Law And Order Is Back, Baby, And This New Teaser Is All The Evidence You Need

"Law and Order" is an American institution. Just about every actor who's ever worked in New York has done their time on the series as a corpse, witness, or killer, and the series' two-beat "dun dun" sound and opening monologue are as recognizable as the "Jeopardy" music or the clicking whir of the "Wheel of Fortune." The police procedural and courtroom drama series was created by Dick Wolf and ran for 20 seasons from 1990 to 2010. A revival was announced in September, with creator Wolf and writer-showrunner Rick Eid returning. 

The series follows the detectives who solve crimes and the lawyers who prosecute them, serving as both a police procedural and a courtroom drama. The new season will bring back some of the most beloved cast members from the original run, including Sam Waterston's Jack McCoy, while introducing some new and exciting faces. 

The first teaser for the revival has dropped, and even though it's only about fifteen seconds long, it should be more than enough to send you straight into "Law and Order" nostalgia.

In addition to Waterston, "Law and Order" alum Anthony Anderson will return as Detective Kevin Bernard. Joining the cast are Hugh Dancy ("Hannibal"), Jeffrey Donovan ("Burn Notice"), and Camryn Manheim ("Ghost Whisperer"). Dancy's casting drummed up excitement from "Hannibal" fans, who look forward to seeing if he's better at catching criminals this time around. 

The teaser gives us our first glimpse of Waterston back in action as District Attorney McCoy, telling someone off-screen that "It's okay to play the hero, as long as you win." We get a few somber shots of other cast members, as well as some shots of Manhattan to get us back in the gritty New York vibe of the series. The teaser closes with Dancy, who will play an assistant district attorney. Maybe that's him that Waterston's talking to about playing the hero, and we'll get to see these two veteran television actors really dig into the tough stuff. One can only hope. 

"Law and Order" returning just feels right. It's as American as apple pie, and it was weird that its spin-offs were still running in perpetuity while the original had ended. The return of Wolf, Eid, and Waterston means that everything should still look, feel, and sound like "Law and Order." It's a true revival, and one I'm genuinely curious to check out. 

"Law and Order" premieres Thursday, February 24 at 8:00 p.m. on NBC, and will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.