‘Law & Order: SVU’: Why Isn’t a New Episode On Tonight?

Olivia Benson, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: SVU tonight

(Photo by: David Giesbrecht/NBC)

Once again, Law & Order: SVU is not on tonight. But unlike last week, when NBC at least aired a repeat, Olivia Benson and her team are completely off the NBC schedule. That’s because the network is running a two-hour episode of The Voice. The next new episode of SVU doesn’t air Wednesday, March 22 at 9 p.m. ET.

As noted last week, “Genes” centers on a suspect who claims his genetics force him to commit rape. Benson (Mariska Hargitay) doesn’t buy that excuse, of course.

Here’s the episode description from NBC:

An investigation hits a nerve with Benson (Mariska Hargitay) when a suspect claims his genetics causes him to commit rape.

Another upcoming episode, “Know It All,” was previously scheduled to air on March 22. This episode is about a rape suspect who threatens to release the secrets of those working on the case.

SVU‘s 18th season has been troubled by stops-and-starts all year, partly thanks to a Donald Trump-inspired episode that starred Gary Cole never making it to air. In a February interview with the Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Rick Eid said he doesn’t even know if it will air.

“I have heard no news on that issue. Literally, no one talks to me about it. I’ve heard nothing about it. That’s definitely a network decision. It’s definitely not a Rick Eid decision, that I can promise you, so I have no idea,” he told THR.

Dick Wolf, the brains behind the entire Law & Order and Chicago franchises, told the Hollywood Reporter in January that he hoped the episode would air in the spring.

“I never pressure the network to schedule anything in a specific way except things like crossovers,” Wolf told THR. “I haven’t been informed when it’s going to air. I suspect it will be this spring, but I don’t know.”

Cole also told THR that the episode, titled “Unstoppable,” might never be seen. “I don’t know that the outcome was expected,” Cole said of Trump winning the presidency. “I think maybe the thinking was that the outcome was not going to be this outcome and they would show it at some point. But now you’re in a whole different ball game.”

The episode starred Cole as a businessman running for political office. His campaign is then detailed by accusations of sexual harassment from several women. While these accusations would have ruined Cole’s character’s campaign, Trump fought off the claims and became president.

Read More
, ,