Sam Waterston reveals what convinced him to return as Jack McCoy in Law & Order season 21. As the Law & Order franchise flourishes with spin-offs SVU and Organized Crime, NBC and creator Dick Wolf are taking things back to where it all began by revisiting the original series. The first Law & Order, which premiered back in 1990, ran for a total of 20 seasons before its surprising and abrupt cancellation in 2010. However, Wolf now has the opportunity to put things to rights with Law & Order season 21; NBC officially ordered a reboot of the show last fall, with production getting underway soon after.

Set to premiere in just a couple weeks, Law & Order season 21 will be comprised of both familiar faces and franchise newcomers. In the latter category are those like Jeffrey Donovan, Hugh Dancy, and Camryn Manheim. In the former group, Law & Order has recruited at least two original stars. Anthony Anderson returns to play Kevin Bernard, while longtime Law & Order mainstay Waterston will once again inhabit the character of Jack McCoy. When the reboot was ordered, Waterston was among fans' top picks for potential returns.

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Waterston, who has spent the years since Law & Order's original finish taking on major roles on shows like The Newsroom and Grace & Frankie, recently opened up about why he's returned to Jack McCoy. Speaking at a Television Critics Association panel (via The Wrap), Waterston revealed it was a mixture of Wolf's enthusiasm and fans' enduring passion for the show that convinced him. He said:

“[Wolf] was talking about it five years ago and I don’t think he’s ever stopped talking about it. One of the reasons that we’re back is because of his persistence and determination — and his conviction that it was a terrible mistake to stop in the first place. The other reason we’re coming back is because we stopped making the shows, but the audience never stopped watching them. The audience’s persistent appetite for ‘Law & Order’ is a major reason why we’re back, so thanks to them.”

Sam Waterston as Jack McCoy in Law and Order

Law & Order reruns are frequent these days, thus allowing audiences to pick up with the detectives and lawyers from across all seasons whenever they want to. Those reruns, along with the many spin-offs, have allowed Law & Order to remain alive and well for all kinds of viewers, including those who might not have been able to watch the series when it first began. Plus, the show's ripped-from-the-headlines format means Law & Order will almost always remain relevant.

With all that in mind, it's no wonder Waterston jumped at the chance to play Jack again. He last played the character in a 2018 Law & Order: SVU episode, so it's only been a few years since he stepped into those shoes. It'll be interesting to see how, if at all, McCoy has changed since Law & Order was first on; most likely, Waterston will have found some new layers to add to his already-excellent performance. Fans will get to see for themselves when Law & Order finally returns for season 21.

More: Claire Kincaid's Shocking Law & Order Death Explained

Law & Order season 21 premieres Thursday, February 24 on NBC.

Source: The Wrap