Law & Order has been renewed for Season 26, but with a key change. When it returns to the small screen, the show will air its episodes in a new time slot, different from the previous installments’ airtimes. Notably, the newest entry in the legal drama experienced an unusually late renewal, influenced by a schedule rearrangement.

Law & Order’s NBC time slot updated after Season 26 renewal

Like previous seasons, Law & Order Season 26 will air on Thursday nights. However, it will reportedly shift from its regular 8 p.m. time slot to 10 p.m. Thus, it will air after its spin-off, Special Victims Unit, renewed for its 28th season last month, instead of before it. The civilian iteration of The Traitors will take over the old slot.

The newest installment was officially renewed just ahead of NBCUniversal’s presentation on Monday. This late decision reportedly boiled down to budget discussions and securing a place for it on the schedule.

The renewal was reportedly finalized just before cancellation, as per Deadline. Sources suggested that it would not be billed as the final season. The outlet reported that the series may face budget trims—a common practice for long-running broadcast shows with high-profile actors—though the specifics weren’t disclosed.

Law & Order continues to be a success for NBC, with its latest season averaging 4.75 million viewers with seven days of linear viewing. It is also doing well on streaming, reportedly maintaining a regular presence on Nielsen’s top 10 charts.

The crime drama, despite featuring multiple stars, has historically focused on a small ensemble of six to seven regulars, with a revolving door casting rule. The most recent season saw Reid Scott, Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Odeya Halevi, and Tony Goldwyn return from previous installments. Meanwhile, David Ajala joined the main cast starting from the seventh episode.

Rick Eid serves as showrunner, while Wolf Entertainment produces with Universal Television.