Skip to content
Release Night

Law & Order

Series· 1990· Drama

Created by Dick Wolf

In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important, groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.

Law & Order Season 26, Episode 3, “Bad News,” airs Thursday, October 22, 2026 on NBC.

Next episode

6 nights

S26 E3

Bad News

10:00 PM ET

Airs on

NBC

When a prominent newspaper editor is murdered, Shaw and Calvino uncover a web of newsroom secrets that obstructs their investigation. Price must weigh the public's right to know against a journalist's duty to protect a source.

Up next
S26 E4 · Property

Where to watch in the US

Latest season’s US availability not verified

The official NBC page may list episodes and access options. Search other services on JustWatch (opens in a new tab)

Official show page on NBC (opens in a new tab)

Release details

Known dates and milestones

  • Released

    NBC

    Since Oct 8

Dates & episodes

Season guide

Current and recent seasons first. Original premiere dates, not current availability.

  1. 26Season 26Next: Episode 3 · Bad News
  2. 25Season 25Original premiere · NBC · 21 episodes
  3. 24Season 24Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  4. 23Season 23Original premiere · NBC · 13 episodes
Browse 22 earlier seasons
  1. 22Season 22Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  2. 21Season 21Original premiere · NBC · 10 episodes
  3. 20Season 20Original premiere · NBC · 23 episodes
  4. 19Season 19Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  5. 18Season 18Original premiere · NBC · 18 episodes
  6. 17Season 17Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  7. 16Season 16Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  8. 15Season 15Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  9. 14Season 14Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  10. 13Season 13Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  11. 12Season 12Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  12. 11Season 11Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  13. 10Season 10Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  14. 9Season 9Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  15. 8Season 8Original premiere · NBC · 24 episodes
  16. 7Season 7Original premiere · NBC · 23 episodes
  17. 6Season 6Original premiere · NBC · 23 episodes
  18. 5Season 5Original premiere · NBC · 23 episodes
  19. 4Season 4Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  20. 3Season 3Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  21. 2Season 2Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes
  22. 1Season 1Original premiere · NBC · 22 episodes

Episode guide

Season 26 episodes

View season

Premiere dates and destinations, not current availability.

  1. 1

    Ghost in the Machine source at TVmaze

    Originally aired on NBC

    A software engineer's murder sends Riley and Walker into the rapidly evolving world of A.I. As Baxter pursues justice in a groundbreaking case, he's confronted with a technology advancing faster than the laws designed to govern it.

  2. 2

    Into the Mystic source at TVmaze

    Originally aired on NBC

    Price and Walker are forced off a high-stakes case when their connection to a murder suspect creates a conflict of interest. Baxter faces mounting pressure when a key witness for the prosecution suddenly changes their story.

  3. 3

    Bad News source at TVmaze

    Airs on NBC

    When a prominent newspaper editor is murdered, Shaw and Calvino uncover a web of newsroom secrets that obstructs their investigation. Price must weigh the public's right to know against a journalist's duty to protect a source.

  4. 4

    Property source at TVmaze

    Airs on NBC

  5. 5

    TBA source at TVmaze

    Airs on NBC

  6. 6

    TBA source at TVmaze

    Airs on NBC

  7. 7

    TBA source at TVmaze

    Airs on NBC

Episode data from TVmaze.

Cast and crew

Cast
Sam Waterston, S. Epatha Merkerson, Jerry Orbach, Steven Hill, Jesse L. Martin, Fred Dalton Thompson, Chris Noth, Benjamin Bratt
Produced by
Arthur W. Forney, Dick Wolf, Peter Jankowski, Rick Eid

More to watch

From the same filmmakers, stars, studios or franchises.

Release date not announced.FBISeries, 2018Craig Turk · Zeeko Zaki, Jeremy SistoRelease date not announced.CIASeries, 2026David ChasteenRelease date not announced.Prosecuting Evil with Kelly SieglerSeries, 2023Kelly SieglerRelease date not announced.Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeriesDavid J. BurkeRelease date not announced.Chicago P.D.SeriesDick WolfRelease date not announced.Chicago MedSeriesAllen MacDonald
About this information

Sources and attribution

Supporting links and attribution for the dates, credits, schedules and watch options shown on this page.

  • Official show page

    Link supplied by TVmaze under CC BY-SA 4.0. A series-level destination, not confirmation of US availability or any specific season.

  • Season premiere · NBCOctober 8, 2026
    ReportedTVmaze
    “TVmaze: Law & Order season 26 episode 1 "Ghost in the Machine" airs 2026-10-08 on NBC”
  • Cast and crew data

    TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Next episode schedule

    TVmaze · normalized by Release Night · CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Season release history

    TVmaze · 26 season records · CC BY-SA 4.0

Release dates retain the source wording. Season history records original premieres; availability receipts identify options that can be used now or later.

Past changes1 update

  1. Season premiere date announced: October 8, 2026 on NBC

    Reported by TVmaze

How Release Night verifies and updates information