When it comes to NBC’s scripted lineup, nothing defines it better than procedurals. Whether it be the Law & Order brand or the OneChicago universe, procedurals have historically dominated the network’s primetime schedule and continue to do so into 2026, and one of the most iconic is heading to Netflix. As the streamer looks ahead to May, Netflix is getting ready to stock 35 more episodes of a fan-favorite NBC procedural.
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After Netflix surprise-dropped Seasons 21 and 22 on April 20th, marking the first time the show has streamed on the platform in over a decade, two more seasons of the original Law & Order are scheduled to hit Netflix in May. On May 18th, Law & Order Seasons 23 and 24 will be available to stream on Netflix, meaning fans will have a total of 67 episodes to stream. Dick Wolf’s flagship procedural is one of the most iconic and influential police procedural dramas not just on NBC but in the entire history of TV. The show follows detectives as they investigate violent crime and the District Attorney’s office as they attempt to convict the perpetrators.
Law & Order Is One of the Biggest Crime Shows in TV History
Netflix may be missing most of Law & Order, but the arrival of two more seasons to the platform is a pretty big one given just how massive of a show Law & Order is. The series holds the distinction of being the second-longest-running live-action scripted American primetime series ever, after its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, so far running for a staggering 25 seasons and 551 episodes. The series initially aired on NBC from 1990 until 2010 before returning from an 11-year hiatus in 2021 to continue its record-breaking run and premiered its milestone 25th season back in September, with Season 26 not off the table just yet. The show has achieved massive success during its run, leading to the launch of an entire franchise that now includes multiple successful spin-offs (including SVU, Criminal Intent, and Organized Crime), video games, and international adaptations.
Massive longevity and extensive spin-offs aside, the series has also had a deep impact on the now iconic procedural drama format. The series introduced the two-part formula where the first half of the episode focuses on the police investigation, or the “law” aspect of the title, while the second half focuses on the “order” side of things, the district attorney’s prosecution. Even looking beyond that massive impact to the TV landscape, Law & Order is iconic, from the distinctive, sharp “ching-ching” sound to its iconic characters, like Jerry Orbach’s Lennie Briscoe and Sam Waterston’s Jack McCoy, who are TV staples. In terms of overall consensus, Law & Order is a hit, managing to hold an impressive 83% average audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes across its 25 seasons.
Where To Stream the Rest of Law & Order?
21 seasons of Law & Order will be missing from Netflix’s library following the arrival of Seasons 23 and 24 on May 18th, but they thankfully aren’t impossible to stream. The original 20 seasons are available to stream in full on Hulu, while Peacock streams Seasons 12 through 25. It’s possible that additional seasons will arrive on Netflix at a later date, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
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