'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' Season 19: Show Star Talks About Real World Headlines Represented in New Season
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is set to return to NBC this fall for its season 19 run, and things look settled for the long-running crime drama after a change to the show's production team. Raúl Esparza shared some of his insights regarding the conclusion of season 18, as well as the new cases the SVU could face this fall.
NBC has announced the return of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" among its fall lineup for the 2017–2018 season, putting the premiere schedule for season 19 on Sept. 27, according to Spoiler TV. The show keeps its 9 p.m. ET time slot on Wednesdays as the crime drama series resumes this fall.
Raúl Esparza, who plays the role of Rafael Barba in the long-running show, spoke with Hollywood Reporter about the wrap-up episode of season 18, as well as possible new directions for the show moving forward.
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In the season finale episode, the show took on an issue close to the real-world problems facing the United States these days, as the Special Victims Unit struggles to hold on to a crucial witness who is about to be deported.
"Barba and Benson both end up really tested because she can't hang onto the witness legally and she can't make the case, and Barba starts wondering whether or not they can provide alternative facts, so to speak," Esparza explained.
With the way things are these days, the actor believes that "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" season 19 could take on more themes closely paralleling recent headlines. Given the possibility that the new season could just simply take topics from today's headlines, Esparza agrees that more real world news could make it into the new season.
"I think very much so. I can't tell the future, but if I were a betting man, I would say that the odds are good that stuff will show up in our show because we have an insane amount of material to pull from, sadly," the actor said.
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" season 19 premieres on NBC on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m. ET.
