Law & Order: How many series are there in the franchise? A complete guide to television’s most enduring crime universe

For over thirty years, Law & Order hasn’t just ruled television screens, it’s built an empire of gavel drops, dramatic reveals, and that unmistakable “dun dun.” What started in 1990 as one ambitious procedural has grown into a massive franchise that has basically invented the modern crime drama playbook. If you’ve ever found yourself lost in true crime dramas and procedural shows, this franchise is about to become your next favorite watch.

But how many shows are in this iconic franchise? The short answer: a lot. The long answer? Well, welcome to the complete guide. From the OG Law & Order to the cultural juggernaut that is Special Victims Unit, from Criminal Intent to newer spin-offs like Organized Crime, this franchise covers every crime. Each series brings its own flavor, but they’re all stitched together by that same addictive formula of justice, gray morality, and deeply watchable chaos.

So whether you're a longtime fan or a curious newbie wondering where to start, here’s your full breakdown of television’s most relentless, riveting, and ever-growing crime universe.

Law & Order (1990–2010; 2022–present)

Law & Order isn’t just a show, it’s television’s longest-running courtroom obsession, a gritty, no-frills procedural that defined the “crime show” genre as we know it. Created by Dick Wolf and first aired in 1990, the series carved a unique identity with its clean-cut, two-act formula: the first half hunts down the criminal, the second half puts them on trial. No character fluff, no slow burns, just high-stakes justice, week after week.

Set in the ever-grimy, ever-glorious streets of New York City, this series blended the city’s pulse with real-life headlines, dramatizing them into tight, satisfying narratives. The original show ran for 20 seasons, took an 11-year breather, then stormed back in 2022 like it never left. Now renewed for a 25th season, it continues to serve cold justice with an iconic “dun dun” flair.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–present)

Since 1999, Law & Order: SVU has been pulling the curtain back on crimes society tries to ignore, the ones too raw, too real, too uncomfortable. Front and center is Captain Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay’s iconic portrayal of a woman who refuses to flinch in the face of horror. She’s not just the boss, she’s the soul of the squad.

Deep in Manhattan’s 16th Precinct, this isn’t just a team of detectives. It’s a battalion of believers, fighting for the silenced. Every case feels like it's clawed its way off a front page. It’s brutal, it’s bold, and it gives victims more than justice. It gives them power.

With over 570 episodes, SVU is more than the longest-running primetime live-action series. It’s a legacy. A movement and a relentless pursuit of justice that refuses to look away.

Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021–present)

Law & Order: Organized Crime is far different from your average courtroom procedural, it’s the brooding, noir cousin part of this franchise. Launched in 2021, the series marks the thunderous return of Detective Elliot Stabler, back in New York and haunted by grief after the tragic murder of his wife. But he’s not slipping back into his old SVU groove, he’s gone deeper. Much deeper.

This time, he’s leading a special task force built to infiltrate and dismantle the city’s most powerful criminal syndicates from the inside out. Forget street-level drama. We’re talking mafias, international cartels, corrupt billionaires, and ghosts in designer suits. Each season doesn’t just follow a single crime, it unfolds like a long game of chess, where Stabler’s every move could collapse an empire or cost him everything.

It’s gritty, serialized, and personal. Organized Crime trades quick resolutions for layered storytelling and emotional payoff. Stabler’s internal war rages just as fiercely as the battles he fights on the street. And with every criminal kingpin he takes down, he’s really chasing something else: closure, revenge, redemption.

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024–present)

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent brings the grit of New York’s iconic franchise to the heart of Canada’s biggest city, blending true crime chills with a psychological twist. Set in a fictional version of the Toronto Police Department, it follows the elite Specialized Criminal Investigations Unit as they crack open high-stakes homicides and political scandals ripped straight from Canadian headlines, yes, even that infamous Rob Ford crack scandal.

The show premiered on Citytv on February 22, 2024, and instantly became Canada’s prime-time darling with 1.1 million viewers. Slick direction, intense cases, and Toronto’s cold elegance? Yeah, it’s here to stay, with season 3 already greenlit.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–2011)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent isn’t just another cop show, it’s a psychological chess match dressed up as a crime drama. Launched in 2001 as the darker, more introspective sibling of Dick Wolf’s flagship series, this one takes you inside the minds of New York’s most calculating criminals before the detectives even knock on the door.

Leading the charge is Detective Robert Goren, part Sherlock, part tortured genius, partnered with the steady and sharp Alexandra Eames. Instead of courtroom drama, it’s all about motive, method, and unraveling the twisted logic behind high-profile crimes. The series bowed out in 2011 after ten intense seasons, but has left behind a legacy of brainy, bold storytelling that still hits hard.

Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005–2006)

Set in the heart of New York City’s justice system, this series flips the Law & Order formula by pulling us deep into the courtroom trenches. With Bebe Neuwirth’s fierce Tracey Kibre leading the prosecution and the legendary Jerry Orbach returning as Lennie Briscoe, this series digs into jury selection mind games, tense pretrial showdowns, and the psychology of persuasion.

However, the show was canceled after just one season due to low ratings.

Law & Order: LA (2010–2011)

Law & Order: LA brings Dick Wolf’s crime-fighting universe to the glamor and grit of Los Angeles, swapping New York’s cold grit for California's chaos. It premiered on September 29, 2010, as the franchise’s flashy fifth child, promising sun-soaked justice and Hollywood scandals.

But behind the scenes, things got messy, cast shakeups, plot rewrites, and a dramatic midseason hiatus left the series stumbling. Despite a creative glow-up and a cliffhanger ending that begged for more, NBC pulled the plug after just one season in May 2011. In true L.A. fashion, it was dramatic, short-lived, and left fans craving a proper finale.

Law & Order True Crime (2017)

This series of the franchise trades cold cases for hot takes, zeroing in on the true stories that once hijacked every TV screen and dinner table debate. Unlike its procedural siblings, this one's a slow burn, one infamous case, one season, total obsession.

The first season dives into the twisted saga of the Menendez brothers, whose Beverly Hills double-murder turned courtroom drama into must-watch television. With Edie Falco channeling legal lioness Leslie Abramson, it’s not just a trial, it’s a tug-of-war between truth, trauma, and tabloid frenzy. Every episode peels back another layer of scandal, spinning the facts into a psychological thrill ride.