The Law & Order franchise, in one form or another, has had audiences across the US gripped for 35 years and counting, with Peacock being the go to streamer for episodes new and old in recent years.
However, with the NBC streamer recently hiking the cost of both its subscription tieres, viewers may be left questioning whether their love of the franchise is worth over ten bucks a month. Peacock is far from the only streaming service to be raising its prices in 2025, but an extra $3 a month could leave a bitter taste for subscribers who just over a year ago were paying under $6.
If you’re concerned that dropping Peacock means you’ll lose access to the crime drama and its wealth of spin-offs, then stick with us, because there are other options for streaming Law & Order, with one of the best streaming services even boasting more episodes of the OG show than its home streamer.
Law & Order
On air: 1990-2010, 2022-present
Seasons: 24
“Dun dun!” When the original Law & Order hit screens in 1990, it redefined the crime drama. With episodic cases “ripped from the headlines”, the show didn’t just portray hero cops catching the bad guys, but aimed to cover the entire legal process, from investigation through to legal proceedings. Cancelled in 2010, the show was revived by Peacock in 2022.
If you’re thinking of cancelling Peacock, the good news is that you can actually stream far more episodes on Hulu, with the Disney-owned service hosting the entire original run (seasons 1-20). The revival episodes (season 21 onwards) are exclusive to Peacock, however legacy episodes only go back to season 13.
For our money, it’s a case of both quality and quantity over on Hulu, as while the revival episodes are by no means bad, the original run contains some of the best, and most influential, TV ever made.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
On air: 1999-present
Seasons: 26
The first Law & Order spin-off holds the accolade of being the longest running live-action series in US TV history, airing a whopping 26 seasons since its debut in 1999.
Grittier than its parent show, the series follows Mariska Hargitay’s NYPD Captain Olivia Benson and her Special Victims Unit colleagues as they investigate sexually motivated crimes against some of society’s most vulnerable people. It’s a hard watch at times, but utterly gripping television.
SVU fans looking for an alternative stream are very much in luck, with Hulu once again coming to the rescue. You can watch almost every episode on the streamer, from last year’s season 25 all the way back to season 1. We’d expect the latest season to arrive there at some point too, so if SVU is the only Law & Order show on your radar and you don’t mind waiting, you can go ahead and wave goodbye to Peacock.
Law & Order: Organized Crime
On air: 2021-present
Seasons: 5
The latest Stateside addition to the Law & Order canon, Organized Crime sees the return of Christopher Meloni’s Detective Elliot Stabley following his departure from SVU back in 2010.
Now part of a task force within the Organized Crime Control Bureau, Stabler is tasked with taking on New York’s most dangerous mobsters and deadly crime syndicates, all under the watchful eye of Sergeant Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt). Unlike the episodic nature of previous Law & Order shows, Organized Crime features a single arc each season, making it an incredibly addictive binge watch.
And if you are looking to binge, you’re going to have to put up with the Peacock price hike. While the show also airs on NBC, it was very much designed to be a fresh tentpole show for the (at the time) new streamer, and five seasons in, it’s unlikely we’ll see it streaming anywhere else anytime soon.
What about other Law & Order series’?
While the three shows outlined above are the only installments from the Law & Order universe currently airing new episodes in the States, they’re far from an exhaustive list of the franchise.
Law & Order’s third longest running show, Criminal Intent, drew to a close in 2011 after a ten season run. Starring Marvel’s Kingpin Vincent D’Onofrio, the show dug deeper into the lives of victims and perpetrators, broadening the focus to unravel the reasons and nuances behind the high-profile crimes committed. If you’re looking to reopen any of these cases, however, Peacock is your only option.
The good news, though, is that you won’t need Peacock to stream any of the other Law & Order shows, the bad news is that they’re a little trickier to find with one season wonders Trial by Jury (2005-2206), LA (2010-2011) and True Crime (2017) only available to purchase via the usual avenues of Prime Video, Apple TV, etc.
US viewers with an AMC+ subscription can stream all 8 seasons of the British spin-off Law & Order: UK while Canadian’s can stream the home grown Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent for free, with both seasons available on CityTV.
Should Law & Order fans cancel Peacock?
That all depends on your preference. If you’re looking to stream classic episodes right from the start, then Hulu is actually a better option, even before the price increase, but if you’re looking for the latest installments, you’re better off sticking with Peacock.
Anyone looking to stream some of the more forgotten spin-offs wouldn’t find them on Peacock anyway, however if you’re after the latest Law & Order universe shows, you won’t find them anywhere else.
Ultimately, it’s likely fans of Law & Order, or any other TV franchise, will have to put up with regular price increases in the foreseeable future across all the streamers if they want to keep access to their favorite shows, although if you do a little investigating, you may find better options. Case closed.
Read the full article here
