Law & Order is back on the airwaves tonight and Collider is delighted to be partnering with NBC to bring our readers a first-look at an exclusive sneak peek from tonight’s episode, airing at 8PM ET/PT.

In the segment, Lieutenant Kate Dixon (Camryn Manheim), Detective Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks), and Detective Vincent Riley (Reid Scott) delve into the mysterious and unexplained death of a comedian found in a subway car. The investigation takes a turn when footage from a street camera reveals another comedian at the location, prompting the team to pursue this new lead.

Now in its 23rd season, Law & Order remains a cornerstone of U.S. primetime television, holding the title of the second-longest-running scripted live-action drama. The series is beloved for its procedural narrative, which explores the investigation and subsequent trial of serious offenses. It has introduced audiences to a host of cherished characters, from Sam Waterston’s Jack McCoy to Anthony Anderson’s Kevin Bernard, solidifying its position at the heart of NBC’s expansive criminal justice TV universe, alongside spin-offs SVU and Organized Crime, both of which ranked among NBC’s top 10 dramas in ratings during the 2022/23 season, while all three cracked 50 million viewers across both linear and streaming on Peacock.

Is Season 23 of ‘Law & Order’ Shorter Than Usual?

Unfortunately, yes. Fans will need to make the most of every minute they get of Law & Order this season, as it will be less than what they’re used to seeing. Similar to many network series this year, the 23rd season of Law & Order will feature a reduced number of episodes as a consequence of the strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which affected much of 2023. Fans accustomed to the usual rollout of 20+ episodes annually will experience a significant cut, with only about half that number expected to be shot. However, it’s anticipated that the show will return to its standard episode count by the next fall season, offering viewers the kind of series length to which they’ve become accustomed.

Check out our exclusive clip for this evening’s episode above, and be sure to tune in to NBC at 8PM ET/PT to discover exactly what happened to the dead comedian. Law & Order and all of its associated spin-offs can also be found streaming on Peacock.