Law & Order Renews Hit Series With Surprisingly Low Amount of Episodes on NBC

Law & Order: Organized Crime is coming back for a fourth season, but it's a season that will be quite a bit shorter than the rest of the shows in the Law & Order franchise. On Monday, NBC renewed Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order: Organized Crime, but while the flagship series and SVU will each have 22 episodes in their new seasons set to air this fall, Organized Crime will have just 13. According to TVLine, the reason for Organized Crime's shorter episode order is that series producers have "very specific" plans for the season that are best accomplished with the shorter order.

The smaller episode order for Season 4 is just the latest development for the Christopher Meloni-starring series. Last month, showrunner Sean Jablonski, stepped down from the role and exited the series due to creative differences. Jablonski was the fourth showrunner for the series with original showrunner Matt Olmstead replaced by Ilene Chaiken before the series' debut, then with Chaiken replaced by Barry O'Brien midway through Season 2. O'Brien was then succeeded by Bryan Goluboff who left after two months. Jablonski is being replaced by David Graziano for the remaining three episodes of Season 3. The series is currently on a break with new episodes set to return on April 26th.

As for Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, those shows will enter into their 23rd and 25th season's respectively — a major milestone for SVU.

"All of us at 'SVU' feel honored to be able to continue telling these essential stories, and we are proud that the family we've become has grown stronger, bolder, and more united with each season. While we have seen significant changes in our culture, injustice persists and too many voices still go unheard," SVU star Mariska Hargitay told Variety. "That cause is as much mine as it is Olivia Benson's, and I gather strength from knowing that the longest-running drama series on television is one that elevates women's stories, and the stories of those in our society who have been marginalized and harmed. To know that I get to be a part of someone's experience of feeling less alone, less isolated, more in community, more connected, that is the true privilege and gift."

She continued, "On the artistic front, it is gratifying for me to take stock of how much I've learned, and exciting to embrace how much I have yet to discover. I've had many deeply fulfilling artistic experiences in my years on the show, most recently and most especially directing the 'King of the Moon' episode. I look forward to growing creatively in the future with these extraordinary collaborators."

What do you think about this latest development for Law & Order: Organized Crime? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.