The new seasons of the long-running Law & Order and its spin-off, SVU, will address timely topics like AI and sexual abuse. Law & Order: SVU will start its 28th season later this week, followed by the 26th season premiere of the original show.
The story of Law & Order Season 26’s first episode deals with the murder of a software engineer. The horrific incident sends Reid Scott and David Ajala’s characters, Riley and Walker, “into the rapidly evolving world of A.I.,” according to the description. This prompts DA Baxter to confront a “technology advancing faster than the laws designed to govern it.”
“We try to capture the cultural zeitgeist, and artificial intelligence is clearly top of mind these days,” showrunner Rick Eid told Variety. “What’s shocking about this technology is that it’s moving so quickly. This episode went from something that felt almost like science fiction to something that feels totally plausible — in only a few months.”
Law & Order’s premiere episode comes on the heels of several AI companies announcing major advancements in their services. However, its spin-off SVU, dealing with rape and consent laws, is sure to turn more eyes towards systemic issues with the justice system.
SVU turns its attention to the complexities of consent law
The premiere episode of Law & Order: SVU will deal with Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson helping a victim of sexual assault. Her pursuit of justice puts her relationship with Peter Scanavino’s Carisi in jeopardy following a meeting with a jury consultant. More surprisingly, the episode was written three months before the unfortunate Cornell 7 case.
The Cornell 7 refers to the ongoing case regarding seven Cornell University fraternity members who were accused of sexually assaulting a student in October 2024. As of the time of writing, no arrests have been made.
“After all these years on this show, I had no idea this was an issue — I assumed being drunk or under the influence meant you couldn’t consent to sex,” showrunner Michele Fazekas said about consent laws surrounding intoxication. “But if you are voluntarily intoxicated, no matter how much, the law says you can. For me, it highlighted a major flaw in the system.”
Fazekas went on to speak directly about the Cornell lawsuit, saying she was “horrified” upon hearing about it, but “wasn’t surprised.” She added, “The central legal issue in our episode is how the law is written. It’s part of why law enforcement declines to prosecute in cases like this, and I hope that’s something that is talked about more.”
Most recently, Hargitay stated that Cornell “failed” its students in a post shared jointly with her organization, the Joyful Heart Foundation. Marvel star Florence Pugh has also commented on the matter, demanding accountability from everyone involved and beyond.
Both Law & Order and SVU will premiere on NBC on October 8, 2026.
