perfect sources of drama is when the DA’s workplace and police appear to be working at cross functions.

If the police aspect stays short-staffed, there will be extra strain on Shaw to shut circumstances, each from Lieutenant Dixon and the DA’s workplace.

Friction between Shaw and Price would possibly enhance the strain stage. We’d be down for that!

We Want More of McCoy vs. McCoy!

When we left off, McCoy and his daughter have been upset with one another, and the problems appeared to run deeper than the case they discovered themselves on reverse sides of.

We do not count on McCoy’s daughter to change into a daily, however it could be nice for her to often be a thorn in her father’s aspect. We hope she’ll be again on a recurring foundation throughout the brand new season!

How About Some Crossovers?

While all three Law & Order collection stand nicely on their very own, it is all the time enjoyable when the cops get collectively to work on a giant case.

With a severely truncated season, we would not get the chance this time, however a three-hour crossover is close to the highest of our want checklist anyway.

If nothing else, perhaps a number of the cops from different Law & Order collection could make temporary visits to seek the advice of on a case.

Your flip, Law & Order fanatics. Hit the massive, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and inform us what you hope occurs when the collection returns.

Law & Order Season 23 will air on NBC this spring. In the meantime, you may watch Law & Order on-line everytime you’d like.

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