How Law & Order: SVU Season 25 Can Thrive in 13 Episodes Despite Strike Negotiations

Summary

A former Law & Order: SVU showrunner suggests a 13-episode fall season is still possible if the WGA and SAG-AFTRA's negotiations with the AMPTP go well.

If the Writers Guild of America reaches a deal by the end of the month and the Screen Actors Guild reaches a deal by the end of October, it could potentially save the network from having a shortened season. Under the proposed timeline, the show would shoot 5 episodes before the start of the new year and an additional 8 episodes before late April, allowing for the show to continue without issues.

A former showrunner of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has suggested that a 13-episode fall season could be possible. Currently, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) since May, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) joined in July. The strike revolves around issues such as fair pay, transparency in streaming ratings, and the regulation of AI.

Warren Leight, who served as showrunner for Law & Order: SVU during multiple seasons, shared his thoughts on Twitter. He proposed a potential pathway for network television shows to return in the fall with 13-episode seasons, if the rumors about positive negotiations with the AMPTP turn out to be true. See his Tweets below.

Leight suggested that if the WGA reaches an agreement with the AMPTP by the end of September, the current writing team for the long-running crime procedural could produce a shorter season to air in Fall 2023. However, he also emphasized the importance of SAG-AFTRA reaching a deal "by October's end."

In two additional tweets, Leight explained how this shortened schedule could be implemented. He proposed that the cast and crew would need to agree to a one-week unpaid Christmas break instead of the usual two weeks in order to make up for the lost work. This adjustment could allow for approximately half of the shortened season to be filmed before the new year. Concluding his thread, Leight stated that a 13-episode season is feasible and suggested that the recent negotiations between the guilds and the AMPTP may be driven by studios' desire to resume production on their shows.

Could This Strike Timeline Work for Law & Order: SVU?

Leight's timeline for the strikes could be successful if everything goes smoothly. However, there is a possibility that the strikes could persist and extend into the New Year. This may result in even longer delays, making it challenging to produce full 13-episode seasons after the Law & Order: SVU season 24 finale aired on May 18.

If the strikes do end promptly, some series could potentially follow Leight's proposed model. A similar situation occurred during the major writers' strike in 2007. That strike caused production to halt in the middle of the season, and writers had to quickly adapt to produce a reduced number of episodes. This led to shorter seasons like the 15-episode second season of 30 Rock, the 11-episode seventh season of Scrubs, and even the 19-episode ninth season of Law & Order: SVU.

In the 2007 case, only the WGA was on strike. If the WGA negotiates a deal, SAG-AFTRA would still be on strike, which might make producers hesitant about scripts for shows that have no available cast yet. Network procedurals have storylines that are generally always relevant, so scripts could be written without confirming if the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit cast would return on time. If there are delays, these scripts could be simply adjusted for a later production date, potentially making the risk acceptable in this situation.