Why was there no new episode of Law and Order: SVU season 26 tonight (Mar 27, 2025)? Explained

NBC’s Law and Order: SVU season 26 took an unexpected break this week, leaving fans curious about the reason behind the scheduling gap. The latest season of the police procedural drama premiered on October 3, 2024. This week marks the third break Law and Order: SVU has taken this year, following previous pauses on February 6 and March 6, 2025.

The ongoing season continues to follow the SVU unit as they handle complex s*xual crimes and vulnerable victims. Although NBC has not given an official reason for the hiatus, it may be due to network scheduling strategies or production-related issues. The delay is brief, as Law and Order: SVU season 26 episode 17 is set to premiere on April 3, 2025.

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NBC aired a rerun of Suits LA instead of Law and Order: SVU season 26 on March 27, 2025

As mentioned earlier, instead of airing a new episode of Law and Order: SVU, NBC aired a rerun of Suits LA episode 5. While the network did not give an official reason for this schedule change, it is likely that NBC aimed to boost viewership for Suits LA, one of its newest shows.

Another speculation for this delay is the broadcast of the NCAA March Madness on CBS this week. The classic basketball tournament has a loyal fanbase, and Law and Order: SVU season 26's hiatus might be a strategic decision to avoid the clash.

Although the gap may seem abrupt, this decision by NBC is not a new phenomenon, as networks occasionally adjust their schedule for various reasons. Broadcasts like political addresses or breaking news take priority over regular programming.

In addition to this, regular breaks throughout an ongoing season are a conscious decision to space out episodes and ensure a steady run till May, the typical month for season finales. These breaks can align with sweeps periods when viewership ratings are measured for advertising purposes.

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Law and Order: SVU season 26 episode 17 airs on April 3, 2025

Law and Order: SVU season 26 episode 17, titled Accomplice Liability, will air on NBC on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 9 pm Eastern Standard Time.

The episode's logline reads:

"Carisi attempts to put aside his role as prosecutor to serve as a witness in a trial; Benson tries to help a rape survivor struggling with her recovery."

The trailer of the upcoming episode revisits the fall finale of season 26, where Carisi was held hostage with two others in a deli. Even though the culprit was arrested, Carisi suffered major trauma from the incident, which is reflected in his professional life in later episodes.

Now, in episode 17, Carisi's strength will be put to the test once again, as the man responsible for the crime, Deonte, will be prosecuted. In an interview with TV Insider dated January 9, 2025, Peter Scanavino shared insights into Carisi's mental state:

"I think there’s just a lot of anger there. I think he really blames Deonte for everything that happened, and Boyd [Silas Weir Mitchell]. I don’t think he’s giving him any quarter that he was being forced to do it by Boyd or whatever."

He continued:

"I think he thinks he gave Deonte every opportunity to stop this from happening and he never did. So I think he’s got a lot of anger directed towards Deonte and the fact that now he’s going to try to plead not guilty really angers him."

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Stay tuned for more updates on Law and Order: SVU season 26.