The Real Reason the 'Law and Order' Shows Aren't New Tonight

Mariska Hargitay as Captain Olivia Benson.

No, your DVR isn't deceiving you: the Law & Order shows are all reruns tonight. Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime are all taking a two-week hiatus, with new episodes returning to NBC on Thursday, April 11. But it sounds like the wait might be worth it, because there are a few treats in store.

On Law & Order, new DA Baxter (Tony Goldwyn) continues to establish himself when a congressional aide is murdered after testifying in a corruption case, and the suspect appears to be someone close to home. On Organized Crime, Reyes (Rick Gonzalez) makes his return after a mental health leave while Stabler (Christopher Meloni) juggles a military case and ongoing issues with his brothers. But over on SVU, Olivia Benson herself (Mariska Hargitay) takes on directing duties for "Children of Wolves." The case involves an unconscious teenager found in a park, but it's the second half of the episode description that might really pique your interest as Benson's adopted son Noah (Ryan Buggle) questions the origins of his birth.

Related: Mariska Hargitay to Direct Next 'Law & Order: SVU'—Find Out How Many Episodes She's Directed So Far

If you've forgotten that Season 15 saga, you've got some time to revisit it. Noah was adopted by Benson as a very small child after he was discovered in the home of a couple of child pornographers. His identity was unknown for a while, until his mother Ellie turned up as a suspect in another case. She was a prostitute who had gotten pregnant by a sex trafficker and allowed to keep her baby, but she was told the baby had died. She tried to get clean and became a witness for the SVU in an attempt to get Noah back, but was then brutally gang-raped and murdered by her old bosses. Noah lived in several unsuccessful foster homes before Benson took him in permanently. It's a lot for anyone to unpack, let alone a tween, so it's bound to be a heck of a subplot when the show returns.

Related: 'Law & Order: SVU': Everything to Know About the Show's Milestone Season 25

Anyone in the mood for a rewatch might also consider Organized Crime, since NBC has, for some reason, not yet renewed it. Both Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU were given green lights for next season, but Organized Crime is on the bubble, despite being arguably the best of the three shows right now. What does Christopher Meloni gotta do? Hasn't Elliot Stabler been through enough? Give him another season ... or 12!

Next, In the Sweet Spot! Christopher Meloni Shares His Thoughts on 'Bensler' and Stabler's Evolution